Tag Archives: Matt

Benjamin Willys Larson!

Welcome Benjamin!

What a privilege to finally hold this dear, sweet boy in my arms!

I flew out of Minneapolis around 11am Saturday and arrived at the hospital with time to spare.  (I took the Super Shuttle from the airport and the rest of the passengers, upon hearing that I was on my way to the birth of my first grandson, convinced the driver to drop me off first!)

Ali was resting comfortably when I got to the room, and we had a relaxing couple of hours visiting with Ali’s dad, Chip, and Arlene, Amber and DJ. At 4:00pm we all headed to the family waiting room while Ali and Matt began the final phase of labor.  After 3 hours of pushing and trying to re-position Benjamin (he was trying to enter the world sideways), the doctors decided it was best to deliver him via c-section. The next hour seemed like an eternity while we waited anxiously, praying and pacing the hall, hoping to hear any minute…

Finally, we heard the great news! Our little sweetheart arrived around 8:00pm on January 7, 2012, weighing 7 pounds, 2 ounces, 20.4″ long and a 14″ head! We got to visit briefly with Benjamin and Matt for awhile, and later with Ali. Everyone is doing well, relieved that he is here and safe!

Here is a quote from Ali, posted on Facebook:

Benjamin is here (7lbs 2oz)! Details/pics/blog post (Adventures in Larsonland)  to come as I am currently hooked up to 7 machines, on four medications, and running on 1 hour of sleep in the last 50… been a rough day, but so happy the love of our lives is here to cheer me up 🙂 I love my husband for helping me survive and being such a wonderful partner (& daddy!)

May Flowers and Foxes

Along with May flowers, we have all kinds of celebrations happening in our family!

JACOB is finishing his first year at Bethel, wrapping up the studies and choir, and is looking forward to being a camp counselor this summer at Camp Shamineau, near Motley, MN.

SARA is busy applying for jobs, interviewing, finishing her senior thesis, and studying for finals.  Her last Bethel Choir concert is tonight at 7:30pm in Benson Great Hall.  It has been such a joy to have both Sara and Jacob singing together under the leadership of Dr. Dennis Port.  While there will be tears of sadness tonight, we look forward to many more wonderful concerts!  On Monday, May 9 at 8:00 pm, Sara will have her Senior Voice Recital in Benson Great Hall.  We would love to have as many family and friends there as possible!   Baccaaureate is May 20th and Commencement will be May 21st at 4:00 pm.  Sara is graduating with two majors: Biochemistry/Molecular Biology (B.S.) and Chemistry (B.A.).  In addition, she has already begun her Master of Arts in Teaching through Bethel University College of Adult and Professional Studies.

DAVID is waiting to hear from medicals schools and working full-time at Cabelas.  He is gearing up to host a party for…

EMMA is graduating from UND with her Masters on May 14th!  She has had a very busy year of research, writing, teaching at UND, working at Starbucks and teaching tennis. We are planning to drive up to Grand Forks for the celebration on Sunday, May 15th. David and Emma will celebrate 3 years of marriage in July!

MATT continues his work at Medtronic, leading worship at their church and playing in a few bands, but the BIG news is that MAY 30th, Memorial Day, is the JEOPARDY! show…be sure to watch that day, wherever you are!

ALI is working on obtaining her Master in Teaching, and has just received word she will be student teaching in Denver Public Schools, just a few blocks from their house.  Matt and Ali recently celebrated their 2nd wedding anniversary and are planning a trip to Minnesota in June.

BARRY is getting used to his new job, still misses patients and aspects of the old job, but more time to be home has been wonderful!  PAM is loving her new part-time job as Ministry Assistant for Women’s Ministry at Bethlehem Baptist Church and continues her volunteer roles in Vernacular Video Mission International.

We had a fox family move in across the street, and you can view video here.

Merry Christmas from the Larsons!


2010 has been an event-FULL year for our family and we are grateful to God for His grace and mercy in all that has transpired! We began 2010 with a mission trip to the Philippines that was amazing for Barry, Jacob and I.  Shortly after returning, we announced our plans to leave Austin for the Twin Cities.  Barry had accepted a position with Geriatric Services of MN, where he is now caring for the frailest of the elderly in settings where they need to be seen: long & short term care facilities on the north and west sides of Mpls.  We began our move to Mounds View in May, Barry started working in June and I bounced back and forth for a few weeks, and then settled in July.

Jacob (18) ran the 4 X 800m in the State track meet (his relay team crushed the AHS records!) and graduated from AHS in June.  He worked all summer at the municipal pool in Austin, saving up for Bethel University, where he is now a freshman.  He is loving college, especially singing in the Bethel Choir.  Festival of Christmas was fabulous!

Sara (21) is newly engaged (12-19-10) to be married to Dave Merritt!  (son of Bob and Laurie) The date will be announced sometime later.  Sara is a senior at Bethel double-majoring in Chemistry/Biochemistry, is a TA and alto section leader for the Bethel Choir. Dave is in his 2nd year of law school at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and is planning to start his career with Faegre & Benson in Mpls.

David and Emma live in Grand Forks, ND with Wilson, their yellow lab. David (23) works full time for Cabela’s and is applying to medical school.  He and Wilson love to hunt together!  Emma (23) is teaching an undergraduate class at UND and working on her Master’s thesis, in addition to teaching/coaching tennis and supervising at Starbucks.

