Learning to Dance in the Rain

Archive for December, 2012

Please ignore the fact that indeed this was the only post this year…I was shocked to find that the post before it was the Christmas Newsletter from last year!  But at least this one is getting published in December and not January eh?  And I have my work cut out for me when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions

Luke learned how to use a number line and do long addition, write his own books and reads like a regular third grader! He recently discovered Lego City Police and so our home is filled with the sounds of sirens and bad guys getting taken “back where you belong!” In Emily’s best interests he will not be getting handcuffs this Christmas! He completed an intense session of Intergative Listening and has enjoyed finally being out of doctor’s offices! He loves to build things out of boxes, tape, paper, and couch cushions. I have learned that he has a very sweet spot in his heart for his little baby sister…

Emily learned to write her name, sleep through the night in a big girl bunk bed, ride a balance bike, and talk, and talk. She has an immense vocabulary and makes sure everyone knows what she is thinking, why, and what they should be thinking too. She has really enjoyed going to preschool this year, and adores having Amber around.  She loves to dress up, be a ballerina, and make up aliases for herself. Right now she is “Butterfly Girl…with super powers!! Unfortunately as of this morning she can no longer touch the sky…I reassured her that it is probably temporary. I have learned that I may never be prepared for the emotion, charisma, and humor of this little girl.

Amber has learned what it’s like having a body, a family, and all the time in the world to eat, sleep, and speak gibberish. With her full head of rich black hair and large blue eyes, she stops people everywhere I go to ooh and aaah over her sweetness. Her siblings are quite smitten with her too, and she finds daddy’s programming talk hilarious (couldn’t stop her laughing!!) I cannot count the miracles that accompanied her arrival. She is such a precious blessing. For now, she is the easiest and best part of my job, but I’m sure she’ll have many lessons to teach me too!

Andrew learned to juggle his time between bouncing on the trampoline with two kids, a pregnant wife on bed rest, several side projects, oh and a busy full time job. Two of Andrew’s hobby projects are being shipped as part of Microsoft products J. He also created his own secure messaging app which is now available in the Window’s 8 Store under the name “Cryptochat.” In his spare time (Ha!) he has taken up reading and is on #5 of the Harry Potter series. He is an amazing dad who gets up at night with the two older kids so I can get more sleep (See Proverbs 25:24). I have learned that there is no end to his willingness to help me, and his talents (he made a Thanksgiving pie from scratch!!)

I learned that being Young Women President (girl’s youth pastor) is hard and busy, that I have room in my heart for another sweet baby, and that homeschooling can be really fun. It was fun to plan our first family vacation down to Southern California and to find time to read (since I started my pregnancy in bed and finished it that way too). There’ve also been seasons of painting and sewing which have been nice. I’ve learned that I can text one of my teen girls, remind Emily to wipe her bum, and be planning dinner, all while reading a book with Luke, and nursing Amber…and remembering to breathe… It’s apparent that even I have super powers 😉

We hope that you can look back on this year with happiness and that you can rejoice in this Season of Peace and Joy, as we celebrate the birth of that Wondrous Child. Thank you for your friendship and love to us, we look forward to visiting with some of you in the coming year.