Mountains to Climb

Life is full of twists and turns, ups and downs. Sometimes we feel absolute joy and elation in the journey. At other times, we go through difficulties and challenges so severe we sometimes don't think we will survive. Faith in Heavenly Father and in our Savior Jesus Christ can make the ultimate difference. It can help us maintain an eternal perspective that lifts us.

We can do much good in alleviating others' pains and sorrows. Look around you. Chances are someone near you is suffering. Service can be a balm. Prayer can be a help. Don't underestimate the influence you can have on another, even through a smile.

We are all in this life together. I know our Father in Heaven and our oldest brother both love us more than we can comprehend. In this, I have faith.

Happy Birthday to our Kadence!

Seven years ago today, one of our life's dreams came true: a baby girl joined our family. Happy Birthday to our sweet Kadence! We cannot comprehend how fast the time is flying. We are so blessed to have you. We love your giggles, your diligence at school, how you put your heart into things you are doing (writing stories, drawing, learning Spanish, etc), and how you dote over Cambria.

You are such a beautiful, kind, smart, loving daughter, sister, granddaughter, and friend. Words cannot properly express how much Mommy and Daddy, as well as Tayah, Stockton, and Cambria love you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS!

02.13.06, the day Heavenly Father sent you to us

See, you (and Tayah and Stockton) were just as adorable a baby as Cambria is!

Clasic falling asleep at the table

Five years old beauty

Daddy/daughter dates are among our most special times.

Earthly Father, Heavenly Father

I cannot tell you how much I love being a father. This Mormon Message captures so many of the feelings I have each day, knowing that I am the Daddy to four beautiful children. I cherish it. That's not to say that there are not difficult or challenging times and I most definitely have many shortcomings. Thankfully, love, joy, gratitude, and humility outweigh those feelings. As this beautiful video states, fatherhood is divine responsibility and I constantly pray that I can be the father our children need and deserve. I love being a Daddy!

Christmas 2012 Activities

Okay, so this entry is as much for us as it is for you. Here is a list of all the Christmas activities which helped make for us a marvelous, magical, and memorable Noel:

• The Festival of Trees
• Temple Square lights and walking around the very Christmasy City Creek
• The Messiah Sing-In at Abravanel Hall
• The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert with Alfie Boe and Tom Brokow. Oh, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir :). 
• The First Presidency Christmas devotional.
• Black Friday shopping
• Elayna and Aubrey's ballet performance in the Nutcracker 
• The Festival of Lights in Spanish Fork
• BYU's Christmas party
• Christmas at Nauvoo program at BYU
• Ryan Shupe and the RubberBand concert at the Covey Center
• Our ward Christmas party
• Gingerbread house at our great friends, the Wilkins', house
• Elizabeth and I singing in our ward Christmas program
• The Utah County Christmas Craft Show
• Utah County Handbell Ringers concert at the Springville Museum of Art
• Nelson Family Christmas party
• Our regular Christmas Eve dinner and nativity
• Christmas get-together at Dad and Donna's house
• Christmas cards and neighborhood gifts
• The wonderful cadre of Christmas movies
• Non-stop Christmas music
• I was able to do the 12 Days of Christmas for the ninth straight year for Elizabeth and the kids. Have to be creative more and more these days!
• Too much food

It was the best Christmas yet, and we have no doubts that this will be the case again in 2013!

Things We Love About Our Children

There are so many things we love about our children. Here are just a few that come readily to mind this morning.

Here's us playing with the webcam feature... :)

Cambria: her heart-melting smiles; the way she pats our cheeks without knowing she is doing so; her patience with some siblings who love to "take care of her;" how sweet and mellow she is, crying only when she's hungry or tired; the way she beams at everyone.

Stockton: the way he runs as fast as he can, whether is does the street or from the couch to the dining table--gives it his all!; how he still snuggles on demand; how easily he goes to bed; the way he carries around his blankie.

