Merry Christmas to you! It's been awhile since I've written a family Christmas letter. Years, in fact. But I wanted a link that I could send to our friends and family with the yearly updates. I imagine most of you keep up with us on Facebook or Instagram, but this, here, is official Christmas business, lol!
Here is the short version: we love our new home. The kids have acclimated well academically, musically and sports wise. We currently have a couple foster kids that have been with us for 5 months. Ed LOVES his job, and I'm enjoying the newness of everything and figuring out life with 6 kids. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Now, the long version:
As I recap the year of events, it's been a really great year. A much better year then the last one. Last year we moved twice, after having just moved the year before that, and just a year and a half before that! Too many moves, for sure. But last year we moved into our new home Dec. 28, so it's been almost a full year now! And we love it. We love our new home. It's comfortable for us. We still have a little pond in the back, so that's nice too. Plus, we are only minutes from Truman Lake, which is WONDERFUL! And an hour from Kansas City, which is also wonderful, to be closer to a big city and all of it's opportunities. We often miss Jefferson City, all of our friends, and the many homeschool opportunities in the area. It was hard to move after more then a decade of fun, but it was time. We also miss our great friends in St. Robert, although many of them have moved on now too! Military towns are like that.
This year has been a lot of putting the house together, type year. When we moved in, Ed spent a few weeks fixing the hot tub. Of course, you expect things to work when you purchase a home, but sellers often hide things, and then you get to put in your time and money to make it yours. The seller left no appliances, except a refrigerator. We purchased a new refrigerator and stove for Christmas. The hot tub has it's own room, a sun room, hot tub room, whatever you want to call it. It's truly a wonderful room, especially in the winter. It has so many windows, and it's own furnace, we put in a small tv and stereo. It's a place of respite, for sure. Ed got to put his plumber's skills to the test. He has replaced 3 toilets so far, only 1 more to go, put in a dishwasher, and fixed a water heater. We now have 2 water heaters, which is so wonderful. We were always running out of hot water. As a family project, in May, we restained the deck. It took a couple of days, but with everyone helping, it was manageable. I was so grateful my kids helped. I had just restained a deck the year before...or maybe it was the year before that, but it was recent, and I wasn't thrilled to do it again. We really have, like, 2 decks that span the back of the house, so it was a big project. Anyway, we got a new roof, thanks to our awesome realtor, who noticed the other neighborhood houses were getting new roofs, and that claim was put on the seller's insurance, so yay! New roof! And there is a heat vent that goes into the garage. It's the little things, really. The girls are in 2 bedrooms upstairs, in what I call the Loft. The boys are downstairs. It isn't a walk out basement, but it does have stairs that go out to the garage, so that's nice. Here is a pic of the back of the house. But enough about the house.
Ed really does love working at the hospital here, and with all the people. And they like him. So, it's a good relationship. This move was a lot for him, and he really has acquired some great friends, which is great for his morale. I really wanted him to enjoy where he works. He always amazes me. He is a great man. He is well respected almost everywhere he goes, and liked when people get to know him and his dry sense of humor. He is currently serving as the Stake Sunday School President, so he is over the teaching for our church in about an hour radius around Warrensburg, MO. And he makes dinner...a lot. I'm grateful for it. He is a bit of a food snob, lol, so even if one of us makes something, it has to have dad approval. Haha!
I have had an up and down year, but mostly a learning year. I've only read 35 of my 60 book goal, so next year's goal is only 50. I'm on Goodreads, if you want to friend me there. The first year in a new place is when I try to figure out what opportunities are available for my kids, and what fun field trips we can go on. But I just did that last year, and now I've done it again, and it can be exhausting. I am glad to be part of the Classical Conversations group in south Warrensburg. CC is a great program, and is structured the same around the country, so the familiarity was welcoming. And this CC group does more then classes together, which is awesome. It has become our homeschool group for field trips and teen club. We have a workout room downstairs, so that's cool. I used it so much the first half of the year, but summer came, and uh, well, yeah. So, New Years Resolutions are coming. I'm constantly trying to figure out what are the BEST things we should be doing, out of the good, better or best areas. I can get pretty scattered with 4 people trying to talk to me at the same time. I'm currently serving in the Primary Presidency Childrens' program at church. Here are some "Dress Your Truth" photos.
Rebecca went to Waynesville High School last year, so she transferred to Clinton after Christmas. It was a hard semester for her. She missed her friends, but her boyfriend, Daniel, has come often to visit her, and of course calls her every night. He will be heading out to Ogden, UT for his mission in Jan. She will miss him dreadfully. She decided to go back to high school in the fall, and joined marching band, in large part because Jonathan was there also. She has made some new friends this semester, so I'm glad for her. They will be going to the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, and will perform Dec. 29 during the half time show. So, that is exciting. She also got accepted to Missouri State University in Springfield, MO, so she is gradually getting ready to depart. It is heartbreaking to think about it, but we know it'll be good for her too. I am so glad it's close, and not states away. She is a delight to be around and brings with her a calming influence.
Jonathan has had a busy, fun year. He played baseball in the spring, swim team in the summer, football in the fall, and is now getting ready for baseball. He LOVES music so much. He wants to learn how to play every band instrument. He plays bass drum, alto and tenor sax, piano, organ, and is learning clarinet. He is a fun and funny person. He always is making a joke, and plays on words. It's constant, really. Never a serious or dull moment when he is around. And I mean, constant...every sentence.
Savannah told me she has decided her sports: swim team, softball and volleyball. She plays softball locally and volleyball through a private Christian school, and of course swim team. She is in Challenge A with Classical Conversations. Her studies include the regular reading, writing, 'rithmatic, latin, geography, science and rhetoric. She has a great group of friends at CC, and a great group of young women at church. She is an avid artist. She is constantly cooking, making something with clay, painting or creating something. She recently started voice lessons and was cast as Gertie in for the musical, Oklahoma. So now she is working on an annoying laugh. The kids got to do the free Young Eagle Flight program and go up on some free airplane flights. Below there is a picture of her in the cockpit. Good times.
Bella is a girl in charge of her life. She makes things happen, and doesn't let others get her down. She is really excelling academically and has a goal to be a memory master at CC. For her, CC is 24 weeks long. Each week they learn a sentence in history, math, science, latin, english, geography and timeline. Memory master is knowing 100% of the full 24 weeks and all the sentences. She also played softball, volleyball, swim team, and is getting ready to start basketball. I found a fine arts program in Peculiar, MO. Savannah and Bella just performed in The Sound of Music, and are getting ready for their next productions of Aristocats for Bella and Oklahoma for Savannah. They take their dance, voice, piano, tumbling lessons there also. I love it. They love it. Bella is a delight for me to be around.
This past May marked 6 years that we have been foster parents. We've had 14 kids come through our home, and in July we received 2 more. Our foster son is 12 and daughter is 8. They sorta fit right in. Not to say it's been easy, because it's definitely had its challenges, but it seems to be going well, and much better then any previous placement. Who knows what the future holds. Things are always changing.
This past summer we took a trip to Washington DC. Afterwards, we spent many days at the lake. It's wonderful living close to a big lake. We were able to get a boat lift and a spot at the marina, so we don't have to trailer the boat every time we go to the lake. That was a game changer. And we are still close to Branson and Silver Dollar City, our second home, so that's nice. Our church family is also amazing. So many wonderful people.
All in all, it has been a great year. Productive, and adventurous. We wish all of you well, and hope you have a wonderful holiday season. Please drop us a line or message, and carry the spirit of Christmas in your hearts all year long.
Love, Ed, Jennifer, Rebecca, Jonathan, Savannah, Bella and Kids
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