Every good and perfect gift is from above...

2015 is ending, and Ca's first Christmas is on its way. It's not her first Christmas on earth, but certainly her first Christmas celebrated. And I (E) feel as though advent has slipped away this year. But since the kids were so diligent at sending the cards to so many of you, I thought I should take a moment and just count the gifts we've seen God provide.

I'm thankful...

·       that all 4 of our kids are still entertained by a large cardboard box. Once the shipped gift was removed, they spent the afternoon climbing inside, popping out, coloring the box, pretending to sleep in it, and generally having a good time with it. We thank God for the gift of fun, and for how he is lightening our hearts more frequently.

·       that Co's transition back to public school for 4th grade has had so many positive parts. A sensitive classroom teacher, enthusiastic orchestra and chorus teachers and a nurturing math teacher have all played parts in her experience. We thank God for great teachers.

·       that I's transition to middle school has been nearly stress-free. He has a close-knit group of buddies from elementary school, and is getting to know other 6th graders. He breezes through his classes, loves the extracurricular opportunities, and gets almost all his homework done during study hall. We thank God for His care for I in the midst of very big transitions.

·       that Ca's English is exploding, and her taste buds are adapting to our family's preferences. She now eats vegetables (while proclaiming how big and strong she's getting) and we rarely have to make her a separate ramen noodle soup. That we can see places where she feels loved and beautiful, and where she expects us to take care of her and shower her with loving attention. We thank God for the ways we see our littlest one learning how to be a daughter and a sister.

·       that S works very hard to love his little sister well. In the midst of significant struggles to "share" his parents and become more independent, we have seen him demonstrate some really amazing emotional growth. He has become more self-aware, and has capacity for amazingly selfless and difficult choices. We thank God that Ca is exactly the little sister that He intended for S at exactly this stage in his development.

·       that I (E) am making progress towards using my "free day" time well. I've felt like I've been floundering since October when Ca started school, but am beginning to get a sense of how the time (from 9-3, when the kids are at school) can help me be faithful in my responsibilities and relationships. I feel like I'm growing and am tremendously thankful for God's faithfulness to me personally.

·       That B has steady work to support our family. Work that he's really good at, and that's making an important contribution to the company. That God continues to bless our marriage despite the struggles and exhaustion of parenting. I am blessed to be his wife, and thankful for the love we share.

We wish you all a blessed 2016!