Merry Christmas 2008!

12-17-2008
Merr-e-Christmas! I’ve been awake since 4:00am, so if the contents of this letter sound slightly delirious, it’s because I’m on my third cup of coffee. Sleep deprivation has a way of making me crazy! And no, I didn’t wake up at that early hour because I’m super-mom. One of the kids had the sniffly-sneezies in the night, and I was unable to go back to sleep! My Christmas list was going around in my head - only a week left – and I still have most of my shopping to do! But then my thoughts turned to our friends and family, and since it has been a couple years since I wrote a letter, I figured I’d update everyone.
We just came through the first blizzard of the season, and I must say we enjoyed it quite a bit. We stocked up on groceries, books and movies from the library, and bought a new shovel too! We spent the time (Saturday evening through Monday morning) cozy and warm by doing some extra baking, tackling a few odd jobs, and lounging around the house. I made a turkey dinner on Sunday and the little ones thought it must already be Christmas, with all the cooking and extra goodies in the house! But, come Monday morning the party was over, and the hard work of shoveling all that snow began!
Our family picture this year was taken at our Civil Air Patrol awards banquet. Kyle, Alicia and Mitchell are all CAP members. Kyle won the “Senior Member of the Year” award, which all the cadets vote on. It was quite an honor for him.
Kyle is still working for the Fargo Jet Center as a line technician and web content manager. He’s also keeps busy teaching an adult Sunday School and Children’s Church class, as well as classes at our church’s Bible college. For the most part, his activities keep him out of trouble. He still loves spending time at home the most, and can usually be found doing something with the kids. He’s their greatest teacher.
Alicia turned sixteen this year. Kyle and I are still recovering. Sometimes I look at her and think, “Who are you, and what have you done with my little girl?!?” She is a sophomore this year, and is still a voracious reader and enjoys knitting and quilting. She’s my right-hand-man, so to speak, and does a lot for our family by helping with all the stuff it takes to run a household. She’s much more capable than I was at that age! She is looking ahead to college – possibly nursing school, or perhaps even a career in cosmetology. She is leaning towards the latter at this time. We’ll find out in a couple years!
Mitchell is fourteen and we’ve all been enjoying the adventure of his voice changing. Even he pokes fun at himself! He is currently gainfully employed by a family friend who manages apartment buildings. He cleans the common areas – hallways, laundry rooms, entries, etc., once a week for a large 5-building complex. He also kept busy mowing lawns last summer for different neighbors here in town. He is currently in 8th grade and is still leaning towards a career with the military.
Kaylee informs everyone that she will be thirteen (!) on her next birthday. I’m resisting having three teenagers in the house! But time will march on, no matter how much I wish to slow it down. Her favorite things are purses, cell phones, and Dora the Explorer. She has graduated from Barney, although he still holds much fondness in her heart. Our darling girl is indeed growing up, and informs everyone who will listen of that fact!
Jessica is eight this year and is rapidly becoming a young lady. She loves to style her hair, Kaylee’s hair, the neighbor kids’ hair, my hair – anyone who will sit still long enough to get braids and pony tails and all sorts of other styles. Jess has been enjoying learning some cooking skills - she can make a mean hot dog! She also proudly knows how to operate the microwave (with supervision of course) and is becoming more and more helpful with household tasks. She still loves anything to do with Princesses – she’s our girly-girl.
Justin, our baby boy, was five in May. I’ll tell him, “I love you more!” and he says, “I love you the whole wide world, the whole wide sea and the whole wide space!” He loves to draw and color, create things with Lego’s and Magnetix, and anything else he can stack, arrange or put together. His little mind is constantly going and he keeps our whole family laughing with his little comments.
As for me, I hate to brag, but…I turned 4-0 this year. Impressive, ain’t it? For my birthday I got new wrinkles, gray hair, more aches and pains, and some memory loss. Oh, and one less tooth! Are you jealous yet? Actually, it has been a good year for me. I had weight-loss surgery in February (which went great) and since then I have lost almost 80 pounds. I’m feeling better than I have in years and I’m more than half-way to my goal weight. When I reach my goal I’m sure you’ll hear me shouting!
We are still homeschooling, active in our church with various ministries, and as you can see from our picture, as good-lookin’ as ever! ;)
Well, I hope this letter finds you healthy, safe and warm, and enjoying Christmas with the ones you love the most. We are still in Hawley (and loving it here!) so if you happen to be in our neck of the woods, stop by! We’ll put on a pot of coffee and if I don’t have anything baked the kids can run down the street to get some Carl’s Lefse!
To conclude our letter I leave you with this scripture verse: “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
In His Care ~ Kyle, Beth, Alicia, Mitchell, Kaylee, Jessica and Justin