If you are reading this post you might have happened upon our blog by chance but more than likely you were directed here by a tardy Christmas card. So, if you're wondering why someone would even bother mailing their Christmas cards as late as January 6th, it is because we still love you, even after Christmas.
You may wonder what we've been doing that has kept us too busy to mail cards to beloved friends and family. And the answer is "too much to even list!" As a belated Christmas gift, I'll give you the short version.
We began 2008 wondering if our electricity and heat would withstand yet another ice storm. I would wonder what happened to those good, old-fashioned winters when we just got snow. To date, neither one of my children have really seen or played in a decent snow of 4 inches or more. Maybe we'll need to head to Minnesota for Christmas soon.
In March, over the University's spring break, Zach was fortunate to be able to travel to El Salvador as part of a mission team trained to drill clean water wells. The trip was truly a blessing to him, and he was able to brush-up on Spanish with the workers in country.
In July, we headed to Branson, to spend some really great time with the Waters family. The purpose of the trip was to celebrate Uncle Carl's birthday and reflect on what a blessing he's been to the family. Brynley and Sydney just about wore out Uncle Carl, Auntie Pam and Uncle Scott! It was during this visit that we became van people. Yes, I own a van.
Fall was a whirlwind of preparation for the beginning of school. Zach, still the Director of Student Activities, and I, still the Resident Director for the school's apartments, were a blur during two weeks in August. Zach is still enjoying various aspects of his job and loves getting to connect with many of his student leaders.
November provided us with an opportunity to visit New Mexico. We flew to Albuquerque to visit with Larry and Renee a bit and to be curbside fans of the Bears at the (frigid) New Mexico State Soccer tournament. We were excited to watch Larry and his team become state champions once again. This is Larry's seventh state title! Over Thanksgiving we were able to travel to my parents new home for a visit and help them work on both of their homes. It was a good visit...a bit sad because the only childhood home I have known is no longer my parents residence, but also exciting because they have really been wanting to move and they have bought a great house.
December was a flurry of shopping and Christmas concerts and Christmas parties. We enrolled Brynley in preschool in November and her school had a Christmas concert, which was a first for her. It was interesting, to say the least. During the preschool portion, Brynley changed her clothes around, changed bells with another student, and changed from the top row to the bottom row...thankfully, others were more distracting! Christmas was with my parents this year, so we loaded down our van and headed north. Both my sisters and their families were able to come home as well, so it was a full house, but worth it. Both my sisters are expecting babies in 2009, so we are excited. Zach got a bow for Christmas and is excited to practice, Brynley can now bathe in Barbie's, Sydney is the dress up queen, and I am ready to sew.
In between these major events Brynley has taken up violin. By this I mean she's had a few lessons, but she really loves what she is learning and she has a great teacher. The violin we bought looks about the size of a vacation souvenier, but it's just the right size for her. Brynley is in love with preschool, which meets two days a week, and wishes it were everyday. She loves anything proper, fancy, and covered in tulle. Her career choices at this point vary between ballerina, photographer, princess, doctor, and, zoo worker. Sydney, in stark contrast to Brynley, is a bit of a pipsqueak and stronger than you'd imagine. Sydney has yet to meet something she could not climb, her most recent adventure was the scaling of the desk up to the built-in shelf in their bedroom. Her baby bed is no longer a worthy opponent, so we've taken the front railing off in hopes of teaching her to stay in a "big girl bed." Sydney is really beginning to develop her speech and has her own cute way of saying things. Fik a hair= Fix my hair or fix your hair, I hob it = I hold it, I kerd = I'm scared. It's all pretty cute now, all but NO.
We've had a tiring, but exciting and enjoyable year and are looking forward to what our future may hold. Zach has been sitting in on one course per semester for a while now and is praying about his desire to go back to school. We'd love to see him able to do so for fall 2009, but will follow what the Lord would have us do. He is very blessed to be able to spend his spring break '09 digging clean water wells again, this time in Honduras. I would love to find a job teaching social studies next fall, in either a high school or a middle school. Brynley may or may not enter kindergarten this fall...it just depends.
We hope that your year was more relaxed and more enjoyable and that 2009 will hold blessings and adventures that surpass your expectations.
