I have found over the years that I prefer that our yearly "Christmas letter" come by way of the blog rather than with our Christmas card. One of the blessings of having lived in so many places over the years, is the number of friends and family that we wish to keep in contact with! However, since I can only buy so many stamps in one year, the next best thing is a post on the blog where I can properly gush about this family of ours, without making your eyes pop out of your head when you open a Christmas card with a four page letter attached - you're welcome.
We have a solid year, plus, here in Virginia under our belts and I think it's safe to say that we feel happy and content with where we have landed. We love our home and our neighborhood, and feel blessed to have such great schools and church family. The kids continue to flourish despite the changes and curveballs of life that seem to come along. We thought that the change of scenery would be a thing of the past when we left the Navy four years ago but were reminded that things don't always go according to our one, or even five-year plan. Flexibility is the key! And that's exactly what our kids have become, flexible and adaptable and I truly marvel at their ability to make the best of any change that comes their way - for that, Clark and I are truly grateful.
HALEY (16)
Haley is a junior this year, a junior! One of my favorite parts of our holiday decorations in our home is the display of our own family's Christmas cards over the years. I simply cannot believe, and refuse to accept that we have a child so close to flying the nest but we don't worry about her one bit. Haley has grown up so much over the last couple of years that we have no doubt she will spread those wings and go far. Haley does well in school and has a knack for keeping things pretty and organized (except her room.) She sits and plays the piano daily and I love it. It's been interesting over the years to write these little synopsis of the kids because though they experience and try new things, much about their personalities, talents and interests have stayed the same. She still loves music, being with her friends and pushing for that independence that she has wanted since she was two! Haley will be getting her license in the next month or so and she is beyond excited. She passed me up in height years ago and is creeping up on Clark. We have no idea where she gets that from but she is certainly pleased with it.
ABBY (14)
Abby has always been well beyond her years. She is a freshman in high school - have I already said how fast time flies?! She got her braces off earlier this year and recently donated over 13 inches of hair - both of which make her look exceptionally grown up. She has discovered a new love for art this year and I find her drawings all over the place. She has incredible patience and will sit and draw intricate designs for hours. Abby has also discovered a love for photography this year. She is taking a photography class in school that she has really enjoyed. She has a very good eye for composition and a talent for seeing beauty in unexpected places. She is our little engineer who loves to help put things together as well as troubleshoot things when they break. She has an air about her that puts people at ease and is so good at making people feel important and loved.
MIA (12)
Mia is in 7th grade. She started the flute this year and continues to play the piano. She flies through books faster than we can keep her supplied (thank goodness for the school library!) She is in full fledged pre teen mode - you would think that being our third time down this road we would be prepared but each one of these girls is so unique that we certainly are learning new things all along the way. Mia is outgoing and likes to hang out with her friends. We were proud of her for trying something new this year and going out for the school basketball team. She has shot up more than anyone in the last year and has passed up Abby in height. We do not know when she will stop growing. She is feisty and determined and when she puts her mind to something, by golly, it happens. She excels in school and manages to balance all that she has going on while still saving plenty of time for play.
HAZEL (9)
Hazel took over as the big kid in the school this year as she now has a younger sibling to look after. Hazel is in 4th grade and doing amazing. She is following in her sisters' footsteps and doing awesome in school. Her love of reading has really taken off this year and she is discovering different things that she enjoys to read about. She is an awesome big sister to her little brothers and takes her role very seriously. She is very helpful and willing to watch after them and help me whenever I need her to. When Jonah struggled at the beginning of the year, she stepped up as his protector and role model and did it beautifully; we were so grateful. She loves having a best friend right next door and we rarely see them without one another. She loves to be creative and do projects or play school and can often be found reading to Jonah in the evenings. She has a quiet strength that is bursting through and her imagination is brilliantly entertaining.
JONAH (5)
Jonah is in kindergarten and I can hardly stand it. I miss having this little boy all to myself but after his initial rough start letting go, he has (much to my delight and dismay) fallen in love with his teacher. She is wonderful and I just want to hug her every time I see her because I am so grateful to her for loving him and putting up with him, being patient and teaching him at the same time! She gets regular hugs from Jonah and while I am jealous that he has found some other women in his life to love, I am very thankful that he loves school. It is only half day so he is not gone very long. He has surprised us with all he has learned just in the first couple of months. We were not altogether sure that we wanted to start him this year but it has been a positive experience thus far. He is excited to be able to read a few words and we are so proud of how hard he is trying and working. Like most of our kids, he has experienced some speech delays and while we are grateful for the chance to work with a therapist, we are also sad to hear some of his verbal mannerisms fading. It means that my little man is growing up and it just reminds me once again how fleeting this time is. He is a wild child when he gets home. If he is not glued to the TV, then he is creating elaborate games with his toys or on the swingset or sandbox out back. And he adores his little brother which is always a good thing (except for a couple of weeks ago when he decided to give him a haircut...that, not so much.)
EZRA (2)
I can barely get beyond writing that he is 2. I don't think I will ever feel at ease with how fast they grow. I already miss my babies even though I am enjoying watching them grow and mature. Ezra keeps us all grounded in the here and now. He has everyone wrapped around their finger. With the exception of church where he can't stand to share a single thing with his brother, he is happy go lucky. He sleeps like a champ which is a major blessing because when he is awake he is full throttle! He climbs like a monkey and watches everything his brother does. He has become a picky eater and if it weren't for applesauce squeezies, I think he would starve. He loves being outside, loves going for bike rides and can't keep his shoes on to save his life. I have a tendency to say that if we had had these two boys first, we might not have six kids, they wear me out! We adore him to pieces and even though he is go, go, go he is always up for a snuggle in the chair before going to bed or sitting and looking at a book. We are grateful for our little caboose.
US (somewhere near the top of that "hill")
This is the best you get of us. We celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary this year. Yikes, how in the world?! This was the year that I reached knowing Clark longer than I haven't known him. I feel like we have lived a dozen different lifetimes with all of the experiences we have had. We have had good times and rough times, seen places, done things and grown a lot. We love this family of ours and look forward to the many, many things we still have ahead of us. We truly are grateful for the amazing people that we have in our life. We have been surrounded through the years with incredible friends and family that uplift us as a couple and as a family. We are grateful, every single day, for the life of our Savior and for the testimonies we have that He lives and that we can be with our family forever. We are so blessed with a perspective that affords us joy in the things we do and faith that fills in the gaps. We think of our loved ones, near and far, often, and wish we could send these well wishes in person to each and every one.
Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years to everyone!
Love,
The Scharmans
