Merry Christmas Eve!!

Merry Christmas Eve! Last night we got back from our trip to California. Sierra had a follow up biopsy from her one in October. To our undelight it was another 1A. That means that we will return in February for another follow up biopsy. A 1A means that there are white blood cells lurking around her heart but they are not attacking it. We were hoping for a 0, which means absolutely no rejection. So, instead of returning to California in April we will be returning in February.

We left Friday the 19th and drove to Reno, staying at Circus Circus. Then we went the rest of the way on Saturday the 20th and were able to go see Ben (received his heart the same day as Sierra) and his family. It was so fun to see them. Thank you Angel and Gary for letting us drop in on you like that. We had a ball and look forward to July or August when Ben comes here to visit!

Sunday we decided to culturally edify ourselves. So, we decided to go to the Cantor Art Museum at Stanford University. The kids were really excited to see the Africa and Ocean displays (which we saved for the last). To their disappoinment it was nothing more than more statues and boring paintings. We did get a kick out of a man that was standing in a room and wasn't moving. We finally figured out that it was a wax figure. Everyone was laughing and a little timid to get too close to him for a picture. After the museum we were able to meet up with our dear friends the Stockwells. Shawn (received his heart July 30th of this year after waiting for 2 1/2 years for a heart) looks so awsome!! He gets to go home for Christmas. We are so happy for them. Hopefully they made it past Seattle and the snow back to Alaska. We love you guys and will be seeing you in February.

Monday was Sierra's biopsy. She did awsome. Lindsey and I were at our friends the Gee's hanging low with Hunter and Gage. We were blessed with a quick stomach flu that hit us that night and wanted to keep us away from the hospital and Sierra. Thank heaven Sierra didn't get the bug!! Then we pulled out yesterday from Palo Alto and made it home by 11:30 last night in time to go tubing today and get ready for Santa. Thank you Jane and Bruce for letting our family crash your cottage. Now you can say you've housed a family of 7. Thank you for all you do. Bob and Kaye Paugh, thank you for inviting us to your party. It was amazing food (as always) and company. You have an awsome family. Thank you for making us feel so welcome in your home. To everyone, have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Sierra and Ben at Ben's house.

Gary, Gage and Ben

Adorable Ava and Gage

Beautiful Angel and I

The wax figure. Notice Megan pulling Sierra into the picture because she didn't want to get too close.

Our family in front of a painting of the Stanford family.

Our last picture of sunshine outside the Gee's home before we left Tuesday.

Shawn holding Gage at Applebee's.

The trio of amazing kids-Shawn, Ben and Sierra

Sierra coming out of anesthesia after biopsy. It's always fun to get her talk when she's a little rummy.

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas everyone!! I thought I would give a quick update on Jason's ACDC concert. November 30th Jason and I and the two boys (Hunter and Gage) drove to Tacoma, Washington. All for the love of music. Jason met our good friend Sherwood Smith and the two of them went to the concert. I stayed with the boys in the hotel. Jason had a blast and the next day his ears were ringing all day. We drove home the next day, but not before going by Olympia and seeing Jason's college buddy Rob Copeland. It was a beautiful drive up into Washington and it was fun to have some time to visit without all 5 kids.

Since then, we are busy getting ready for Christmas. Sierra has a biopsy on the 22nd of December that we are going to be driving to. Yes, call us crazy! The whole family is going. We really want to test Santa's naught and nice list. We will return Christmas Eve.

We are very excited to see our friends in California. Shawn gets to fly home to Alaska for the first time in almost 3 years. So, we get to go see them fly out of california. We are so happy for them. They have traveled a rough road. Until then I hope everyone is having a very happy and jolly December and enjoying the spirit of Christmas.

Jason and Rob in Olympia, WA

Jason and Sherwood getting ready to leave. You would have thought they were 2 school boys they were so excited.

A picture of the concert from Jason's cell phone.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!! This last weekend we went to Utah to my sister, Tiffany's, wedding. It was great. The last of the Merrill's to get married. Kind of sad to see our, "favorite Aunt Tiffany," taken to marriage. It was a lovely day, and fun to see all of my family together.

We also got to see our new neice Ryleigh. It was sometimes hard to tell her and Gage apart when people were holding them. She is absolutely beautiful, you do a great job Ryan and Michelle.

This weekend is Jason's ACDC concert. So, we will be heading to Tacoma, Washington. Due to all the traveling we have opted to stay home for Thanksgiving. We are having our own Thanksgiving meal here. Anyone is invited! However, we are so greatful for many things some of those are:

• Good Health (everyone in the family)
• jobs
• family and friends
• children that make us laugh and appreciate the little things in life.
• vehicles that work
• Nicholas (our donor)

........and many more things that are unlisted. We are so blessed and are greatful for all that we have. Thanks to all of you who check on us. We love you and hope you have a great Thanksgiving.

A priceless picture of my Grandma and Grandpa Hobbs with Gage. The last of our grandparents that are alive on either of Jason or my side.

Tiffany with all the neices and step neices that helped serve at the reception.

The first family photo since Gage was born.

All the Merrill sisters and my Mom.

Ryleigh and Gage. There are 3 weeks between them. She may just pass Gage up.

I thought this was a cute picture of Tiffany and Cameron.

Tiffany and Cameron at the Logan, UT temple where they were married.

The first picture of Mr. and Mrs. Dockstader coming out of the temple.

