Our Family Christmas Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

Another year has come and gone and we've spent it as busy as ever! The older the kids get, the faster time flies! If you are reading this letter then the world has not ended. Which we already knew wouldn’t happen since Jesus said in Matthew 24:36, 44 “But of that day no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only… Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Although we cannot wait to join Jesus upon His return, we are enjoying our life here on earth. Watching our little miracles grow is quite the adventure and we are enjoying every minute of it!!

Our baby boy turned two in October. He is a boy with a mind of his own. He loves to cuddle and read stories with Mom, but his favorite thing in the world is Daddy (next to his treasured teddy bear, of course.) When Daddy walks in the door he is greeted by a loud "Daddy home" and a giant smile. He is super fun to watch play. I just love his imagination. He makes his toys talk, laugh and cry! He loves to cook in his play kitchen. His favorite thing to play is Thomas and all of his train friends. He loves trains, airplanes, motorcycles, monster trucks, helicopters... anything that makes loud noise and goes fast. He is an inquisitive little fellow and is always asking questions about the world around him. He is super shy around new people or in new situations, but once he warms up, he is the star of the show. He is super musical and loves to dance. He enjoys any time he can listen to Daddy play the guitar or piano. If he is not at Daddy's side, you will find him with his other best friend, our chocolate lab. Although he plays well with his big brother and sissy, he knows just how to get under their skin! Heprovides so much joy to our home; I now know why God sent him to us as a wonderful surprise.

My big boy is six and in first grade. He is super smart and quick to pick up on anything you want to teach him. He can memorize anything faster than you can read it. He goes through his bible verses and books at his Awanas club so fast that his leaders have a hard time finding more for him to do. He came home one night and said that one of his leaders told him to slow down. I feel their pain! His current favorite activities include legos, building electrical circuits (a kit we have) and reenacting any number of things we have learned in school - history, science, fiction - doesn't matter, he will be reenacting it for a while if it interests him. He loves to ask questions and then research to find the answer. One of his favorite places is the library. He loves to read so much that I actually have to tell him to quit reading! I consider that a good thing!! He has a special pet – a leopard gecko. The gecko is pretty cool to watch – especially when he is hunting crickets. He lets us hold him and pet him. He is very friendly. He also has an incredible love for Christ. His mastery of the storyline of the Bible is pretty unique for a child his age. Not only does he know the stories, he has a profound and deep understanding of them. I am constantly amazed by his knowledge and I know that God has big plans for his life. I see the Holy Spirit working in him. He and his big sis were baptized at our church in October.

My daughter is eight and in third grade. She is my biggest helper and my baby boy thinks of her as another Mom. On Mother's Day, she surprised me by letting me sleep late, getting the baby out of bed, feeding him and playing with him so I could rest. Then she made me breakfast. She is an incredible girl and I am so grateful to be her Mom. She has a flair for the arts. She loves to draw, color, paint, make crafts and anything musical. She has a messy artist mind that I just don't understand however hard I try. She is just like her Daddy! She has an incredible empathy towards others. I tell her all the time that I wish I could be a kid again just so I could be her friend. She is super thoughtful and is usually putting someone else before herself. She also spends a lot of time reading, but also enjoys playing with her Barbies, dressing up or doing something artsy! She has a hamster that she loves to play with and care for. It is her own little baby to love. She is the one I can count on to come when I call for help with something. I am so blessed to have her as my oldest.

 My hubby has become busier than ever. He continues to work long hours. He has also started a second job helping out his ex boss. When someone asks him for help, he has a hard time saying no. As a result, when his ex boss said he was opening a new restaurant, my hubby agreed to work on one of his days off and on the weekends after his other job. This means... we never see him! When he is home he is usually sleeping and resting up for the next week! He still plays guitar as much as he can, but wishes he had more time to devote to music.

 Due to unfortunate circumstances, we closed up the child care in February. As a result, I have been able to spend much of my time with the kids and enjoy watching them be little people.  I stay busy with my three munchkins as we continue to homeschool, which keeps me busy enough. I spend most of my time planning school work, doing school work and researching school work... it is more than a full time job. However, I still find some time for myself. I am still a big crafter... scrapbooking, card making, knitting, and whatever else strikes my fancy. I love using pinterest to hunt for my newest creation or new recipe that I want to try. I have a blog that I hope can help other families with hope, ideas, tips, tricks and simplifying lives. You can follow my blog at justonemomslife.blogspot.com if you want to see what we are up to! I also started selling a healthy coffee for an international coffee company Organo Gold. It has been a way for me to earn extra income while being able to stay home with my kids. I know that this is where God has called me to be... raising my incredible children and learning more from them than they could ever learn from me. Being a Mom is the best job... I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Our family zoo is rounded out with our 16 year old kitty. He spends 23 hours a day sleeping and is always looking for a warm lap to snuggle. As a family we have taken up biking. My two oldest and I all got new bikes this year and my hubby’s bike got a tune up. He wants a new one – but at the price of a new car I said no way! Hahaha! We haven’t been out biking much this winter however we are all itching to go. We were doing 10 mile rides and loving it! My eight year old girl is strong and made for riding a bike with her long legs! She is usually the leader of our pack! And the baby loves to ride along, often falling asleep on long rides. We have a seat for him that goes on my bike between the handlebars and my seat for when we go on mountain bike rides and a friend let us borrow her trailer, to use when we are riding through town and on paved bike trails. With the loss of my child care income, we are struggling to keep our home, however we know that God has a plan for us. The not knowing is the hardest part. So who knows where we will end up next year, but we are looking forward to the adventure God has planned for our family. We have decided it doesn’t really matter… as long as we stick together!

We hope you have a very Merry Christmas! God Bless you and your family in the New Year.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, Unto us a child is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Love in Christ!