A Season of Growth
December 12, 2009
December 12, 2009
Dearest Friends,
Hi! It’s me, Jeff and it’s looking like Christmas. As I peer out my kitchen window in Orem, Utah there are light snow flurries. Everything is white! The Christmas tree is up in the living room and Tammy has filled our home with Christmas decorations. I especially enjoy the mistletoe and try to catch Tammy there! The mailbox fills up daily with Christmas cards and messages from friends and loved ones. We appreciate these. This year it is my turn to share our message with you about this year—a season of growth!
This is our fourth Christmas as a blended family, and has been the best ever. Right now we have five children living at home, five married children, one on a mission, and one at BYU. I must tell you that it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. In fact, it has been very difficult to blend two families with so many children and grandchildren with different backgrounds, different temperaments, and different ways of seeing things. When we get frustrated we remember T.T.T. (Things Take Time). That said, as we have trusted in the Lord and pled for His help, He has blessed us with much growth and much joy. We are grateful to Him.
Speaking of growth and joy, our Emily married her Mr. Right (Benjamin Wright) in the Mt. Timpanogos temple in April. We love him and we love his family. He is very good for Emily. The wedding was amazing! Tammy worked with Emily and had every detail taken care of ahead of time, so we could relax and enjoy. Wow! We also welcomed two new grandchildren into the family. Jeff and Jenny had their fourth boy, Isaac. And Abby and James had their second boy, Peter. We now have ten grandchildren and nine of them are boys! We are so grateful that our children are choosing to have children. Maddy turned eight this year as was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by her brother, Ryan, and confirmed a member of the Church by Jordan. She was gorgeous in her white dress. In all of these experiences we felt the ministering of angels, and at times felt the veil parted and that Juanita and Mark were there with our children. Tammy and I were blessed to travel to the Netherlands where we rented a tandem and rode through countless fields of tulips. We also treasured an Alaskan cruise with the extended Ray Family, a West Coast cruise with the extended Hill Family, a family reunion with the extended Mulford family, and Aspen Grove and Thanksgiving with the extended Snell family. We are blessed to have four major families who all love and support us. That has helped us so much!
May the true Spirit of Christmas fill you lives with joy! We love you!
MERRY CHRISTMAS! THE HILL-MULFORD FAMILY
Jeff & Tammy, Juanita (in heaven), Mark (in heaven); Sarah (31) Eva (6), Nathan (4); Jeffrey (30) & Jenny, Jeffrey Jr (6), Jonny (5), Benjamin (3), Isaac (0) Aaron (27) & Jenny, Spencer (2), Joshua (1), Abby (25) & James, Andrew (2), Peter (0), Jordan (23), Hannah (22), Heidi (in heaven), Emily (20) & Ben, Amanda (17), Ryan (16), Seth (12), Cam (10), and Maddy (8).
YEARLY UPDATE:
The Jeff and Tammy Hill/Mulford family now numbers 29 mortal souls including: 2 parents, 12 children, 5 sons/daughters in-law, and 10 grandchildren. We are blessed!
