We Wish You a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

Our year was full of so many things. Here are the highlights:

Emily began her senior year of college...come May we will have our very first college graduate. She also scrambled to find her focus. Great thing is...God is in the business of unscrambling and focusing! She got her very first pet...a blind, old cat she calls Ro-Ro.

Hillary and Jeremy are raising our sweet grandgirls. Piper had her very important 1st birthday and our sweet Reyasunshine turned 3. Their family started going to a wonderful church where they've plugged in and feel very loved! Jeremy continues to work 3 part time jobs to support them and Hillary's health issues continue to plague her. God is so great to give provision! We've seen some wonderful provision for their family! They have a kitty named Zoey who causes the girls much delight!

Chellsei began her junior year at BSU. She loves sign language and history...don't start a conversation about WWII if you don't want to go on for a bit! She began helping in the youth group at church this summer and continues to drum occasionally. She went on a weekend mission trip to Grandview, WA with our church over the summer; enjoyed seeing the people she served with in years prior. Her and her boyfriend celebrated their 2 year anniversary. Wonder what's next! God is so good to unfold adventures before our very eyes! Just a week ago, she flew off to Germany to see....

Kaily and Tim. His job took them overseas to Germany. They live in a small village and are enjoying it immensely. The possibility of deployment always looms; they're preparing themselves for that. On a journey to a small zoo in France, they saw some very wild....raccoons. We had quite the giggle over that. We skype often. The girls are enjoying their sister time until January when C flies home. They've kept us quite entertained with finding just the right beer stein for their dad and grandpa. T & K had to leave their dogs and hedgehog behind...there were tears shed! (We've found homes for dogs, hedgehog lives in C's room now. Our pet count is now 2 dogs, 1 rat and a hedgie. Soon, a Ro-Ro. :/)

Savannah is attending Sage International School. She is doing well and has friends! I know because I ask her every day. She recently (Tuesday)joined the braces gang. Didn't think she could get any cuter...I was wrong. She enjoyed her first mission trip; Grandview Wa for a week with our church! She LOVED it! After that, she went away to camp for 3 weeks this summer...2 as servant staff and one as a camper. She developed relationships and is looking forward to heading back next year! They've asked her to serve for the summer. She has switched her focus from becoming a vet to working with children. Also, she got to see her favorite band in concert and, after having an allergic reaction, got to meet Sadie Robertson! What joy! Can't wait to see what story God has written for her!

Harley is in 7th grade at The Village Charter Middle School. She has a heart for those around her and I love getting to see her sweet nature exposed. She was just in a play at school and let me tell you...she was AMAZING! One of the only kids without a script in her hand and she definitely has a flair for the dramatic! Her timing was great and she knocked the socks off the audience. She continues to show her artistic talent and we continue to be blown away. Really praying that God show us how to tap into supporting that and getting her where she needs to be to develop the talents He's given her.

Matt and I are doing well. We had a bit of a rough start this year. We've made new friends, rekindled with old ones and have continued to grow and heal as a couple. We joined a small group at church...it's great to hear perspective from people who have recovered from where we are or to share where we've been to others who may be heading there. I began working at H's school 3 hours a day. It's a great little part time job....God has reminded me that He had me where He wanted me for a reason. So, we'll see. Right now, that is our "Savannah braces account". Matt continues to work at the hospital. He loves working with the people and loves talking with those who ask about his AGAPE tattoo...who knew that could be a mission field??! His new goal is to get his GED sooner rather than later and move forward in the medical field. He also went to Grandview for a weekend...he loved building and helping around the church. He also loved the relationship building with others from our church! In August, we went and grabbed those Pryde's from NM. It was a wonderful time for just the 4 of us to have an adventure!

All in all....we're alive. We're all breathing and we're all growing. It wasn't a perfect year, wasn't a quiet one. We had lots of adventures this year, lots of tears, lots of laughter.

And I wouldn't change it.

God is so good, so amazing to love me. He is truly the reason for the season.

So...Merry Christmas, friends. May your new year unfold with joy and His hand unfolding your adventure.


Remember the baby born to die...so you could live with Him.