Christmas Letter

So here it is, Christmas Eve and I have finally decided to write a letter on my blog. I haven't decided for sure, though, if I will rewrite it to send to people that don't read it here. Hmmm...

I was just out for a quick trip to Walmart, amidst the hustle & bustle of last minute shoppers and, boy, was it crazy! It's interesting to watch people this time of year. There are those that you can tell really wish they would have gotten their shopping done a month ago. Then, you see the shoppers who have no idea what they are looking for or don't have a clue what the people on their list really want. You also see the moms who are just trying to keep track of their little people (that would be me) and are thinking that maybe it would have been worth the extra cash to hire a sitter for the day! Of course, there are always the dads that are being dragged along & would much rather be home watching the NFL playoffs! But, whatever the reason, there is a certain unity amongst the shoppers. Whether cranky & looking for the shortest checkout line, or satisfied with purchases & waiting patiently behind the screaming kids...everyone is there in hopes to find something that makes someone excited as they open their gifts tomorrow!

This year has seemed more fun for Chris & I as we put some thought into gifts for our girls. Money is tight, but with some thoughtfulness & a budget, it was actually fun to go on a little date & buy their gifts. We went to stores with ideas in mind, comparing prices, and considering their interests!

Lexi has more of an idea what Christmas is all about this year. We have never really talked about Santa, until someone asked her what she is getting from him this year. We had a talk that he is made up & that it is really Christ who blesses us with gifts & as much as she could understand about God's Perfect Gift! She doesn't understand it all, but just accepts with child-like faith that we know what we are talking about! It has been fun to watch her grow spiritually this year. She has her favorite memorized prayers & it is our goal this next year to teach her to pray what is on her heart. That scares me as she really wants a baby brother!! She has started doing preschool activities with Mommy a little everyday. She is a fast learner & gets very frustrated when she doesn't do something perfect on the first try. She really soaks up the fact that she starts school in 9 months, wondering why she has to wait that long. Lexi is still our girly-girl. She loves anything ballet, princess, dress up, and jewelry. She got her ears pierced last summer & is constantly asking for hoops! Her favorite change this year has been going overnight to her friends' house by herself. Although the questions are endless, along with the singing & playing pretend, she is a blessing to us! She teaches us alot about ourselves as she mirrors & mimics, and tests are patience daily! We have been noticing love languages this year, and Lexi is big on words of affirmation/praise. She loves knowing that we think she is the greatest 5 year old!

Petra turned 3 in August. This has been a year of growth & change for her as well. Where Lexi is average for her age, Petra is off the charts in height. She hit 41 inches & 40 1/2 pounds, which is only a couple inches shorter than Sissy. She keeps up pretty well and really holds her own when they fight! She is more of our tomboy, as she likes playing ball. She will kick a ball down the hallway and says, "When I play soccer, I will be bigger." Her meaning is that she wants to play soccer when she is big! Hopefully we will be able to encourage that sporty side as she grows. Although, she loves sports, she also loves playing with Lexi & Nova. She has a motherly side with the baby & her dolls. She disciplines, loves and sings to her babies and stuffed animals. She will still do girly things with Lexi when she's in the mood. She is also our "wanderer". Twice this year, she gave Mommy a heart attack by disappearing. Once at Walmart, once at the 4-H Fair. Thankfully we found her quickly both times just after she realized she was lost. It was enough to scare her, but she is still not old enough to understand the dangers of walking away from us. We love her dearly & don't know what we would do without her. She adds a certain dynamic to our family that can be challenging. At the same time, she can be lovable. Her love language is still developing, but she seems to thrive on physical touch. We love how she is constantly needing hugs & kisses & telling us 50 times a day that she loves us. Her favorite thing to do with Daddy is wrestle & be tickled!

