The Great Scharman Novel of 2014

In lieu of a written letter this year I will provide a comprehensive explanation on the blog of my family and what we are all up to.  In all honesty, I couldn't possibly fit everything I want to say into a Christmas letter anyway. It's going to be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth...maybe some sugar coated truth.  Someday I would like to be like my own mother who mostly only remembers the good stuff anyway.

Even though family pictures are my absolute favorite, pictures of just the kids is a close second.  Actually, pictures of the kids probably ranks just a little higher since it doesn't involve convincing Clark that he wants to have his picture taken, over and over and over again.

Remember when I said that every once in a while my sister in law and I do something questionable?  I wish taking Christmas card photos didn't fit into that category but somehow it does.  We both felt like we needed to prep well, get a good night's sleep, hydrate and stretch.  But we got the kids gussied up, picked a location and got to it.  In my defense of maintaining some element of sanity, I decided against including the dog in the family pictures this year.  Seeing as how Jonah was 100% done after the first two shots, it was a wise decision.

And 732 pictures later, we had some winners.

These kids of mine, I love them.  I recognize as often as I need to remind myself, that they are not mine.  I have them on loan by someone who trusts me to love them and raise them the best that I can.  We try.  It's hard - really, really hard sometimes.  In fact I realized just today that I am so much better at the little kid stuff.  I can ignore a fit, wrestle wily toddlers to bed and feed picky eaters.  But I am not so awesome at multi-tasking older kids.  It's emotional and frustrating and a tireless effort to figure out how to do it all without messing any of them up.  But I know that I am blessed every step of the way.  I have guidance, support and amazing examples to follow.  I have direction and purpose and perspective.  That allows me those brilliant vistas from time to time to really appreciate and love what I have chosen.  Every single tear of frustration and joy is worth it, a hundred fold.

See Jonah?  First location.  Still happy.

By the second location, which was literally across the street, he was starting to lose it.
Disgruntled, annoyed, wiggly.  Still adorable.  A bowtie and suspenders will do that to a kid.

Thank goodness for cousins.  We knew that one of the benefits of going together was to have a crowd of goof balls behind the camera, encouraging attention and smiles.


But seriously, how hard should it be to get older kids to just stand still and smile while looking at the camera?  Not as hard as it is.  "Hazel, put your hands down.  Mia, uncross your legs and let go of your dress, Abby, look alive! Haley, refresh your smile.  Everyone, stop looking at Jonah! Just look this way for crying out loud!  Good grief."

We interrupt this photo session to stand with our cousin buddies.

The little darlings.

One of the reasons I don't do a Christmas letter is that I have such a hard time summing up each of these kids in just a few short sentences.  Plus I'm not sure how much most people care - let's be honest, I love getting cards and a lot of the time I just want to see how all those people are turning out.  But here I get to splurge a little on my gushing, for better or worse.  

Haley turned 13 in August.  I always feel like I need to breathe deeply and think carefully before I describe Haley.  We always tell her that she was born first for a reason.  We are learning everything the hard way with her.  She challenges us and presents us with many an opportunity to figure things out.  Honestly speaking we worry about messing her up the most.  All of her crazy, stubborn, independent, assertive qualities that drive us crazy as parents are all of the things that are going to make her one heck of an adult.  Sometimes I think she must just be insanely frustrated that she is only 13 and still living with her parents.  And yet in all that fiery independence she loves nothing more than your love and attention.  She needs it and craves it.  She is good at whatever she tries.  She is a lot like Clark in that regard - good at everything but waiting for some of the maturity to catch up with her.  She plays the piano beautifully.  I love hearing her sit and play, it is a real joy.  Music is a talent of hers.  I never have to remind her to practice because she loves it.  She still plays the violin and I am hoping that one day she might feel the same passion about practicing that as well.  She is smart and contemplative and compassionate.  She is the perfect oldest sister when she is not wishing she was an only child.  She is capable of so much and gets utilized by us to the fullest.  She likes to cook and experiment and has made some pretty impressive creations.  Next step is to find her passion for cleaning up.  She is nearly as tall as I am and her feet are bigger already.  I try to be more flattered than annoyed when she asks to borrow clothes but I would be lying if I said I had never borrowed anything from her.  She has good taste and enjoys branching out and having fun.  I depend on her so much and am so grateful for her tenacity.

Abby turned 11 in May.  Clark and I are constantly amazed at how consistent these kids and their personalities have been since the time they were small.  Abby is the same.  That little dimply faced smile hasn't changed a bit and we love her for it.  I'm not sure I ever made mention of that pretty little scar she has on her right cheek.  Some day it may fade but for now it highlights a little string of freckles along her cheek.  Two Christmases ago she decided to melt Starbursts in the microwave.  Upon pulling it out, a small tug-o-war between her and her sister sent molten hot candy flying onto her arms and face.  A few inches to the left and it could've affected her sight but instead it left her with second degree burns.  Clark likes to call her Scarburst - it makes her giggle.  The prospect of a big scar didn't phase Abby for even a moment.  She is irrepressible.   She is easy going and friend to all.  She spends every spare minute with her nose in a book and flies through them so fast I have a hard time keeping her supplied with fresh material.  She is slightly obsessed with cats which made Christmas shopping really easy this year.  No, we did not buy her a cat much to her great disappointment.  One dog is enough four legged animal for this house.  Abby still loves to cuddle and be our buddy but she is a social butterfly.  I love that Abby can roughhouse with the best of them but loves to girly up too.  Last Thanksgiving she helped kill and dress our turkey.  She doesn't mind getting her hands dirty and figuring things out.  She does well in school but does not particularly enjoy doing her homework.  She helps mellow things out in the house when it gets crazy but will hold her own in any conflict.

