Family Christmas Letter

I have not posted anything for a few weeks due to an increasingly busy schedule.  My life now consists of working from 4 am to 7:30 am and then again from 11:30 am to 3:00 pm five days a week.  Needless to say, I am very tired!  I apologize for not keeping up on my blogging responsibilities!  With that said,  please read on for the Christmas letter I would have sent out if I were the type of person to send Christmas letters out...

Our Dearest Family and Friends,

This year has been quite an interesting, educational, and humbling year for us.  The boys are getting so old and are learning new skills such as different ways to express their utter disgust at the uncoolness of their parents, such as several styles of eye rolling, pouting, yelling, and verbal expressions.  It has been fun to see the creativity of each of our children from Olie down to Fuss. They have each grown so deeply in this area throughout the year, which truly makes parenting a joy.  

Olie is still into computers, reading, and anything educational (except homework). He is in the 6th grade and loving riding the bus every morning.  He has recently started his own website with help from D and has set up the entire family on it so that we can instant message with him while he is at his mom's house.  He is getting smarter every day!

Skater is more and more interested in skateboarding, his ripstick, and scaring me to death with his tricks.  He loves snowboarding and is very excited for this winter season.  He is in 4th grade, but thinks he should be in high school.  His best friends here at our house are in Jr. High, so that only adds to his teenage attitude, which we are learning to appreciate as much as we despise it.

Moo is in 2nd grade and feeling left behind.  He wants to be as old as his brothers and feels left out when they do things he is not quite old enough for.  He was very excited that he was able to ride all the rides at Lagoon this summer, even if it was only because we had him wear really tall shoes.  He is looking forward to being baptized this coming year.  He loves sleeping in, singing in the bathtub, and ham, cheese, and mustard sandwiches.

Fuss has been the greatest challenge for me this year.  He is now 19-months old, but thinks he is much older too.  This year he has learned to walk, run, and climb.  He has learned to talk and express himself through gestures and facial expressions that he has learned from observing his brothers.  He is into everything and thinks that he rules the roost.  He has an adventurous personality, but approaches things with caution.  He is full of life and energy and determination and stubbornness and perseverance.  

D is still loving his job as a network engineer.  He misses the boys and loves his time with Fuss, who has become his little shadow.  He stresses about everything, but is still willing to offer a helping hand wherever he sees a need.  He is the first to be willing to offer his knowledge or skills to our family, friends, and neighbors.  He is a wonderful father, supportive husband, and a great example to our children.  I learn more each day how much I appreciate and lean on him.  I feel very fortunate to have such a wonderful man in my life.  He is also pretty good at laundry, getting better at vacuuming, and this coming year we will be working on dishes and cooking!

As for me, this has been quite a year of learning and growth.  I was let go from my job in April and discovered that putting off the medical transcription course I had purchased a year and a half earlier was not the best decision that I had ever made.  As soon as I was jobless, I worked on the course diligently and am now working as a medical transcriptionist for a company in Arkansas.  It is great because it allows me to work from home and still be the primary care giver for Fuss.  I have loved being with my little man all day every day and have learned so much about curiosity, patience, and love from being with him.  I have also learned how much I cherish adult conversation.  I too miss the older boys when they are not with us, but sometimes miss the peace and quiet when they are here.  I hope for the day that they will live with us full time and that missing out on each day of their lives will be a thing of the past.  

This year we have learned that we can try to live off half of our previous income, but don't do very well at it.  We appreciate unemployment programs more than we had thought possible.  We have also learned that Clomid may work for 90% of couples struggling to have babies, but that we are in the 10% in doesn't work for.  I have learned that wishing to be thin does not make you thin and that the work must be more than just the thought of it.  This year has actually brought more trials than any year in our marriage (all 3 1/2 of them), and through it all we have learned that the Lord is by our side.  He has seen us through each and every trial we have faced this year and opened new doors of opportunity, love, support, and friendship.  Each time that I have felt like we have hit the bottom, we have been lifted up in miraculous ways.  

This Christmas season, as we celebrate the birth of our beloved Savior, our family will truly celebrate His love for each of us.  We have felt it so strongly this year and know that He is always by our side.  He is with us each step of the way and holds us up when we feel we are falling.  I pray for the peace and happiness of each of our friends and family members this year.  We are truly blessed through each of you.  You have also sustained us throughout this and previous years.  We are blessed by the even the limited contact we have with so many of you.  My life may not be what I thought it would be, but I am not giving up hope yet...or probably ever!  

Love and Peace to All,

D, Annie, Olie, Skater, Moo, and Fuss