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CHRISTMAS Letter 2020

 Well, this was quite a year . . . a year of first (and hopefully some lasts).  A year that took us by surprise and made us ALL re-think about EVERYTHING.  A year that drove us all HOME and sitting around the table with the ones we love.

My sweet babies blossomed this year.  They all learned hard things and kept on going.  They all learned the value of a game of Rummikub.  They all learned that momma was not meant to teach math - history is my jam!  They learned the value of a big family. They learned that biscuits are AWESOME! They all handled 2020 like champs!  Yes, there were hard decisions, but they were understanding. Nobody is perfect, but they got pretty close this year, of all years I am appreciative.

What did we do? We got a rescue puppy - Charli Mae.  (Yes, I said no more puppies, but the vote was 5 - 1) We went to the beach on a "work trip."  Then we took off for the mountains!  Both of these amidst soccer try-outs - he made the team he wanted!  We love our mountain time with some of our family - it is always a gift of time and truths for our family.  We went to school (some days) and took a quick trip to the farm - such a gift. We learned new, slower schedules this year.  We are at 4 different schools, in 4 different carpools, in 3 different sports and YES - this is still slower than a "normal" year.

BAY is 17!  She is beautiful inside & out.  She drives herself to school this year & will start college visits in the Spring.  We added a new room and bathroom in the basement for her & now she has her own "suite" at Martin Manor.  Due to an exposure she had to quarantine with her momma for 2 weeks & that is every teenage girls dream =)

WFM5 will be 15 any day now!  He has had 2 rounds of soccer try-outs and made both teams he wanted. GO VHHS REBELS! He is constantly jumping around a corner & scaring his momma. He won some awards in May from his school.  Citizenship Award & Outstanding English Student Award, of course he could not accept them in person but as we talked about them at dinner that night he was baffled, but this momma was not.  He has a sweet heart.

WHITTY has started track & is VERY fast!  He is officially a teenager!  He loves video games, running and sleeping.  He continues to do well in school & make new friends.  This year through a few kinks in plans, but Whitty thrived in all this time at home, and then continued to thrive returning to a crazy school year. Did I mention how fast he was - REALLY fast!

LEE-LEE is our baby and just turned 8!  He has taken 2nd grade by storm & I often get texts from his teacher telling me how funny he is.  He has received 2 character awards this Fall.  He started basketball recently & is convinced he is a pro. He LOVES playing outside with the neighborhood gang.  During quarantine he & his friend would spend HOURS a day in the creek - pretty much the perfect childhood.

My much better half kept building the WHOLE year!  He kept local restaurants in business by getting take-out & did ALL the grocery shopping for 9 weeks. He was SuperDad in 2020- coming home for lunch everyday & helping with games & schoolwork. He even talked this momma into another puppy.

I stay on PTO boards & in the minivan.  I love still working at our church & have added a few hours teaching pre-school. (I have a fan club of 3 year olds!)  I love being a wife & mother to this crew & although this has been a HARD year I have to admit - some extra time with these kiddos before they start leaving the nest has been precious.

What will next year hold?  I cannot even start guessing. Definitely SOCCER, running, playing outside & college visits.  Definitely carpools & building.  Definitely some time in the mountains with family.  Who knows what will happen? GOD knows & His sovereignty has kept this momma going this year.


Jude 24-25

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (NASB)


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