Matt and Ali live in Denver, CO with Lincoln, their “little stinker”! Matt (27) is employed by Medtronic in the neuroscience division and leads worship at Denver Community Church (DCC) around once a month.  He also plays with Ali’s dad, Chip, in a band.  Ali (29) resigned from her job in mid-2010 to begin a Masters degree in Education.  It is quite a change for her, but she is loving the learning and the challenge.  Ali will turn 30 on Dec 25!!

We are LOVING being closer to our family in the Twin Cities, but miss our dear friends in Austin! We think visitors are fantastic, so please plan to come see us!

If you comment and leave your email, I will send you our new address.

Larson Christmas Letter 2009

God’s blessings poured out on us at Jesus’ birth, remind us of His blessings all year!  It has been a wonderfully busy year for our family, and we look forward to anticipation of all the things God has in store for us next year!  Here’s a glimpse into 2009:

Barry’s mom, Loraine, went home to be with the Lord on February 2

The Larson Family, March 28, 2009

Matt  and Ali were united in marriage in beautiful Boulder, CO, March 28.  They came home to Austin in August, and we gathered the whole family together.  (Those times are rare and precious!)  They purchased their first home in October…and were with us Thanksgiving this year instead of Christmas.

David graduated from Wheaton College with a degree in Bible/Theology in May and we celebrated Mother’s Day with Emma’s family, too! David made ALL-AMERICAN in the pole vault at Nationals! David and Emma celebrated their 1st Anniversary July 12! In August, they moved from Wheaton, IL to Grand Forks, ND, where Emma is pursuing a master’s degree and playing competitive tennis for UND.  David is working at Cabela’s and also for Grace Baptist Church in college ministries. He will start a new job with disabled persons in January.  Emma is recovering from knee surgery (Nov 20) and is hoping to get back on the tennis courts soon.

Sara was selected as Miss Minnesota First Runner-Up in June!  We are so proud of all her accomplishments.  She gave up her Miss Capital City title in October and is in her junior year at Bethel, majoring in Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Jacob sang in the ALL-STATE CHOIR Concert at Orchestra Hall, February 14…WOW! His 4X800m relay team advanced to the STATE FINALS in June!  And at the end of July, his soccer team WON the MYSA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!  Jacob’s high school soccer team made school history by advancing to the STATE High School SOCCER TOURNAMENT in October. He will graduate from Austin High School in June and would like to attend Bethel next year.

Pam’s trip to teach in English in China was postponed due to H1N1.  Now, the facility (Shamineau East) is having further difficulties with the government and the trip is cancelled.

Barry, Pam and Jacob are leaving for the Philippines Jan 29 and returning Feb 10…yes, we will miss the Super Bowl…. We will be heading up into the rugged mountainous jungles of Northern Luzon to do multiple film showings with Vernacular Video Ministry, and also a medical outreach partnership with a group of doctors, dentist, nurses and others from Manila.  We will be in Mapayao, which is as far as we can go since the road was washed out during the recent typhoons.

Please PRAY for us!  Pray that we would have the strength and energy to be effective helpers. (jet lag can be rough!) Pray that we will be the aroma of Christ to hurting people.  Pray that many will see Jesus through the films, through our love, and that they will turn to Him and trust in Him.  Pray that we will return with a greater love and passion to reach unreached people.

We are not asking for any help with the cost of the trip, but we would like to invite you to help with some vital equipment for the ministry there:

  1. We are hoping to raise $2500 for an iMac computer system which will enable the team to edit new productions and to produce some children’s videos (dubbing from VVMI’s partner in Guatemala)
  2. We would also like to have enough funds ($1000) for a projection system that will be used to spread the Gospel through video, in the rugged Mountain Province. 
  3. We have also been asked to bring children’s vitamins, desperately needed since the typhoon.

If you would like to contribute to any of these needs, you can DONATE online at GiveMN.org  or send a check to VVMI, PO Box 37, Austin, MN 55912  (memo: iMac or MP) or send vitamins to our home address.

Larson updates…March 09

img_2056_2My baby is 17 today(written 2-27-09)!  Time sure flies by!

Jacob Andrew Larson is an amazingly talented guy…but I guess I am a bit biased!  He’s active in sports (soccer and track are his main focus) and he is also much involved in music, playing the string bass in the high school orchestra, electric bass in the youth praise band and sings in the choir and Austinaires (select show choir) and is a member of the MN All State Men’s Choir!

It has been so long since I have updated this blog, that I’m not sure if I should just start over….since I last wrote, I had surgery to reattach the hamstring tendons and have gone through rehab.  I have regained nearly all my mobility and flexibility, and just have a bit of soreness to deal with.

We have had so much happen in the last year….

 

 

 

  • img_1251David and Emma got married
  • Sara was crowned Miss Capital Cityimg_3119

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Matt and Ali got engaged and are getting married in 3 weeks! (March 28 in Boulder, CO)
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WOW….I am going to try to be better at keeping up with this blog, along with all the other stuff of life.  I have started a Bible-reading blog, too.(Click on the link…)  Don’t let the word “blog” scare you!  It is just a website that has the capability for me to write daily updates, and anyone who would like can read it and make comments.

Pam