University Dreams and the Financial Aid Fairy

This year my oldest children will graduate from high school and they have dreams to leave the nest and go away for university (yes, I've become Canadian in my lingo and no longer say college).  As a mama, I have such mixed emotions about this.  My heart is split into 4 different options for them.

One option is to have them go to university here in Ottawa and live at home.  I love this idea, because well my kiddos will still be living under my roof and I like them and enjoy having them around.

The second option is to have them both go to my husband's and my Alma Matter, BYU.  This would be a great option too as two of their cousins on the Reil side go there and it'd be nice to be close to them for once in their lives.

The third option is to have them both go to their dream schools.  Kaleb's is Yale and Noé's is BYU-Hawaii.  What parent doesn't want their child to succeed and for their dreams to come true?  I'd love to visit them both in Connecticut and Hawaii too.

The last and newest option is to have them both go to their second choice schools.  Kaleb's is Notre Dame and Noé's is UNLV.  They've both already been accepted to these schools and Kaleb would be close to his Pittl grandparents and Noé would be close to her Lee grandparents.  I'd love to visit them both in Indiana and Nevada too.

They haven't applied to any Canadian schools, and they're still waiting to hear back from their first and third choice schools.  The big question isn't about them getting accepted though, the big question is how are they going to pay for it?

I was extremely fortunate when I went to school because my father paid for it.  I will always be grateful for his sacrifice for me and I worked hard to earn good grades and graduate.  I am currently a stay-at-home mom and have been for almost 18 years.  I am most thankful to be working at my dream job, but sometimes I feel bad to be working at a job that doesn't pay a cent after my father spent a lot of money so I could get a great education.

Leonard graduated with his Bachelor's degree and $28,000.00 worth of student debt to pay back.  Unfortunately, we lost his parents 8 months after we were married.  The life insurance we received did pay for his Master's degree, but we would have gladly taken on more student debt to still have his parents here with us.  Student debt is nothing to sneeze at though.  When our twins were wee babes, and we paid our outrageous apartment rent, made minimum payments on our credit card and student loan debt, bought diapers and formula for two, we were left with enough money to buy lentils for us to eat for dinner.  It really wasn't fun (and I'll add we rode the bus for 2 years as we couldn't afford a car after ours died shortly after their birth).  It wasn't until we got our first posting to Taiwan that we were actually able to save money each month.  It felt so good when we were able to pay his student loan completely off, after being married for 9 years.  

My husband's dream job, as a Foreign Service Officer with the Canadian government is now earning a nice salary after 17 years on the job.  However, that salary goes to provide for 9 people.  We are not poor my any means, but we are not rich either.  We live a nice day-to-day life and do our best to be generous in our tithes and offerings to others.  However, we don't get to visit our extended families as often as we like and we have not been able to save for our children's future educations.

Even though I want my children to shoot for the stars with their dreams, I also want them to be practical.  I just read I Killed My Teenager's Fancy College Dreams.  You, Should Too.  The article states that collectively, Americans owe $1.6 trillion dollars in student debt.  $1.6 trillion is one thousand and six hundred billion dollars or another way to say it is one.six million millions!  That is A LOT of money!!  And I don't even want to know how much interest will be paid on that debt.

Of course, as they're waiting to hear back from their dream schools they're also waiting to hear back from the Financial Aid Fairy.  Maybe the fairy will be generous with them and things will work out for them to go away for school, but it sure makes this mama worry.

Saturday with the Fam

In the morning Mom and I biked to Mandy and Kris's neighborhood to watch the little kids at their community Easter egg hunt.  We all went to the Shake Shack for lunch, then came back to Mandy's to visit before Eri had to head back to San Diego.  

Mom with her three girls and sweet B.

I love my sisters!

(and my brothers too!)

Mom and Poppa.

Mandy, B-bop, and Coleman.

Kris and Charlotte with Logan in the back.  So sad I didn't get a family pic of them before Devin had to go to work!

I wish my kiddos could see their cousins more often!

That night Poppa made a delicious stew and Mom made a fresh peach pie and cinnamon pinwheels with the leftover pie crust.  Jared had been working on the new floor at their house, so he joined us for dinner too.