Last, but not least, our newest addition, Nova. She is our most laid back baby. She cut her first two teeth soon after Thanksgiving at 8 months old, whereas the other two were 7 months. Our oldest daughters started crawling & getting into everything soon after they turned 6 months old, Nova started at 9 months old. She knows she can crawl, but still prefers to sit & make a mess of her toys or whine until we finally pick her up & take her where we're going! She is, by far, our most "smiley" baby which is her nickname, given by our neighbors. Nova hasn't developed any specific interests, yet, other than being held by Mommy & repeating the things that make us laugh. She started snuggling into Mommy or Daddy if she has her blankie, whether it's naptime or not. Her goofy faces & silly giggles constantly brighten our days. We are so thankful she is in our lives. It has been fun to go through all the growing stages again, from first smiles to crawling. She definitely adds laughter to our days, and we look forward to watching her copy her sisters as well as developing her own interests.

God has blessed us immeasurably this past year. He has taught us much about feeling content, not stuck, in the life he has given us. We have learned to love deeply, appreciate each others' strengths, learn from our mistakes, and work on our own weaknesses. God has blessed us by showing us what is important to him for our marriage & our children and we seek to follow His plan for us no matter what comes our way.

Well, that is really all I have to tell. We love you & pray God's blessings will be evident as you look back over the year. Hope your next year is full of His grace & love!

Tis the Season...

So, here it is...the holiday season. One down, two to go! Did we actually have a 2008? It really seems like it went faster than ever! I guess when you have a third child, time tends to disappear! The minutes all kind of mesh together into one big lump of time called 'Day'. Has it really come & gone just like that?

I told a friend on Facebook the other day, I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year. I love getting together with family & friends. Now, we do that all year long, normally, but for some reason it seems different in the winter. Maybe it's everyone getting cozy when the weather outside is frightful. It could be the aura of the season, knowing that family really means something when there are those without love in their lives. Or, it could be as simple as knowing Mom will have incredible turkey or ham, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and mmm...pumpkin pie on the table. Maybe it's the warm scented candles glowing, or for those of you so lucky, the glowing fireplace. I know for my kids, it's knowing that presents await them at Grandpa's house.

The part I hate (such a strong word) is just the fact another year has come & gone so quickly. I always reflect on the year around this time & wonder "what exactly did I accomplish this year". Most years...not a whole lot. Every once in a great while, I can look back & see some growth in my life, maybe some maturity that wasn't there before. Don't ask my husband to confirm that for me!!! I can watch home videos & literally see how much my girls grew. Physically and mentally. I wish that somehow I could do that for myself. I don't videotape things I've learned and definitely don't tape how much I physically grew (haha). But, as a woman, I do have a record in my mind of the experiences I've had, the things I've learned, and the things that maybe I should work on in 2009! Read on, if you dare, and I will share with you some of those things.

In March, I had my third daughter. I learned through Nova, that I am capable of managing 3 little girls with some sanity left at the end of the day! Because of her in my life, I've learned again, that I love being a mommy, that I can be content in the daily routine of life. With Petra & Lexi, I realized that different children need different discipline, different show of love & affection, different activities with Mom & Dad, and that I am not so different than a child sometimes! I've also learned, once again, that what I do or say, they will also do or say!

God has also revealed to me things that only marriage can bring out! My husband has taught me so much about myself, things I would have been fine not knowing...but without knowing, I wouldn't really be living life to the fullest! I was miserable & discontent for so many years, not realizing what was right in front of me. God has shown me that this is my life. I can either love it or long for something else. I learned the hard way that I want this life...no matter how hard it can be, no matter how much pain it can bring me. I can find joy in the little things, if I look past the pain. God's rainbow is always there in the clouds, I just have to look at the clouds instead of running away from them.

So, as this season comes & goes quickly...I thank God for the rainbow in the storms, my children, my husband, my home (without a cozy fireplace), the family & friends He has given me, and the hard times that teach me about myself...who I am & who God wants me to be when I grow up!

Hope you have a blessed Christmas! Love you all!