THE BAXTER FAMILY: YESTERDAY AND TODAY
For some of you, this is your first time with the Baxter family. Yes, you could go back and read more than twenty books on these most-loved characters. The list of Baxter titles—in order—is at the beginning of this book. But you don’t have to read those to read this one. In fact, there will be other Baxter books coming in the next few years. If you wish, you can begin right here.
Whether you’ve known the Baxters for years or are just meeting them now, here’s a quick summary of the family, their kids and their ages. Also, because these characters are fictional, I’ve taken some liberty with their ages. Let’s just assume this is how old everyone is today.
Now, let me introduce you to—or remind you of—the Baxter family.
• • •
THE BAXTERS BEGAN in Bloomington, Indiana, and most of the family still lives there today.
The Baxter house is on ten acres outside of town, with a winding creek that runs through the backyard. It has a wraparound porch and a pretty view and the memories of a lifetime. The house was built by John and Elizabeth Baxter. They raised their children here. Today it is owned by one of their daughters—Ashley—and her husband, Landon Blake. It is still the place where the extended Baxter family gathers for special celebrations.
John Baxter: John is the patriarch of the Baxter family. Formerly an emergency room doctor and professor of medicine at Indiana University, he’s now retired. John’s first wife, Elizabeth, died ten years ago from a recurrence of cancer. Years later, John married Elaine, and the two live in Bloomington.
Dayne Matthews, 42: Dayne is the oldest son of John and Elizabeth. Dayne was born out of wedlock and given up for adoption at birth. His adoptive parents died in a small plane crash when he was 18. Years later, Dayne became a very visible and popular movie star. At age 30, he hired an attorney to find his birth parents—John and Elizabeth Baxter. He had a moment with Elizabeth in the hospital before she died, and years later he connected with the rest of his biological family. Dayne is married to Katy, 40. The couple has three children: Sophie, 7; Egan, 5; and Blaise, 3. They are very much part of the Baxter family, and they split time between Los Angeles and Bloomington.
Brooke Baxter West, 40: Brooke is a pediatrician in Bloomington, married to Peter West, 40, also a doctor. The couple has two daughters: Maddie, 19, and Hayley, 16. The family experienced a tragedy when Hayley suffered a drowning accident at age 3. She recovered miraculously, but still has disabilities caused by the incident.
Kari Baxter Taylor, 38: Kari is a designer, married to Ryan Taylor, 40, football coach at Clear Creek High School. The couple has three children: Jessie, 16; RJ, 10; and Annie, 7. Kari had a crush on Ryan when the two were in middle school. They dated through college, and then broke up over a misunderstanding. Kari married a man she met in college, Tim Jacobs, but some years into their marriage he had an affair. The infidelity resulted in his murder at the hands of a stalker. The tragedy devastated Kari, who was pregnant at the time with their first child (Jessie). Ryan came back into her life around the same time, and years later he and Kari married. They live in Bloomington.
Ashley Baxter Blake, 36: Ashley is the former black sheep of the Baxter family, married to Landon Blake, 36, who works for the Bloomington Fire Department. The couple has four children: Cole, 16; Amy, 11; Devin, 9; and Janessa, 5. As a young single mom, Ashley was jaded against God and her family, when she reconnected with her firefighter friend Landon, who had secretly always loved her. Eventually Ashley and Landon married and Landon adopted Cole. Together, the couple had two children—Devin and Janessa. Between those children, they lost a baby girl, Sarah Marie, at birth to anencephaly. Amy, Ashley’s niece, came to live with them a few years ago after Amy’s parents, Erin Baxter Hogan and Sam Hogan, and Amy’s three sisters were killed in a horrific car accident. Amy was the only survivor. Ashley and Landon and their family live in Bloomington, in the old Baxter house, where Ashley and her siblings were raised. Ashley still paints and is successful in selling her work in local boutiques.
Luke Baxter, 34: Luke is a lawyer, married to Reagan Baxter, 34, a blogger. The couple has three children: Tommy, 14; Malin, 9; and Johnny, 5. Luke met Reagan in college. They experienced a major separation early on, after having Tommy out of wedlock. Eventually the two married, though they could not have more children. Malin and Johnny are both adopted.
• • •
IN ADDITION TO the Baxters, this book will revisit the Flanigan family. The Flanigans have been friends with the Baxters for many years. So much so that I previously wrote five books about their oldest daughter—Bailey Flanigan. For the purposes of this book and those that might follow, here are the names and ages of the Flanigans:
Jim and Jenny Flanigan, both 45. Jim is a football coach for the Indianapolis Colts, and Jenny is a freelance writer who works from home. Bailey, 23, is married to Brandon Paul, 26. Bailey and Brandon were once actors in Hollywood—Brandon, very well known. Today they run the Christian Kids Theater in downtown Bloomington. Bailey’s brothers are Connor, 20—a student at Liberty University; Shawn and Justin—both age 17 and juniors at Clear Creek High; BJ, 16, a sophomore; and Ricky, 14, an eighth grader.