We’re Still Here!

Finally time to jump back into chronicling! Helaman just turned 18! Daddy Dave just turned 53! New Mommy Sophie just turned 20! We’re Grams and Gramps now to two boys! Baby James was born to Zach and Faith in July of 2021.  Isn’t he precious? And I’ll talk more about Sophie’s lil’ preemie boy when he gets stronger 💪🥲.  Joy started her special preschool and later Vienna, Ammon and Gideon joined her at Scott Leaman Elementary as Kindergartner, first and second graders.  Nephi started high school and Gloria and Helaman are junior and senior.  In September Gideon was baptized a member of t he Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on his 8th birthday.  Oh- and Vienna recently lost her first tooth.here to start composing...

Faith is Home!

We are absolutely ecstatic to have our sweet girl home again.   You can find her own stories about her mission here. 

She served honorably with all her heart.  One Finnish family in her last ward summed up their feelings about her beautifully by writing that they could substitute “Sisar Cox” for the word “love” in the hymn “Love at Home” and have it all play out accurately.  We Coxes all wholeheartedly agree. 

Faith has a marvelous ability to distract herself from her sadness through various creative means in order to serve and comfort others, excel academically and generally accomplish whatever is needful in the most spectacular way.  

The structure of mission life effectually peels off the layers of distraction to the barest of life’s essentials. 

These conditions revealed to Faith that she had unwittingly procrastinated the demanding work of grieving the loss of her mother. She had “cheated grief” to support her younger siblings and become a stellar student, and without those occupations, grief reared up as a mountain of sadness demanding to be digested.

Mission life also calls for the most robust emotional states as it involves repeatedly inserting oneself into the spaces of those who would prefer to avoid being bothered.  As an introvert, Faith did her level best, but it wore on her.

She found that the state of her emotions had her feeling like a burden on her companions (though I’d never believe any of them actually feel that way), and made the work utterly debilitating.

She plugged away and received all available help, but it became apparent that the work of healing would be better undertaken in the presence of home and family.  With the full endorsement of her mission president, stake president, bishop and parents, she made the bold and prayerful choice to return home to us:

Bold in the sense that it’s a jolt to her own perfectionism and unmitigated success in the eyes of others, and prayerful in that she made absolutely certain that she felt the confirmation of the Holy Spirit and the approval of Heaven.

Her mission was a priceless experience.  It revealed to her wounds that yet required healing, and opened the door for her to give herself permission to do so.  It was humbling, in many ways strengthening, and beautifully edifying for her.  It also did immeasurable good in the lives of those she served.  She is already doing immeasurable good in our family again just by being here.  

And as she now knows the wisdom of embracing her difficult feelings rather than stowing them away, she is free to undertake the necessary repairs, and clear a space for awaiting joy.

Faith has returned with honor and served just the mission intended by Heaven and we’ll have words with anyone who implies otherwise. No one messes with our Faith.

Eternal and boundless love to Faith and all of the wonderful people who have supported and continue to support her spectacular journey!  So many thanks.

Hyrum!

I’ve been taking my sweet time and saving the best few kids for last 😉.  Time for a long overdue Hyrum brag! 

Dear Hyrum, second born, and coming up in the chill of Faith’s shadow, only to welcome in a multitude of other siblings, including another older brother and five additional younger ones after I came into his life, is a titan of talent in his own right.

Great looking, engaging and fun, but also intelligent, introspective and discerning, it has been a privilege to call him my son lo these many years.

He had many insecurities moving from El Camino high to John Adams Academy as a junior, but it turned out he thrived there.  He was well suited to the classical approach, was scholarly and impressive during Socratic discussions, and presented so well his finely crafted required speeches during his senior year, including defending his senior thesis, which highlighted the importance of personal virtue and integrity and made us so proud.  He also bonded with wonderful, exemplary friends.




We absolutely love that he has involved himself in the performing arts, excelling in band, choir, swing dancing, comedy improv and theatre.  He also has wonderful taste in music.
Alas, I did not get a picture of this him in his Hamlet costume for this TNT performance (SO MANY MOM FAILS 🤦🏻‍♀️), but I cannot overstate the excellence of his famous soliloquy, nor the fine figure he cut in his Elizabethan apparel.




He has a wonderful sense of humor. He’s always had a way of recapping funny things that have just happened in a way that makes it more fun for everyone and makes Hyrum that much more lovable. His brothers and sisters all love when he’s here, and he can pretty much always get a smile from the little ones.







The sweetest baby...

The friendliest boy...





The coolest dude...

Last summer he and Faith both worked at McDonald’s, and it’s among the sorrows of my life that I never got a picture of the two of them together in their adorable uniforms.  We were proud that they worked hard and made themselves useful there.  Now Hyrum is developing his strong sales skills working for Aptive Pest Control and doing very well for himself. 

Hyrum really values kindness and quality interactions.  He holds himself to a high standard of behavior, and I’ve been moved to tears by his sincere apologies and his hugs.  He’s also among the few kids who have exceeded two sentences in composing me birthday or Mother’s Day tributes and you other moms know what a true treasure that is.

He was just eleven when we met and I was always struck by his gentleness, good listening skills and appreciation for others. He was quiet and private in his grief over his mother’s passing, and I felt honored anytime he opened up with a tender feeling I could listen to and affirm.



He has an amazing sense of logic, and is so great at figuring out or creating any kind of organizational systems. At work he’s called the “facts guy” because he’s the best at running the numbers.

He loves friendship, family, babies and truth, and we are delighted that he’s preparing to serve a mission.  Because he’s willing to admit mistakes, he’s on an ideal trajectory for growth.





I love you forever Hyrum, and I can’t wait to observe the dawning wonderfulness that’s sure to arise when you truly make your mark on this world!

Back to School 2019

It’s been almost two years since my last post. Time to let go of perfectionism and  slap up whatever the latest news is I can think of- um... Back to School!

This new school year we have Vilate and Sophie as seniors! 

These beauties both do independent study at Visions Charter School. They’re doing great on their grades so far, both drive, V works at Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park as a party host, and Sophie is actively job seeking and interviewing!

Helaman is a sophomore at John Adams Academy and Nephi just started 7th grade there- out of Elementary School and into the big leagues!

That’s their back to school pic but let’s put up some more of them, especially since Nephi looks slightly discomfited 🥰.

Here’s Nephi building bionicles with Ammon.  He’s an academic standout. He even won the prestigious Forman award at school last year and has a knack for Latin.


Here’s Helaman the cutie in his grandpa’s race car!  He’s a super fun and popular kid and his dimples are certainly the object of many girl scholars’ adoration 😂.

Next we have Gloria who started high school! She’s doing homeschooling with South Sutter Charter School which allows her to take voice and piano lessons and take theatre class at TNT!

I’m so excited to see her talents blossom in the performing arts!

Our next school kids are Gideon and Ammon. They started afternoon kindergarten and TK at our neighborhood Carlin C. Coppin Elementary School. Gideon was sick on the first day so they couldn’t show up in their matching Harry Potter shirts.

Ammon was a wreck when I tried to leave 😞.

Fortunately the good principal took him in hand and made sure he had a happy first day.  She sent me this picture later that one of the faculty took ❤️:
Here’s to a fabulous school year, Cox kids! Team Joy!

Pumpkin Patch 2017

Fun day with Meema and the three Littles. Look!

Carousel fun!

Feeding the goats 

Ammon adores trains. “Mom, that’s me on the train car!”

 
Thanks, mom! Without you, I never seem to get my rear end in gear to go do things like this!