The wind was blowing and it was very cold while we were waiting for the bride and groom to come out. This is a picture of everyone huddled in the only place that there was no wind outside the temple.

A cute picture of Lindsey and Gage sleeping the day before we left for Utah.

Raising the walls at Gage's baby blessing

We blessed Gage Merrill this last Sunday. Here are a couple of pictures of his grandparents, familiy and friends.

Hunter and Lane, a cousin, in their matching suits.

Stacy's sister, Kelly and her 2 boys, Lane and Keaton, with Gage.

Our good friends, the Yecks, came up for the blessing and helped us for 2 days on our shed. We built 2 interior walls and did all the electrical work. Jeff is a handy friend to have around. Jenny also cut all the kids hair. Theirs kids a fun the have around.

ALL the Yecks and Binghams raising the interior walls.

Then come Sunday, pictures of Family and Grandparents.

Renae Coleman, (Stacy's mom) yeah it's kinda like the song.

My Mom and Dad. Both doing great.

Theon and Nancy Merrill. Stacy's dad and wife.

Our cute little family. Check out my wife. Wow, she was (and is) lookin good.

More pictures of Gage and his hot mom.

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween to everyone. I hope you had a good one. Here are some pictures of our annual Halloween family party. Along with Hallween night of the kids. I also stuck a cute one of Gage in there. Hope all is well with everyone.

Uncle Jake the scary bull, Wendy the witch, Roper the rodeo clown and Dallee Jo the rodeo queen.

The kids and cousins Halloween night, before trick or treating.

Jason the Hawaiian, me the cowgirl, Sierra the fairy, Megan the pirate, Lindsey the cheerleader, and Hunter the clown.

Gage the cute little man.

Aunt Garrity the twinkie loving trucker.

Sierra's Biopsy Update

Sierra and I went to California Monday for her biopsy. She got a 1A, which we were rather shocked, because she has looked and acted so good. This just means she is in a tiny bit of rejection and gets us a trip back to Cali in two months instead of 4. We were supposed to return home Wednesday the 22nd, but Sierra had a little bit of fluid around her heart that they wanted to keep a closer eye on. So, we moved our trip to Thursday, which gave us another day to spend with the Stockwell's (yeahhh!!). However, we got to the airport and after waiting for 45 minutes, they canceled our flight due to mechanical problems. So, we were shuddled up to SanFrancisco and they put us up in a hotel for the night and we caught the early morning flight from San Francisco to Boise. Making our trip almost a week. Thank you Jason and Leslie for being the Mom to Hunter, Lindsey and Megan while I was gone. Unfortunately I have no pictures of the house while I was gone. But, I am sure it was immaculate. We are so glad to have made it home.

While we were in Cali we got to be there for Haley's birthday. She turned the BIG #6. Haley is Shawn's little sister. Unfortunately, it was celebrated in the hospitals ICU. Shawn had another seizure the morning we got to Cali due to another allergic reaction to the immunosuppressive drugs. He is looking much better now and was moved out of the ICU Wednesday and up on the 3rd floor. They are going to keep an eye on him for a few more days in the hospital. Stockwell's thank you so much for letting us hang out with you. WE love you soo much! Trista you are my hero. You are truly amazing!!!

Unfortunately it never worked out to meet up with Angel and Ben. We will hopefully catch you guys in December. WE love and miss you.

Yesterday we had a ward Halloween party. Hilary you did an AWSOME job. It was very fun!

Haley and Sierra in Shawn's ICU room having some of Haley's birthday cake.
Haley's beautiful princess Halloween costume.

Sierra, Haley and Shawn with Gage when he was a little more awake after his seizure.

Haley's sparkly shoes that go with her costume.

Sierra and Shawn with their mustaches.

Shawn, Haley and Gage in Shawns room on the 3rd floor. Trista in the background.

The eat the donut from the string was one of the many games Hilary planned. Here is DaleeJo and Lindsey eating their donuts. The smaller kids got a little confused about wether you were supposed to use your hands or not.

Megan taking a jab at the donut contest.

Hunter could care less about the rules he just wants the donut.

Lots of kids, lots of fun.

October update

Just to confuse you, this is Hunter in Calif about 2 weeks old in Oct of 06. Sierra was on the heavy med's, and Shawn now finally has his new heart and hopes to be going home to Alaska in December.

Gage is doing great. Loves to eat, sleep, and poop.

Stacy, Sierra, and Gage have left for California. Sierra has her routine biopsy and check up with the Calif heart doctors. They are VERY exited to see Shawn, Trista, Ben, Angel, and the rest of the gang. They fly out Monday morning and will be home Wednesday IF everything goes will. We don't anticipate any issues. There has been the MRSA virus going around the school. If you know anything about it, it can be very scary, expecially for immune compromised kids. So we are glad for the checkup.

Couple of update items to report. 1st picture is for Justin. Justin, when you see this give me a call. Jake and I need to explain the deer hunt and this picture of Log Creek show's it all.

Log Creek at Deer camp. For Justin's reference.

Started putting the tar paper on the roof of the shop. Will start roofing this week, I hope.

Went and got fire wood up behind Wolf Creek. Notice the girls, Roper and Stacy lifting the 8 ft logs into the truck. Hunter and I are watching from the lawn chair.

Hunter is saving my seat.

Our favorite Aunt Garrity, also helped us. Somewhere, Gage is sitting in his car seat.

Roper, Megan, & Lindsey playing Indians with scaps of tar paper from the roof.