HELLO to family and friends near and far. I hope you have had an amazing 2019 but not so amazing that greater things aren't in store for you in 2020. Time is a funny thing, it just keeps going and seems to be picking up speed, the older my kids get.
Get ready, there's lots of bragging and beautiful kids coming.
Without further adieu, I give you the 2019 Scharman recap.
HALEY (18)
I'm not sure I can convey the little pang I felt when I wrote 18. I mean, this is what its all about, right? Bring children into the world, create a family, hopefully teach them to be a good and happy human being and then send them off to contribute to the world? Haley has been waiting for this year her whole life. She graduated from high school this summer and is just about to complete her first semester at Utah Valley University. It's like watching your child learn to ride a bike - perhaps a little wobbly at first with the occasional crash into the curb but then she was off and going at full speed at this new life. She absolutely loves Utah, the mountains and her independence. We miss her a lot but also recognize that this is good and right and all is well. I look forward to seeing her in a few days and having her curl up in our lap like she's three.
ABBY (16)
Does anyone else get choked up writing their Christmas letter or is it just me? I suppose I am too caught up in the flow of life from day to day to stop and think long enough about my babies being so grown that when I stop to describe them I am just overcome. Someone recently told me that once the first one leaves, time speeds up even more and it's true! Abby is a junior in high school and got her license this year and seamlessly slipped into being my right hand chauffeur. She is gentle and affectionate and often just needs a hug to move on to her next task. Abby is the type that you just want to be around. She is sweet and playful, smart and kind and I'm pretty sure its required that I mention her dimple in every single Christmas letter. She is a good student and a compassionate friend. She still draws on EVERYTHING and sings when she thinks no one is listening. She is a deep thinker and feeler and has done marvelous in her new reign as oldest child.
MIA (14)
Mia, Mimi, Mims. Mia is a freshman this year. She made the high school field hockey team and did amazing during her season. Clark and I loved sitting on the side lines and cheering with one hand while googling field hockey calls with the other. Mia makes up for the loss of one of our piano players by sitting and playing daily, a sound I love to hear. She is a great student, I'm so grateful that our children take after Clark academically, they amaze me - I wonder if they ever tire of me telling them to ask their Dad for help with homework. He helps with the math, I'm your gal when it comes to bossing people around and doing laundry. We have been impressed with how self driven Mia is to figure something out and pursue new things. While she is often absent from family games and noise, I know just where to find her, in her room with a book. She is famous for demanding physical affection from her parents at inconvenient times but my favorite is the game where I hug her and wait for her to let go first...this sometimes lasts for a good two minutes.
HAZEL (11)
This paragraph is sure to make me cry too because this year Hazel started middle school. I just want it stated for the record that I never wanted her to grow up and do big kid things like middle school. That would never work because Hazel is hard to keep down. You would never know that she was painfully shy a few years ago. She often makes up to her mind to do something and we don't even know about it until she is receiving an award for whatever it is she has decided to do. It's hard to be at the tail end of four girls but she is a tough little thing and I have no doubt she will continue to impress and surprise us. Hazel is always asking to make something, crafts, food, anything from Pinterest (including messes!) She just started horseback riding lessons again and I feel like I can breathe a sigh of relief. On a horse is where she belongs-she is a natural. I am truly grateful that middle school, while challenging, she is up to the task. I like that Hazel seems to have missed the accelerated growth gene that her sisters have because it means that she still fits perfectly under our arm. I had not even returned from taking Haley out to school in August before the girls all had rooms and furniture rearranged. And while they miss Haley a great deal, I'm pretty sure they don't mind at all having their own rooms for the first time.
JONAH (7)
I see his little face and I just want to kiss it. Jonah is a sweet boy. That truly is the best way to describe him. He is rambunctious and wild, creative and smart. Jonah is in second grade-he still does speech once a week and while I hope he masters some of his goals, my momma heart wishes I could have access to that little voice forever. He hates clothes and flushing the toilet. He loves playing the computer but can also get lost in legos for hours at a time. We have had fun making stop animation movies this year, he loves to draw and is getting good enough at reading that he actually enjoys it. He's a great big brother except when he isn't. Still the head trouble maker, Ezra follows him around and copies everything he does. But Jonah will be the first to tell me he loves me and asks for snuggles daily. He fully expects that I will snuggle him at will, his entire life, and I just might.
EZRA (4)
This little boy is everything like his brother and nothing like him. He is snuggly and sweet, mischievous and good. While I'm sure it's not his favorite thing, he is remarkably pleasant to run errands with still. He has started speech as well with the same teacher as Jonah. I opted to keep him home from preschool another year knowing that he has plenty of time for that later (he doesn't start kindergarten for another 2 years!) and he's my baby, so I'm in no hurry to have the house that quiet just yet. He makes the funniest faces and if you are lucky enough to understand him, says the funniest things. He absolutely loves his brother and literally follows him from room to room when he is home. He also hates to flush the toilet, loves to take all the cushions off the couch and could live on nothing but bagels and cream cheese for the rest of his life. He is also a snuggler which I don't mind one bit. His big blue eyes have us all gaga over him most days.
ROCKET (5)
This is the dog. Mostly he stands a few feet away from me and stares at me all day like he is expecting something. He's a good dog, a little stinky sometimes and barks when people come to the door like he wants to tear them apart; really I think he is just excited that someone might be coming to play with him. Since he was born before Ezra, he fully thinks that he outranks him and will still insert himself into every family situation like he's one of the humans. But he is sweet and so snuggly, he must be a Scharman.
CLARK & EMILY (40 somethings)
This is the part of the letter that I struggle with the most...what exactly do Clark and I do? We wake up early, we take care of kids. Clark works hard to bring home the bacon. I sometimes work hard to keep our house together. I think we are funny and we have fun. Clark still loves fishing and has found a new hobby shooting. Don't ask how many guns he owns because I would rather not know. I started making wooden signs this year and am grateful to have found a hobby that after 9 months I still love to do and I haven't cut off any fingers, yet.
The pace of life is exhilarating and overwhelming, often in the same day. We simply could not do it all without a knowledge and testimony of a loving Savior. The peace and perspective of the gospel help us find gratitude in every day of our lives. We are grateful, daily, for the friends and family that have made our lives beautiful and have had an impact on our family.
We hope that 2020 is a year full of amazing experiences, peace, gratitude and joy.
Love,
The SCHARMANS
