December 25th, 2020
Dear Family and Friends,
Hello and Merry Christmas! This year has been a wild ride, but we are ending it with grateful hearts for all our blessings. God never promised that life would be easy but He did give us hope and peace as we walk through years like this one has been.
The kids are doing well and are growing up so very fast! Jonah is enjoying school and continuing work at Brain Balance. He is in 4th/5th grade and enjoys science, reading, and getting new books from the library. His favorite thing to do is get together with his best friend, Jacob, and loves Pokemon, Jurassic World, and catching frogs and lizards.
Haven is enjoying reading the American Girl series of books, her favorite being Addy. She misses gymnastics ever since the gym closed for Covid but enjoys playing outside and caring for her butterflies and caterpillars. She is doing great work in the 2nd grade and loves science and handwriting the most. Her sweet spirit is a blessing to everyone she meets and she enjoys helping others, especially baby brother!
Laelynn is a ball of snuggly energy who loves to spend time reading stories with Mommy or Daddy more than anything else. She is blossoming in school and loves math and coloring the most. Her favorite things are penguins, unicorns, and cuddling while watching movies. You will most often find her chasing after her siblings outside at full speed on her favorite yellow scooter.
Ezekiel, also known as Zekie-boy, is almost 2 years old! He was such an unexpected surprise blessing to our family and we can’t imagine life without his fantastic smile. He is obsessed with trains (ChooChoos), and loves to be held. He has always been a mommy’s boy, but since Michael has been working from home this year, he has developed a strong bond with DaDa too, which has been so precious to watch! He is working hard and making progress with his speech therapist and is getting ready to begin OT to help with some sensory challenges.
Michael and I are doing well and unspeakably grateful for God’s protection and provision this year. At a time where many families are struggling to put food on the table or find work, we are counting our blessings twice! Michael’s job has shifted to working from home full time and, while that has presented its own set of challenges, it’s also been so great to have Daddy at home.
I have to also take a minute to thank Michael for being the most supportive and hard working husband over the past couple months. I was sick with Covid in September, leaving him to do all the parental and provider work while I was quarantined for ten days. Then at the beginning of November, I got Covid for a second time and was hospitalized with severe covid-pnumonia for 4 days, once again leaving him to juggle 4 kids, a job, and a sick wife. He has been the rock our kids have leaned on and the muscles that I lack for 4 weeks and counting. I am such a lucky girl to have him!
I also want to thank all of you who have prayed for us and sent meals or gift cards over the last month. It’s been an extremely difficult few weeks but we are thankful for the love of family and friends who have shown so much love and concern. I am doing better now but still have lingering issues and am working hard to get back to normal.
2020 was a wild ride, and we are happily looking forward to 2021 and praying that it brings a slow return to “normal”…whatever that is!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
Love,
Michael, Holly, and kiddos
