Little Whittle . . .

Five is PERFECT!

Yes - 5 is PERFECT!

So I thought, what could be better than 2 girls and 2 boys?  But did I have lots to learn!  And so it took me a bit by surprise to learn that 5 is better than 4 . . . especially when #5 is our Little Whittle!  I was approaching my 37th birthday when Whitney joined our family . . . and each year has made me reallize more and more how blessed my life has been by someone up above saving and sending us such a special little spirit!  She has been such a source of joy and happiness . . .  

Harm and Whit - best cousins!

Twin brothers . . .  ?!!

And so on September 30, 1984 I found myself very pregnant and ready to be done with this roly poly body!  It was a Sunday . . . and after 5 children I recognized the signs of labor . . . and thought "Oh, no!  My doctor is out of town and I'm going to have to take whoever is on duty."  But Whit had other ideas . . . she must have had some friends she needed to bid farewell to up there before she came down . . . as my labor pains continued throughout the day and then stopped!  Only to begin again the next morning and by early afternoon our Little Whittle was born!   She was the only one of our five who was born in the middle of the day . . . and that should have told me that she was going to teach me some new things!  She had a special cousin, Harmonie Hardman, born a bit earlier that same day . . . and they always tell everyone that they are "twin bruthas from another mutha!"  We think they must have been close buddies prior to this earth and played rock, paper, scissors to see who came first - 

Whit and Jared

Whit was always a happy baby and as she grew up surrounded by older sisters and brothers, she learned how to fit in . . . which meant sometimes giving a little and sometimes taking a little.  Her sisters were quite a bit older than she was and so she could look up to them and see what life would bring in a few years.  Her brothers were just enough older that she sometimes perceived them as the enemy . . . but she learned many coping skills from surviving life as the youngest which she has put to good use!  And no matter what was going on, she had no doubt that she could do it just as well as anyone else . . . and she usually could!  

When Whitney was about 6 weeks old, we were returning to our home in Bellevue after spending Thanksgiving with family.  As can often happen on Thanksgiving weekends, the weather turned very winterish!  We were in our big Chrysler Town and Country station wagon - the seats down and the kids settled in the back.  I was holding Whit (this was pre-car seat/seat belt days) . . . as we turned off the freeway, heading north to Shoshone, a very distinct clear voice spoke to my mind, telling me to put on my seat belt and to put Whitney in it with me.  I obeyed . . . and soon all was quiet in the car as the kids and mom had fallen asleep - then the next thing I hear is Vic's voice saying "Hold on!!!" . . . and I  looked up to see headlights coming towards us . . . it was as if the whole world slowed down . . . I knew we were going to be hit . . . I was just waiting for what seemed an eternity for the impact.  Then WHAM!  We were hit head on by a car that got out of control on the snowy slick roads.  And as we checked to see  how the kids were, Whitney was perfectly safe . . . a few little bruises from the seat belt - but nothing else.  How thankful I was for that voice . . .   we all survived that horrid night . . . and as we look back we recognize that we were truly watched over.

Lacey & Whit . . . funny faces!

birthday #3

We moved from Bellevue to Boise when Whitney was not quite 2 years old.  So Boise feels like home to her.  It didn't take her long to find friends . . . Brynne Morley and her spent lots of fun times together . . . then we moved to our home at 10910 Arabian Way and she found a new friend down the street - Lacey.   Life was busy - we were starting the security business and so 10910 Arabian Way was not only our home, but our place of business.  There always seemed to be kids coming and going - playing in the back pasture, riding the Honda 100, jumping on the trampoline - and who knows what else!  Vic and I had to go somewhere and left the kids with Erika and Andrea in charge . . . when we came home, they told us that Whitney had been jumping on the trampoline and had fallen and wouldn't stop crying - so they had put her to bed . . . well as we went for closer inspection, it didn't take but one look to see there was a reason she was crying - her leg was broken.  Little did we know that this would be the first of several broken bones in Whit's life . . .