Mia, Mimi, Mims. It seems like Mia has been 9 forever.  Sometimes she seems much older than she is.  One of the things that I love about the group picture above is everyone's pose.  I placed them together but gave no direction (aside from "stop thats".) The way they are standing is appropriately representative of their personalities.  Mia can be timid but social and fun.  Stepping out and being sassy gives her the giggles.  She is caught somewhere between feeling like a little kid and wanting to hang with the older girls.  Mia plays the piano also and has been doing art club the last year and a half at school.  She enjoys trying new things and being a part of fun activities and adventures.  She worries! She is my child who prays for the people starving all over the world and protection against robbers climbing to the second story bedroom.  A worrier after my own heart.  But she also has a solid reassurance of who she is and what her strengths are.  She is a sweet girl that bridges those olders and youngers in our family, and does is wonderfully.  She finds the beauty in world around her and will be quick to point out something she is grateful for or a pretty sunset.

Six year old Hazel is still my little buddy.  I would homeschool her in a heartbeat if it meant I didn't really have to do anything but let her follow me around (she wouldn't learn much!) I miss having her easy little pleasant personality around all day.  Hazel is very friendly and kind and very tender hearted.  She has a very hard time saying good bye some mornings.  She even has a hard time going to class at church because she thinks she wants to sit by us all the time but the reality is she is perfectly happy seconds after leaving our sides.  She is thoughtful and careful about what she does. She is doing really wonderfully in 1st grade and her reading is starting to take off.  I could sit and watch her hold her little pencil doing homework, all day long.  She is such a gentle personality that she can easily be overshadowed by the more outgoing child but when given the lead she does amazing.  She has a smatter of freckles across her nose that I adore and she still fits nice and snug right under my arm.  And good heavens is she funny.  I love to catch her when she is in her own little world - it is serious entertainment.  As for being thoughtful, we have to make sure we have ample time if she is asked to say family prayer.  She leaves nothing out and is very specific and thorough, which I love.

Jonah pants is 2.  I wish he didn't act so typically "2" but right now that's the story.  It's like he has been in a bad mood for the last two months.  OK that's not fair - he's in a bad mood maybe 75% of the time.  I am crossing my fingers that it is a phase that will pass and I will get back my sweet little boy who likes people.  Right now he loves the young men at church.  He talks about them during the week and high fives them at church.  He yells at his sisters.  He talks trains nonstop.  Any parallel lines are train tracks and any line of objects is a train.  He is stuck in the muck of frustration understanding more with a vocabulary that hasn't caught up.  There is lots of yelling.  When you say no to something he puts his fists in his armpits, flaps hard once like a chicken and says whatever he is trying to say, louder.  I'm not gonna lie, it's kind of cute...the first time.  I want to kiss his little face all day long.  I love his hair, his dimples and his crazy little mouth.  I like having him around.  He has some serious sleeping skills.  Maybe it has something to do with my diminished hearing but he naps like a champ.  He sleeps a good 13-14 hours at night and takes a four hour nap during the day.  My sanity, as a result, is fairing pretty well.  Now if I could just get him to eat more and yell less, we'd be awesome.

That brings me to us.  What can I say?  Not much has changed with us.  Clark has been serving as the Bishop of our ward for a little over a year.  That means that he is still as busy as he ever was but I think for the most part I am able to deal with it knowing that blessings flow in our home because of it.  He loves working at Chevron and is doing amazing.  The more people get to know him and what he is willing and can do, the more they utilize his talent.  I am grateful to be married to such a hard worker that knows when enough is enough with other things and when to be home with his family.  Clark and I ran a half marathon together in November.  He has done several but this was my first.  It was fun to train together and I was grateful for his support, encouragement and validation (even though I haven't run a single step since then!)  I am still doing what I do, except with a dog by my side all day.  I started taking piano this summer with the girls and I am really enjoying it.  I love to play the piano and I am grateful for the opportunity to be bettering myself in some way besides getting really good at laundry.

This last summer we took a big family vacation to see both sides up in the Colorado/Utah/Idaho area.  We spent time with parents, cousins and friends and it was wonderful.  One of my favorite stops was the few days we spent up in Yellowstone.  It was amazingly beautiful and laid back.  I love getting away from the norm and basking in family togetherness.

And sometimes I get to jump in with my little people and be with them.  I know it is cliche but it really is about stopping what you are doing and being in the moment.  It's something I relearn again and again at each stage of this crazy little family of ours.  Life is best when I learn to put aside what is not as important for those things which are.  I can't ever get far from the thought that these years are fleeting.  Sometimes that thought is a comfort (knowing that it won't last forever) but usually it helps me to brush off whatever frustration I am experiencing and embrace the present for better or worse.

Pictures accomplished. Another year down.

Merry Christmas!