New Year – Building the Burks

2019 was another big year for us. Starting the year in our new-to-us old home making remodel plans and an unexpected but much celebrated pregnancy. Stephanie got baptized and was supported by many friends and family. We went to Legoland and the contractors started our remodel. We lived in several different places (hotel, Air BNB, friends and family members houses) while they took apart and rebuilt our house. Everything always took longer than expected. In April we went to Arizona for Allie’s Baptism.

In June we moved back into our much unfinished home with no kitchen, no flooring and one functioning bathroom. The kids finished their first year at a public school Franklin Discovery Academy. We took a much needed family vacation back to California and loved it. We came home and it was our turn to do the projects on the house.

Summer was full of lots of play time with friends and lots of projects. We received so much help from family and friends in many, many ways and we are so grateful. We couldn’t have gotten this far without it. One such person was around so much and had such an impact on our family, He is all Drew talks about still. He says his name dozens of times a day. Uncle Bennie. Even though my Grandma’s brother hadn’t seen me or probably even thought much about me since I last saw him 15 years ago, He showed up and helped. He helped with installing flooring, replacing the subfloor, irrigation, excavating and leveling the backyard, tree removal, getting up early picking up multiple trailer loads of bricks by hand, preparing and pouring our cement patio.

At the end of August Georgia made her quick arrival after a very physically taxing and stressful pregnancy. She has completed our family and filled us all with joy and awe. She is beautiful and perfect.

Fall started a new school year, and the season of sickness and surgeries. Matt had a surgery to fix four issues in his sinuses and is happy to report he can breathe through his nose MUCH better now.

Georgia has got bronchiolitis once a month since birth. Thankfully she was healthy enough in November She and I made a quick trip to California to celebrate the life of my Aunt and visit with family. Then the following weekend was her Blessing day. We had many family members in town to participate and celebrate this day with us. It was a beautiful experience as our sweet last baby was surrounded by loved ones and her Dad gave her a special Blessing. We continued to celebrate this gift of life at our home with a dinner of Thanksgiving. That weekend and days following filled with family and friends were so wonderful and filled our hearts with so much joy and gratitude.

November 27th Josh and Lucas had surgery to have their Tonsils and adenoids removed. That was a very difficult time. The boys were in lots of pain all day and all night for 2 weeks. At one week after the surgery Lucas had a tonsilar bleed. A crazy rush to primary children’s hospital in salt lake, He lost a lot of blood and needed to go back into the Operating Room to stop the bleeding and pump the blood out of his stomach. He was such a champ and had no fear. It was a very long night and our sweet friend Wendy came to our aid no questions asked. She stayed up into the wee hours of the night and took care of all our other kids, and her husband Brian brought Matt up to the hospital so we could be together with Lucas. We are so thankful for them.

In mid December just as the image of Lucas coughing up blood was fading out of my mind it was time for a few more projects to get our house ready for Christmas. We were very selective this year and didn’t give our kids toys. They got things they need and gifts of family fun and memories to be made.

Finally on the 28th of December for the first time in years Matt and I were able to attend the temple. It was extra special because it was our first time in the Salt Lake Temple and it’s very last session before it is closed for 4 years for renovations. It was nice to be together in such a special and beautiful place. I really miss spending time in the temple. I am grateful that we have moved to a place were they are so easily accessible to us as a family with young kids.

We spent our New year’s Eve in service to friends, visiting some elderly friends and seeing some spectacular Christmas lights. A perfect way to end the year.

We had a big year full of many blessings and many trials. We have learned so much and grown closer as a family. We look forward to a New Year, and growing closer as a family and even closer to Christ as we study the scriptures and follow the teachings of President Nelson.

Love,