Whit off to Kindergarten

The summer before Whitney started kindergarten gave us new experiences with broken bones . . . we were at a family reunion in the Elba park.  Whit was swinging and one of my cousins, Delbert Bell, did an "underdog" push with Whit.  Well it was a little much and Whit went flying out doing a 360 in the air before landing on the ground on her elbow.  It began swelling immediately . . . Nurse Laura took charge - we put it in a magazine splint and headed to Burley to the hospital . . . all the way down, Whitney kept saying, "I'm going to be okay - I don't need to go to the hospital!"  But we could see differently.  And sure enough - not only was it broken, but needed to have surgery on it - she had broken the ball off the elbow joint.  They took her in immediately for surgery and put a pin in it.  Shortly after surgery she was chipper as could be, and we were walking the halls with her IV attached . . . and everyone she met in the halls fell in love with the little patient!  So when it came time to begin kindergarten, she went with a cast on her arm . . . thank goodness it was her right arm . . . thank goodness she is a "lefty"!  

Though Whit was one of the youngest in her classes at school - that only helped her have more friends . . . friends younger, friends older, and friends just her age!  She was always busy . . .  and to this day her list of friends continues to grow!   Not only is she friends with her friends . . . but she is friends with everyone in her family!  From the oldest to the youngest! 

As it came time for Whit to spread her wings and fly, she headed off to Utah State University where she discovered a savage game called rugby.  She LOVED it . . . and made many new friends who also loved it!  We enjoyed (?) watching her play . . . it is kind of like moto cross racing - fun to watch as long as you aren't the mom of one of the participants.  Her fascination with broken bones continued to thrive during her rugby years . . . two broken noses (well actually just one nose, but broke at least 2 times - that I know of. . . .) and a broken collar bone.   But guess it was a good opportunty to take out some of the pent up agressions that come with being the youngest . . . especially with two just older brothers!  She continued to play . . . and completed her studies . . . graduating just on time!   She got her bachelor's in Parks and Recreation.  She spent summers combining what she loves and  getting paid for it - she worked at a Girl Scout camp in Montana and then at a Boy Scout camp near Salmon.  She learned to fish, cook, camp, kayak and keep little girls from doing bodily harm to  each other.  As she left Utah State, she took along with her one of her very best buddies - Harley Marie . . her loving crazy pit bull/lab mix dog . . . they go everywhere together.  

  Right after graduation, she began working for Aspiro - an organization that worked with at risk youth.  They took them out in the wilds of Utah to try to help them sort out their lives . . . And like the true "warr"ior she is, Whit took on anything that was required of her - from climbing tallest mountain peaks, to crossing lakes, to spending weeks in the wilderness with the barest of essentials.  As she worked for Aspiro, she discovered that she really enjoyed the opportunity to work with kids and see their lives change and so she decided to apply for the master's program at Idaho State University in counseling.  She was accepted - the youngest in the program.  She loved it . . . and her professors loved her!  She completed her program graduating with honors.  (Whit had always had the philosophy in high school and at Utah State that "C's get degrees" . .  . so when she got nearly a perfect 4.0 gpa we were impressed and realized that she could do it when she wanted to!)

Now our little Whittle gets paid for helping people sort out their lives.  She is perfect for this job - she is so genuine and  caring - filled with sensitivity!   She just seems to have that innate ability to let you know that she truly cares and understands.  She finds herself actually enjoying living in Pocatello . . .  and as always, has made many new friendships that will continue through the years.   Her life is busy and full . . .  with hiking, riding the mountains on her bike, skiing the backcountry, camping and boating . . . and crocheting (w/o a pattern . . . how does she do that?!) and crafts and cooking and canning . . . and work and friends and family . . . life is much richer with our little Whittle in it!    Wherever Whit is, there will be happiness and joy!  How happy I am to be a mother of 5 fantastic kids!