Dear Family and friends,
As I sit here and type, the Christmas tree lights are on, Elf is playing in the background, and I'm enjoying a delicious cup of coffee topped off with some peppermint mocha creamer. I hope this Christmas season is treating all of you well, and amidst the busyness you've been able to spend some time meditating on the real meaning of Christmas. As I reflect on this last year I hardly know where to begin! The Lord has been so faithful to our family in every possible way. We've been blessed with the birth of Lily, seen our bills get paid each month despite a limited income, found out we were expecting another baby due next June, and been able to enjoy this season of life with 3 small children.
Speaking of the children, they sure do keep us on our toes! Jack is still the sweetheart he's always been. Usually he's very polite and content playing by himself. He's recently figured out this potty training concept(which makes his mother very happy!), and still takes his stuffed frog everywhere he goes. In fact this past year we had to replace the original froggie with a new one, since the we're pretty sure the old one was becoming disease infested! He loves music, and his favorite toys are his violin and guitar. Recently his cousin let him play her saxophone and flute, and I don't think there has ever been a happier little boy! Jack loves picking out his clothes, and oftentimes will wear two or three shirts at the same time. He loves firetrucks right now, so I've been having a tough time convincing him he doesn't need to wear every shirt he owns that have fire trucks on them! Jack also loves riding in his daddy's truck, and Erik is happy to take him in it so long as Jack doesn't try and shift while they're driving(which may or may not have happened once!)
Then there's Anna. I'm not sure a paragraph will fully explain that child! Let's just say she has quite the little personality. She's either really happy and giggling down to her toes, or she's upset. Anna is quite the girly girl. She loves dolls and dresses, and asks daily to wear her tutu and boots. At the same time, though, she's feisty. She keeps up with Jack, and gets a big kick out of knocking things over(including manger scenes!) I notice her watching my every move, and she wants to do whatever I'm doing. If Lily is crying, she'll want to hold her, if I'm in the kitchen making dinner, that's where she wants to be, and she asks often if she can help with sweeping and dusting. She loves to sit and read, and right now she calls every book the Bible, and when asked what color something is she always tells us green(even if it's not. lol.)
Finally, there's Lily. It's weird to think she wasn't here last Christmas(though she was in my belly!) She reminds me so much of what Jack was like when he was a baby, except I think she might even be more laid back. She's almost always smiling, and I think she's determined to walk before February gets here. She loves watching everything her brother and sister do, though I do think the noise gets to her sometimes:-). Lily is also proving herself to be a typical almost one year old. If we're not watching her for a minute she'll start getting into something she shouldn't. Her favorite spot in the house is underneath the table, probably because she's hoping to find more food. She is a bottomless pit of hunger!
As for Erik and I, this year has been difficult at times, but we are so thankful that the tough times have seemed to bring us closer together. We look forward to next year when Lord Willing, our family goes from five to six!
Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!
So...um...WHAT is all the green stuff all over Lilly? It looks slightly like playdough but I have more faith in your parenting than that! ;) So...I'm going to guess icing? Merry Christmas a day late!!!!!!
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