Dransfield Family

Thank you for getting this put together Lindsey! Awesome idea! Our family cannot come to a park-picnic on August 20th because we are having a Dransfield reunion at our house! We will miss seeing you all again; maybe we can have a winter-sledding-bring-your-own-chili get-together so we don't have to wait until next summer to see everyone again?!

Darin and I live in Montpelier, Idaho. It is about 20 minutes from the North Beach turn-off at Bear Lake. Darin works at Bear Lake Memorial Hospital (the little hospital that serves our entire valley) as the head of Physical Therapy. They have enough work at BLMH for 3 full-time therapists and 2 PTA's, so we feel really blessed. In 2010 I graduated with my degree in Interdisciplinary Studies K - 8. I taught 3rd grade last year and loved it - I'm just getting ready to start my second year. Our district is feeling the economy crunch (and our enrollment is down) so I hope I have a job in the future as small out-lying elementary schools close and combine into the main Montpelier school. (We have one Middle School and one High School, but 4 elementary schools).

Weston is serving a mission in the Richmond, VA area and having a great time. See his mission updates at http://www.missionsite.net/elderwestondransfield/main the password is "Audrie".

Jakob will be a Senior this year. He is on student government at school and is also President of a civic organization called "Mayors Youth Council" . He is pretty busy with that, cross-country, piano, and his job (part of a mowing crew that does all the church properties and many businesses in Eastern Idaho and Wyoming).

Linda is just starting High School and will be on the Freshman Cheerleading Squad. She has had a fun summer visiting Andrew and Alison in New Jersey! She is really experiencing life outside of RURAL Idaho! It has been awesome for her. She went to a beach-house in Maine, went to upstate New York for the Palmyra Pageant, visited the Sacred Grove, saw Niagra Falls, and is going to attend the Broadway "Wicked" this week! Wow! Trip of a life-time.

Olivia is 12 years old now and has enjoyed Young Womens and Middle School a lot. For those of you who don't know, Livy has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder called "Aspergers Syndrome". She has pretty significant difficulties in social interaction, patterns of restricted behavior and interests, and lower-level linguistic and cognitive development. She is also physically clumsy and doesn't have very good balance - but I think that part has been passed on from me! (he-he) She is either very happy or very sad. She is such a blessing to our family -

Sarah is the youngest in age, but not in ability. She has been a huge asset to Olivia, as she keeps Olivia progressing along. (If Livy was the youngest, she would be much worse off - in my opinion). Sarah's open-heart surgery as a baby has never needed any other intervention, although we go for a check-up yearly. If her heart repairs can keep up with her growth rate, she will not have any other problems. We feel very blessed for her and her health. Her biggest passion is the outdoors and her cat! Her cat acts like a dog - for example, he comes when she calls him, he follows her around, and they hunt for grasshoppers and snakes together. The only thing he won't do is hop into the creek with her - but he will wait patiently on the bank.

We built our home about 3 years ago and built it for families! If anyone is ever needing a Bear Lake get-away or a stop on the way to Jackson Hole - we are here for you. We have 2 bedrooms that can sleep up to 6 (one room also has a crib) plus a cabin that can sleep up to 9 - so even if a few families are traveling together - stop and say 'hi' , we'd love to have you. (Our phone # is 208-847-0320).

That is about it for introductions. I'll update this blog when I update our Eversole Family blog (so you might get sick of me) - just remember, you can always skip/delete it and NOBODY will know!

Audrie