An Update On My Family, Including Jesse


I got an email from a reader last week
asking me about my family. She was trying to name all nine siblings in our family but could only come up with eight.

It read:

Matt, Chris, Andrew, Stephanie, Courtney, Page, Lucy, Steve, and.....????

Jesse. She was missing Jesse. This pleased me to eternity (ok, not eternity totally) because no one ever misses Jesse. Jesse is the brother just younger than me, the one who stole all my attention, the golden child, the little boy who was adored by anyone who met him, the favorite, the show stopper, the dream come true, the one great hope, the cute freckled face boy mom's wanted their daughters to marry etc. etc. etc.

It was the only time in my life when someone forgot Jesse. And I know it is petty, but it just felt so good. So good I had to blog about it. Now I am remembering an email I got last year asking about sibling rivalry (does it exist in your family? It asked.) And now here you have it, Jesse vs. Me . . . and this round I WON.

Oblige me? I'd like to write a brief update about my family. This recent email reminded me that it has been too long.
So here it goes:


The biggest news of all is that my dad was called as a Mission President (and my Mom as his trusty companion) for our church. Mission Presidents are the people in charge of all those young-faced Mormon missionaries who knock on your door. They will run the LDS mission in St. Louis, Missouri. Missouri is a place where it was once legal to shoot a Mormon, so good luck to them right? (Just kidding Missouri, I know you've since apologized). They will be gone for three years starting this June. This is happy news! This is sad news. I will now have to go to Missouri anytime I want to cuddle up in bed with my parents. But anything for what you believe in, right?


My brother Steve lives in the sunniest part of our state, the best place to be in mid-February. Don't feel sorry for my brother Steve.


My brother Matt, was just called as the bishop of his ward. This means he oversees the spiritual and temporal well-being of the families in his neighborhood--these families include my grandma, my parents, my aunt and uncle, my cousin Jayne and Jed and sister Stephanie and her family and hundreds of non-relatives too. He would be my bishop, but I live one street away to be in his stewardship, which is good because I'd have a hard time taking him seriously. This is my brother who would win the gold medal for Teasing if it was an Olympic sport--to tie in current events.
(I am so proud of him!)


My sister Page is presently in Arizona taking her shift with Stephanie. She is simultaneously growing out her hair for the first time in her life--gray strands be damned. Darned. (Page doesn't swear.)


My brother Topher is talented as ever. I was recently at a social gathering where I overheard a discussion about his theatrical directing. A gushing discussion. "I want to work with Chris Clark." "You've worked with Chris Clark???" "No, I said I want to work with him, he's brilliant." "No, beyond brilliant." And so on. I had ask Chup to restrain me from blurting out, HE'S MY BROTHER! Because shhhh little sister, shhhh.


My brother Andrew likes chocolate-covered raisins and is not ashamed of it, so why should I be?

Then comes me. I put crazy blond chunky highlights in my hair, because I'm punk like that.



Then Jesse. But who cares?
(Oh, ok. He is going to have his FIFTH child in August, that is all. My little brother with FIVE children!)
(I am proud of him too.)



Stephanie underwent emergency surgery this weekend. I am sure she (or Christian) will update the blogging world soon, but we as a family are grateful she's in the care of our nation's best doctors and they are taking really good care of her. She could still use your prayers and general well-wishing, we will gladly add them to ours.

Get Well Cub! WE LOVE YOU!



Lucy lives in a place where, if she feels like it, she can walk outside her front door, cross the street and let Betsy (her baby) feed apple chunks to little, white, furry lambs. So life is just fine for Lucy, don't be feeling sorry for Lucy either.

This is the update for my posterity (and interested blog readers).

Now, please return to your regularly scheduled life.



On dear c jane today:
How Betsy's bows stay in place
(you might be surprised!)


On c jane's Guide to Provo:
Emily Fox's Fabricating Womanhood


At My Community today:
Colorful Clothes, Great Cause!

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