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Merry Christmas Letter 2017!

"looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, 
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, 
despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
Hebrews 12:2

Merry Christmas! 
We pray this little letter finds you with family celebrating the gift of Jesus.
Our little family is looking forward to tonight, tomorrow, & all next week celebrating with our BIG family.  We are looking forward to Christmas services, presents, meals & COUSIN-TIME!  We are looking forward to time together. 

This year has been CRAZY! CRAZY FUN!
We have 2 in middle school, 1 in elementary & 1 in pre-school!  We cannot believe that next year one starts high school & another starts kindergarten!! (Although he says he may skip straight onto middle school & I am about to agree to that idea.)  We of course have played A LOT of soccer & done A LOT of twirling & have picked back up some basketball, because life was about to get too easy if we had had a few weeks off from a sport.

This year we have torn up 1 knee, had 1 bad back, broken 1 clavicle, & only had 1 black eye.  I think I may be forgetting something, but I am sure there was a good story behind why I am forgetting.

We have started a Bible study at our house that is for the ladies in the neighborhood, but has blessed our whole family.  It was sweet to see the kids watch as prayers were answered . . ."Mom, what if no one shows up for your Bible study that you are praying about? Mom, what if it is only 1 person?" 10 women walked in the first night . . . "Wow, Mom, I am watching God answer prayers."  Always beautiful to watch their hearts open to the things of God.  Along the same lines, it has been a sweet thing to watch William & his friends join the church, as the boys have known each other since infancy & they stood side-by-side & took vows to serve the church & talked of their faith & the faith of their families.  It was a beautiful testimony to His love & promises to our families.
"We will tell the next generation all the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord."
Psalm 78:4

We traveled this Summer on an exciting adventure out West.  Zion National Park, the Grand Canyon & Las Vegas were beautiful places!  As we got on the plane at the beginning of our trip the youngest looks up & says I want to see a volcano & BatMan! ??? Well, guess what? There was the coolest BatMan standing next to an erupting volcano on the strip in Vegas! WFM5 & Daddy walked Angels Landing& we hiked a small part of the Narrows.  We ate dinner overlooking the Grand Canyon at sunset & floated around HorseShoe Bend. After all that, Mimi & Papa have already invited us on another trip next year! (Each year I wonder . . .)

Daddy has worked HARD, Mommy has driven many carpools & the kids have studied & played. We have grown, inside & out.  We have lived many fun adventures with some wonderful people.  God has been so good to our family this year, He has watched over us in travel, play, school & work & we could document many more, but no one wants a letter that long.  Sooo. . . Merry Christmas, Happy New Year & War Eagle  from our crazies to yours!  May you see His goodness over your family in 2018!

~ the Martins
Marty, Jocelyn, Baylor (14), William (basically 12), Whitt (10) & Baby Lee-Lee (5)

"I will make my dwelling among them & walk among them, 
& I will be there God, & they shall be my people."
2 Corinthians 6:16b

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