Sarah (31), Eva (6), & Nathan (4) Sarah’s highlight is that she got a real job! She is a tenure-track assistant professor in neuroscience at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Sarah has gotten in very good shape, and has run a sub 22 minute 5k. Eva is in First Grade and she and Nathan are incredibly curious about everything. http//plainsenseofthings.blogspot.com srallred@gmail.com
Jeffrey (30), Jenny, Jeffrey Jr. (6), Jonathan (5), Benjamin (3), & Isaac (0). Jeff and Jenny welcomed their fourth boy, Isaac, into their family. Jeff is completing his PhD in mechanical engineering from Penn State, but they are living in Ann Arbor, MI and working at the University of Michigan. Their blog is: http://thehappyhillfamily.blogspot.com/ jeffrayhill@gmail.com
Aaron (27) Jenny, Spencer (2), & Joshua (1) Aaron continues his Ph.D. program at the University of Illinois in Mathematics and has decided to become a high school math teacher. Jenny does an incredible job at home with the kids and as primary president. You should take a peek at their blog. http://hillography.blogspot.com/ aaronthill@gmail.com
Abby (25) James, Andrew (2), & Peter (0) welcomed an adorable boy into their Omaha home in February. James is finishing a doctorate in physical therapy at Creighton University and is on the job market. They spent the Fall in Grangeville, ID for their rotation where they participated in a bear hunt and were warned to keep an eye on their boys because of cougars on their property. Their blog: www.thebooners.blogspot.com abbyh@gmail.com
Jordan (23) is a sophomore at Brigham Young University majoring in athletic training. He has been exercising a LOT and is majorly buff. He is very fun to be around and serves as the activities chairman in his ward. Jordan and his Mom flew to Green Bay this Fall and toured his mission areas in Wisconsin. Many still remember him with fondness there. Big news: he is doing semester abroad at the BYU Jerusalem Center from January through April, 2010. http://www.mulford12.blogspot.com/ / mulford12@gmail.com
Sestra Hannah Hill (22) is serving the Lord in the LDS Czech mission headquartered in Prague. We delight reading her e-mails each week as she shares with us the influence of the Spirit in her life and the excitement of missionary life.Though learning the language was challenging at first, she is much more comfortable with it now. http://www.czechcougar.blogspot.com/ sestrahill@gmail.com
Emily (20) and Ben were married for time and all eternity in the Mt. Timpanogos temple in April. Ben is the perfect mate for Emily and her complement in many ways. Emily will graduate in neuroscience from BYU next year. She is one of the leading scorers on the BYU Lacrosse team. Ben graduated last year and is teaching mathematics at a charter school while he applies to law schools. Check out their blog: bloggingthewrightway.blogspot.com lacrossechic@comcast.net
Amanda (17) started working at Kneaders, a local bakery, and learned to make a sandwich in 20 seconds. Already she has saved more than $3000 for college and perhaps a mission. Last year she played on the girls basketball team, but her real interest is in lacrosse where she started as a freshman. She loves learning and likes school. She is also dating. manarayhill@gmail.com.
Ryan (16) has his drivers’ license, and just went on his first date. Amidst intense competition he made the Timpanogos High School sophomore basketball team and has been a starter for them. Finally, he spearheaded an impressive Eagle service project at Cascade Elementary with more than 100 service hours. He is receiving his Eagle scouting award in Jan. Mulfy800@hotmail.com.
Seth (12) made the switch from football to soccer this year and enjoyed it greatly. He is a true blue Cougar football fan and went to all the BYU home games this year. He often cheered himself hoarse. Seth continues to progress in the piano and recently said he really likes it. He can play several hymns now. He is in Spanish Immersion in 6th grade. sethjoshuahill@yahoo.com.
Cam (10) is a star athlete. He played running back and linebacker on his tackle football team that scratched its way to second place in the league tournament. Though only in 4th grade, he starts on the Timberwolves 5th grade basketball team. Cam has been serving as Dad’s personal trainer and has motivated him to get into really good shape. Finally, Cam has learned that if he is reading the Book of Mormon, Dad doesn’t ask him to go to bed. He has been reading a lot!
Maddy (8) is also reading up a storm. It is not unusual for her to read two, three, even four hours a day. She also loves playing the piano and playing on her soccer team. Her dream is to become a school teacher and so sets up her classroom downstairs and teaches rows of stuffed animals how to read. She is a sweet angel in our home.
Jeff (56) and Tammy. Jeff continues at the BYU School of Family Life and Tammy continues to be a world-class homemaker. But what we love best is being together, especially when we can be alone. We like to ride our tandem up Provo Canyon, go out for a movie, go for walks, work out at the gym, and go to the temple. In 2009 we visited five new temples (The Hague, Draper, Oakland, Seattle, & Las Vegas), now our total is 24. We are in love! hill-mulford.blogspot.com/ jeff_hill@byu.edu tummarooni@gmail.com
