Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Dear Family and Friends,

I truly can not believe that another whole year has come and gone.  Our family has been blessed, busy and bent in many new directions this year.  I decided to recap our year in words rather than pictures since most of them are already on this blog.
 January brought and blessed our family another teenager in the house...Blake turned 13!  February  kept us busy as soccer, theater and lacrosse all got underway for the spring seasons.  March was filled with blessings, busyness and opportunities to be bent...birthdays for three kids, activities for everyone and Spring Break spent with cousins on the beach!  April was fairly quiet which was a nice change of pace for us and allowed for some quality family time...Bill and I had the pleasure of going to Houston to see the Cubs beat the Astros for my birthday which was super fun.  May was filled with performances for the dancers in our house...lots of character building and opportunities to be shaped by the Lord seemed to be the theme of this month...It also included Prom for a very good looking couple. June was a welcome break from school routines but the beginning of lots of training for the athletes in our family... which of course translates into Mom's taxi service! July brought with it a visit from my parents, camp for a few of the kids, a birthday for our baby and the celebration of 22 years of marriage for Bill and I! August ushered in the hottest weather of our lives since we have been here and the preparations for another school year including our last little chick starting school. It also was the month that the newest season of my life began...back to work after 19 years as a stay at home wife/mom. I am still amazed at how God worked in my life to allow me to get back into the classroom. What started as subbing part time turned into a full time 5th grade teaching position by the middle of September~ As we have been adjusting to life with me out of the house I have to brag on my family and say they have been wonderful cheerleaders and very helpful around the house. October finally cooled off just as the reality of working heated up. Long hours, meetings, kids activities and homework...need I say more?  November included out of town lacrosse tournaments and a much needed Thanksgiving break. December was a blur...I am still not sure how we survived but I do know that God has been in control and has provided in ways that are amazing.

  All in all 2011 was the fastest year yet and one that we will not soon not forget. I look forward to the coming year and all the twists and turns that are ahead but for now I am grateful that I have the family I do, that God has shown me/us unconditional love and that without the birth of our Savior...well, life would just be hard!

As a family we hope that each of you has been able to spend precious time with loved ones, finds things to be thankful for even in the midst of the chaos and knows without a shadow of a doubt that God loves you.

Merry Christmas Friends!