Tayah: She is such a helper; we've seen a dramatic decrease in fit-throwing and an equally great increase in sweetness!; how she asks how we are doing; how determined she is when she is working on a project; the way she dances to keep Cambria happy; our extrovert!

Kadence: She's Cambria's second mother--so nurturing and loving, she just dotes on her baby sister; what a voracious reader. Sometimes we have to pry books out of her hands; so dainty; she sings with all her heart...and is starting to get better with pitch :); so shy in public and anything but at home.

Mission Impossible (Piano/Cello/Violin) ft. Lindsey Stirling - ThePianoGuys

Elizabeth and I LOVE the Piano Guys. Here is yet another wonderful, hilarious, and awesome video and arrangement. They have so much fun doing what they do. And they do it so well. Enjoy!

2012 Smith Family Christmas Letter: By The Numbers

In case you haven't seen it yet, here is our 2012 Christmas letter and photo. We truly hope you all had magical Christmases with your loved ones. Happy New Year, too!

THE SMITH FAMILY’S 2012: BY THE NUMBERS

8 lb, 13 oz            Our adorable angel, Cambria, joined the Smith Family fun on 07.16. We simply could not ask for a sweeter, happier baby. She had some early health issues, but is doing great now. Her siblings love her to pieces, literally and figuratively. She is joy!

1,276                    Miles from our home to Disneyland (roundtrip). We made our annual February pilgrimage to “The Happiest Place on Earth” and had an incredibly magical time there together. 

2 hrs, 15 min     Amount of time Tayah attends kindergarten each day. We cannot believe how quickly our children are growing up! Our spunky redhead loves her English/Spanish immersion class, her teacher, her friends, playing, and being five.

37                           Page number of the BYU Magazine fall issue where all the Smith women—Elizabeth, Kadence, Tayah, and even Cambria (though not visible J)—are featured in an ad.

100%...                 …BOY: our Stockton. In the midst of all the femaleness that surrounds him is our little man. What an active, wonderful, cuddly boy we have! Stockton turned three, loves sports, anything with wheels, and being Daddy’s partner in crime.

7                             Years we have loved living in Springville, Utah—and loved is an understatement. We are amazed by the stellar examples of our neighbors and 20^th Ward friends. So very blessed.

1^st                           Grade for Kadence. Hard to believe our oldest goes to school all-day now. She reads 24/7, is bueno in her Spanish studies, and is a budding artist. Our shy girl is starting to break more out of her shell. Kadence just dotes on her baby sister.

Once…                   -in-a-lifetime experience when David went to a game as a guest of Utah Jazz owner Greg Miller. They sat on the 1st row and were on TV. David still enjoys writing a Deseret News article for each game, while blogging and writing for the Utah Jazz website.

#1                           Elizabeth is easily the world’s best wife and mother (no bias here). Besides being Mommy to four children six-years and under, she teaches Primary, takes care of Activity Days, serves on the PTA Board, and always has projects inside and outside the house.

10 (+1)                 Ladies at the Torgesen Girls Only Party. Elizabeth (and Cambria) enjoyed a well-deserved vacation with her mother, sisters, and sisters-in-law down in Houston. Four days of games, food, evenings out, painting, crafts, visiting, and bonding.

10-4                       After 10 years in Annual Giving, the past four as Director, David accepted a new position at LDS Philanthropies. While a bittersweet change, he is excited to be a Donor Stewardship Officer, working more with donors and legacy societies.

Innumerable     Diapers we changed this year; people David put to sleep with his monthly High Council talks; “time-outs” administered; smiles, laughs, and memories shared as a family.  

We hope this Christmas letter finds you all well, happy, and loving life. You each bless our lives in many immeasurable ways—so many that we simply cannot quantify. May this be a beautiful season for you!

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

With love,

David, Elizabeth, Kadence, Tayah, Stockton, and Cambria Smith