Shillig 4 Family

  Solomon is in 7th grade and is the easiest when it comes to school work.  We don't know when he does his homework, but he does and keeps all As.  He is in tennis this year instead of football since he broke his back skiing last Christmas.  We have decided it's just not worth the risk for his life. Malachi is in 9th grade at the high school.  He insists he smiled for his photo they just didn't take the picture when he was.  He is doing so much better than 8th grade and I'm so glad.  He has a good variety of classes, plays football, and wants to take culinary arts or aviation mechanic for his vocation. Mali Su is in 11th grade.  She does cheer, cosmetology, and will get her license in February.  She is in National Honor Society and both girls teach a special needs cheer team each fall.  She works for Dad as a legal assistant/paralegal and is getting so good!  Teaching Cub is a side gig of hers that I love. Aimi Lark is in 11th grade...

 We pulled off our best Halloween!  Possibly ever!  Jake had a vision and it came true beautifully.  He even had the cutest song he sang.  I loved our last Halloween in our Hurst home.  

 Jake is home from the border and was promoted to MAJOR! Cub is 11 months old.  He is sitting, rolling, went to the dentist today, and is overall still a JOY! Leila Jin is loving having Dad home.  They do the funniest animal talking style to each other.  She PREFERS him over everyone else, and has become quite sassy overall.  She is swimming SO WELL.   Solomon is reading "Little House on the Prairie" and spent a week in California with the Carsons and a week at the border with Dad before he came home.  He read, went to the movies, rode Dad's dirt bike, and mostly read. The three oldest went to Utah for EFY at BYU and then spent time with other family and friends around Utah.

On March 10th Cub turned 7 months old! Today is 3/21 WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY  and yesterday he had a photo shoot for Cavender's the boot company to celebrate with some friends. The girls tagged along to help, but I didn't expect to be in any pics so it's fun to have a some to remember this busy (post drive back from spring break in Laredo visiting Daddy) morning.  

 It was the most beautiful day! We had so many come from all around, near and far, our faith and other faiths. I say nothing brings people together like babies and Jesus.

 I saw the maternal fetal medicine doctor and my normal OB (Dr. Light) today in Dallas.  It was the best we could hope for, he looks AMAZING.  As the doctor said last time, "you've got a perfect baby who just happens to have an extra chromosome."  I think I have just been waiting for them to find something physically wrong, or thinking they have to be missing something instead of just embracing this amazing news.  I have talked to so many mothers and their children with down syndrome already showed their issues by this time.  So that encourages me that he is ok!  I am trying so hard not to focus on every aspect of Cub's life for the next 60+ years and just enjoy the NOW.  We love him so much already!  Today,  there were lots of tough, strong, big, healthy adjectives used. I say he’s right on track to take after his namesake, his daddy.

Around the beginning of the girls' 8th grade year they said they wanted to try out for cheerleader.  I was supportive, but realistic.  I told them that so many of those who try out have likely been doing competitive cheer for years.  We signed them up for tumbling, enrolled them in a cheer tryout clinic, and even did a private lesson.  I learned that if we want them to make any of these teams at their competitive school that I had to make sure they were prepared.  I was so nervous that with them both trying out that one would make it and one wouldn't.  It was hard on my Mama heart.  We prepped all we could and then the week of tryouts came.  They had to miss tennis and work at Chick-Fil-A for Aimi Lark, but they did it.  On the day the results were released Jake and I were just settling into our Miami trip with Malachi.  We were walking the streets of South Beach as I refreshed my phone over and over again waiting for the results to pop ...

  Five weeks ago we first heard the news that there was a 9/10 chance that our baby boy would have Down Syndrome.  We did follow up tests that confirmed he would have that extra 21st chromosome.  We are so grateful for all the love and encouragement we all feel.  Here is the message we shared with all our family and friends: We wanted to share some unexpected news with y'all. We have learned (after much testing) that our sweet baby boy, due September 1, 2021, has Down syndrome. Approximately one in every 700 babies in the United States is born with Down syndrome, making Down syndrome the most common chromosomal condition. About 6,000 babies with Down syndrome are born in the United States each year. We feel as if an angel is joining our family and we are asking for all your love, support, and prayers for the healthiest pregnancy, delivery, and baby. We will keep you updated about any issues that may come up and when our baby boy, Jacob Thomas Shillig II, arrives. Ple...

Let's see. I am not a consistent blogger these days so let me try and run down a little of what we've been up to. We had a BIG snowstorm that seems to have shutdown Texas for a week.  We were so fortunate to have power and water the whole time and the Shillig 5 Family came and stayed with us.  Our governor just lifted the state wide mask mandate for Covid, but I'm sure the schools and businesses will keep requiring them.  I love our house and can't wait for summer and SWIMMING! JAKE (turns 39 on March 11) He is working at his law firm, drilling with the guard, up all night with LJ since her sleep has been terrible since our trip to Utah, and he manages to try and pick up all my slack so that I can relax this pregnancy. CAROLINE (turns 37 on Nov. 13, 2021) Pregnant with baby #6 and we recently found out we were having a BOY.  Everyone is so excited to have 3 and 3.  I am nauseous and tired and have had lots of baby appointments now that I'm in a "geriatric"...

  #shillig4parentsinlove 17th wedding anniversary 2004- eloped in Las Vegas, NV 2005- sealed for eternity in Manti, UT 2006- lived in Monterey, CA for Mandarin Chinese at DLI 2007- finishing DLI, headed to AZ for AIT, the fall back at BYU 2008- 2 babies at BYU 2009- pregnant with #3 & a senior at BYU 2010- gold bar recruiter @ BYU ROTC & the boys live with us, move to FL 2011- freshman in law school in Orlando & we gained Zelda 2012- living in the “pool house” in Davenport, FL 2013- deep in law school still living in Davenport, FL 2014- Jake’s a teacher & the girls go to school with him in Florida & it’s our last year of law school 2015- living in Boca Raton, FL 2 miles from the beach with our first post law school job 2016- living in Frazier Park, CA & Jake spent 2 weeks every month in China 2017- living in Vidor with all kids in school & I went to work full-time 2018- we closed on our house here in Hurst after living in a hotel post Harvey 2019 - livin...