Erika and Lucille's

On the next day of my trip, Erika flew to town from San Diego.  I'm so glad I got to see all of my siblings during this trip!  We all went out to dinner at Lucille's.

Eri, Mandy, and Coleman.

Bennett, and Charlotte.

Devin, Logan, and Kris.

Poppa, Mom, and Me.

I was actually too full from the delicious lunch we had earlier at Yard House, so I skipped dinner and went straight to dessert- yummy banana pudding (but my Granny's was much better, miss her!) and perhaps the best strawberry lemonade I've ever had.

Since we were a week away from Bennett's birthday, Charlotte asked the server to bring him a birthday treat (what a sweetie!).  Bennett was so surprised!

It's safe to say he enjoyed his early birthday treat though!

Outside, Charlotte...

...and Logan enjoyed some lollipops!

I love my family!

Spring trip to Salt Lake

Early the next morning, Mom and I hopped a plane to fly to Salt Lake City to visit Brent and Whitney and their family.

Cadence, Jackson, and Isaac with their Auntie that doesn't get to see them enough.

Mom and I had a fun day with them as we went to the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, toured the model home at the Island at Daybreak, and had dinner at Olive Garden.  It was so nice to see everyone, but it's so hard that these visits are so few and far between.

Spring trip to Vegas

It's a new year and time for me to get caught up on this blog!  I've made a goal to do at least one post a day until I'm all caught up again.

Back in April (on a day that snowed so much there were over 100 car accidents in Ottawa), I took a trip home to Vegas.  I arrived late in the evening, and my mom babysat my niece and nephews early the next morning.

In the morning I unpacked, then Leslie picked me up and we went out to lunch.

Afterwards, she dropped me off to spend the rest of the day with my mom and the darling the kiddos.

Cute cousins- Charlotte and Bennett.

Mom and Logan.

The 3 little ones together.

Mandy and Kris home from work.

Our Greatest Wish

I'm sharing this post from Facebook on my blog as well.  Thanks for reading and I would love to read your comments.

*IF YOU KNOW US AND LOVE US, PLEASE READ THIS LONG POST AND MAKE A COMMENT BELOW. WE LOVE YOU!*

Happy New Year from our family to yours! This day (and every day) I am so grateful for all of my loved ones- my extended families, my friends, but especially- my husband, and each and every one of our children.

For as long as I can remember I have dreamed of having eight children, four sons and four daughters. This dream may not have been Leonard's dream since his youth, but as we have grown together, it has become his dream too. I can't believe that we are lucky enough to have four sons and three daughters. They are such amazing kiddos! The desire in my heart though for one more daughter is just as strong now as it was when I was a young girl, and it is so sweet that my children also share this desire and pray for her each day.

Our new home has five bedrooms- and all of us share a room, except for Macy. Some may feel she is the lucky one to have a room all to herself, but I feel the opposite-she's the only one not to have a roommate.

For the past year and a half we have tried to conceive another child. For the past six months we have been receiving fertility treatments. As much as I would love to create another body for one of Heavenly Father's children, something has been tugging at my heart about adoption. For the past six months Leonard and I have also attended information seminars on public adoption, as well as international adoption, and have met with a private adoption practitioner.

The adoption process is very intimidating, to say the least. And yet, I know how much we would love any child that came to our family. And yet, I think of a little girl needing our family to love her and raise her. And yet, I think of birth parents who love their child, but don't have the means to provide for her the way they would like to. And yet, I think the answer to our prayers could also be us being the answer to someone else's prayer.

Since there are a couple of gaps in the ages of our children, we could adopt a girl born between Sept. 7, 2003 and June 17, 2005; between November 26, 2015 and July 22, 2016; as well as after July 22, 2019.

I have been praying for guidance for a very long time, pleading with my Father in Heaven to hear His voice and to be granted one last miracle, this desire of my heart to have one more daughter. Every time my thoughts turn to adoption I feel peace. Sometimes, it is hard to decipher between one's own feelings, the whisperings of the Spirit, and doubt from the adversary. However, I know we are commanded to do good things and the Lord will help us accomplish those good things. If we get it wrong, he will also correct us as needed.

