Okay, so I haven't posted in a while, and on top of that, I'm going to be extra lazy and post a copy of my Christmas letter. I'm sure most of my family and geographically distant friends have already received their copy, but for those that live nearby and didn't get one, it may be something mildly entertaining to read. Hopefully after the holidays I will find time to get back into a more regular posting routine, but until then...praying you all have a merry Christmas!!!
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Dearest Family and Friends,
This has been an exciting year of change and growth for our family. We marvel at God’s provision and are grateful for His sovereignty. We pray that you have also enjoyed evidence of these things in your own lives this past year.
January:
- Sydney began her first season of cheerleading through Upward Cheerleading at our church.
- Friends celebrated the approaching birth of our newest addition by throwing Erin a beautiful baby shower.
- Sydney, Avery, and Emerson enjoyed the Sibling Class at the hospital to prepare for the coming of our new baby.
February:
- Erin was scheduled to be induced on Feb. 22.
- Owen Nathaniel decided to arrive early on Feb. 19 at a healthy 8 lb. 1 oz. He appeared after only a few hours from Erin’s water breaking sporting a “barely there” white head of hair and winning the award for the largest baby feet in our family.
- Mimi arrived in St. Louis shortly after Owen took his first breath. She stayed for a little over a week and was, of course, a tremendous help.
- Owen became our “Glo-worm on steroids” as we endured 2 difficult weeks of severe jaundice and treatment on a Bili TX machine until it was finally decided that his condition was due to breast milk jaundice. After switching to formula (a difficult transition for Erin) he improved rapidly.
March:
- Avery turned four years old on March 8! We celebrated with an Abby Cadabby birthday party in a spacious room at our church.
- We enjoyed Sydney’s first grade musical at school, The Little Red Hen, in which she played a cow.
- Brian’s Aunt Barb came to visit for a week and a half. She was great entertainment for the kids and had wonderful crafty ideas to share throughout her visit.
- Erin returned to her part-time tutoring job on Tuesday/Thursday afternoons.
- Papa came to visit for almost a week and enjoyed spending time with all of his grandchildren, especially his newest one that we like to call “mini-Papa”.
April:
- Granny came to visit for the Easter weekend in which we squeezed in lots of fun, including the traditional “Slumber Party” for her and the granddaughters in the basement where they watched a movie, had manicures, ate lots of treats, and stayed up late.
- We celebrated Easter at our church and then enjoyed an indoor picnic (due to the wind). We held our annual family Easter egg hunt while Owen observed from the comfort of his bouncy seat.
- Uncle Mathew, Aunt Jennifer, and Elias came to visit for a week. We did lots of St. Louis “stuff” and enjoyed watching the cousins play together.
- Aunt Lindsay came to visit for a long weekend so she could love on her nieces and nephews before her time in Basic Training.
May:
- On May 9, Owen was dedicated at our church.
- We enjoyed Avery’s preschool Spring program.
- Sydney and Avery participated in the Children’s Choir Musical at church.
- Sydney completed first grade.
- Aunt Kendall and Uncle Justin came to visit for almost a week. We enjoyed spending time with them and introducing Justin to St. Louis.
June:
- Sydney participated in the optional four-week, Monday to Thursday, Summer School program in our school district. She enjoyed her classes including a music class, American Girl class, Reading with Computer Games, Math Games class, and Around the World geography/culture class.
- Uncle Matt and Granny came for a summer visit. Granny’s new IPad was a hit with the whole family.
July:
- We traveled to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia to visit with Mimi, Papa, Uncle Chris, Caleb, and Alyssa. We had a blast celebrating a combined birthday party for all the upcoming birthdays, shopping, playing in the river, blowing bubbles, hiking to a waterfall, visiting the Atlanta Aquarium, and pigging out at the Varsity.
- We visited Uncle Terry and Aunt Barb in Atlanta and enjoyed the lake beach, roasting marshmallows in their yard, visiting an enormous indoor sandbox, shopping, and making homemade ice cream.
- Erin had her gallbladder removed…not the most fun of the summer, but necessary.
- We stayed a long weekend at Lake Wappapello in a small cabin. We enjoyed the lake beach, nature center, hiking, park playgrounds, and just the six of us spending time together.
August:
- Emerson had his third birthday on Aug. 14! We celebrated with a party at the Little Gym.
- Sydney started second grade.
- Erin had a birthday on Aug. 22.
- Sydney turned seven years old on Aug. 26! We celebrated with a sundae party at Mary’s Sweet Shoppe in Kimmswick where her guests enjoyed making their own sundaes and participating in a chocolate candy making class.
- Sydney and Avery began their soccer season.
- Brian began his first semester in part-time law school at night, three nights a week, at St. Louis University.
September:
- Avery started Monday/Wednesday/Friday preschool at New Hope Preschool in Mrs. Lauber’s class.
- Owen had tubes put in his ears to help alleviate his many, many ear infections…we’re four for four in this area!
- Sydney, Avery, and Emerson started taking swimming lessons at the YMCA.
- Sydney began piano lessons at our church.
October:
- We visited Stuckmeyer’s Farm with friends to pick some pumpkins.
- Erin helped out at Sydney, Avery, and Emerson’s school Fall Parties.
- Brian had a birthday on Oct. 26.
- We enjoyed the fall festival at Sydney’s school and the Trunk or Treat at church. We had a Toy Story 3 cast this year: Sydney was Jessie, Avery was Barbie in her blue exercise outfit, Emerson was Buzz Lightyear, and Owen was one of the squeaky toy green aliens.
- Grandpa came for a short weekend visit…it was fast but still so nice to see him!
- Sydney and Avery began a 7-week session of gymnastics at the YMCA.
November:
- Erin visited Lindsay and her family in Charlotte for a long weekend. We enjoyed shopping, the Southern Christmas Show, a Girls’ Night Out, and catching up with each other.
- Mr. Dean attended Emerson’s Grandparents/Special Person Day at preschool.
- We enjoyed Thanksgiving with Dean and Mary McCullough and 2 of their 3 children. We had fun playing Banana Grams, coloring turkeys from hand tracings, learning Mr. Dean‘s crayon magic trick, and of course, eating!
December:
- We had a Happy Birthday Jesus party with neighborhood friends.
- We had a fun weekend visit with our friend, Jennifer, from Charlotte.
- We attended Emerson and Avery’s preschool Christmas program.
- Sydney and Avery participated in their Children’s Choir Christmas program at church entitled Operation Christmas Child.
- Brian took his finals and we look forward to a month of no classes!
- We anticipate a fun weekend with Grandpa on Dec. 10 to Dec. 13.
- Erin will be traveling to Florida from Dec. 17 to Dec. 20 to attend Kendall’s graduation from PA school.
- Mimi and Papa will travel back with Erin to St. Louis to spend Christmas vacation with us! We have plans to attend our church Christmas Eve service, go to Santa’s Magical Kingdom, go to a movie, shop, and play, play, play!
Throughout the year:
We enjoyed parks, play dates, Grant’s Farm, the Science Center, Bible Studies, AWANA, choir, soccer, swimming, our new playground (a birthday gift for all four children from their parents and both sets of grandparents) and lots more!
We pray you are well and that you can see God at work in your lives (both the wonderful and the difficult times). Know that you are loved and thought of this Christmas season!
God Bless!