So here we are this New Year's day and I am feeling so much gratitude for this sweet family of mine, while at the same time I feel like I have to do all in my power to bring one more little girl to our family, and then sit back and let God work in our lives. If you have read this post, thank you so much, it really means a lot to me. It is a little overwhelming to share the most tender feelings of your heart on a public platform. Even though I want many eyes and hearts to see this, I have decided not to make this post public. I am hoping that amongst all the amazing Facebook friends that Leonard and I have that one of you might know someone to help us with this miracle we are seeking. If you would like, please leave a positive comment below, so Facebook's algorithms can have as many of our friends as possible see it. And please reach out to us at: adopt(dot)baby(dot)girl(dot)love(at)gmail(dot)com

Thank you and God bless you!

Must be Santa

The kiddos visited Santa today!  Now they're all tucked in their slumber party dreaming of him visiting them!

Christmas Letter 2019

Merry Christmas Family and Friends!

We can't believe 2019 is quickly coming to an end. Is it just us, or is time speeding up these days? We wanted to share a few highlights from our year with you.

Leonard got to travel to Austria in the spring and Poland in the fall for his work with the OSCE. He keeps checking countries off his bucket list, and the rest of us keep wanting to catch up with him.

Jennifer's dream of moving into a new home came true in October. She still wants to live on every continent, but she also never wants to move again.

Kaleb auditioned for his high school production, and landed a part in Disaster! a musical comedy filled with earthquakes, tidal waves, infernos, and the songs of the '70s.

Noé made her high school cheer team again and is excited to participate in competitions in their new uniforms.

Gavin is our first to go to middle school and he's started playing the electric bass guitar in his band class.

Teague was thrilled this year when his tenth birthday fell on his favorite holiday, Easter- the first time since 1957.

Hiram turned eight and was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also received his first set of scriptures and is enjoying reading the New Testament with his family.

Ali is in senior kindergarten and is becoming quite the little artist. She is always drawing or coloring her darling creations.

Macy is getting stronger and can now sit completely on her own and claps her hands with pride. She is also a champ at army crawling. And- she loves to bounce, we swear she has a spring in her bum!

One of our favorite highlights every year is receiving your Christmas cards, letters, and photos. Thank you for remembering us! If we're not on your Christmas card list, please add us- we'd love to hear from you!

We hope you will receive all the love and beauty this magnificent time of year has to offer as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We also hope you have much health and happiness in 2020!

All our love,

Leonard, Jennifer, Kaleb, Noé, Gavin, Teague, Hiram, Ali, and Macy Reil

The Christ Child

A beautiful new telling of the story that's 2019 years old.  Watch it HERE.

Come Worship With Us!

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is inviting the whole world to come to church with us today!  Click HERE to find a chapel near you!

Christmas Card Lane

This year after we decorated our Christmas tree (the Saturday after American Thanksgiving), Kaleb said, "That might have been the last time Noé and I help decorate the Christmas tree."  That simple statement broke my heart.  Even though they are both hoping to go away for university next fall, of course they will come home for Christmas (and for every year after for as long as they want!), so his statement caught me completely off guard.  But, he's probably right.  As much as I want them to be here next year when we decorate our tree again, it is our tradition to do it early in the season to enjoy it for as long as possible, and I don't think their break from school will be that long  :).  

I wanted to take a walk down Memory Lane, or Christmas Card Lane, if you will, to remember our Christmases with Kaleb and Noé.  I think I will do this post again as each little birdie is getting ready to leave the nest.  And even though I want them to soar, man it's going to be hard to watch them fly off and leave me behind.  Luckily, they will always be my babies and our home will always be their home!  ALWAYS!!

I hope we will have a family reunion every year complete with a family photo as children-in-law, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren... join our crew.  And I hope I send out our recent photo every year with our Christmas card!

Too Busy

At the beginning of each month I think, "today I'll start blogging again and just do one post a day until I'm caught up."  Yeah, that hasn't happened since April.  Life is too busy and it drives me crazy!  I want to give my all to my family and home, but it seems the only thing I can keep up with on a weekly basis is the laundry.  Here's to hoping I can give my all to my husband, to each and every one of our seven precious children, get my home unpacked, carve out time for my extended family and friends, and hopefully find some me time (I haven't shaved my legs since we moved into our new house, that's 44 days, gross!).