Christmas Letter

For those of you who I don't have addresses: the Christmas letter follows along with the card we sent out. I hope you all have a blessed and Merry Christmas!

December 2010

Dear Friends, “His name is Immanuel which means God with us.” We had an emotional roller coaster this year, from the high of welcoming a precious child home to the low of Brian’s mother being diagnosed that her breast cancer metastasized into her bones, spine, lung and brain. But through it all we know that God is indeed with us and everything is for His glory. Sometimes it feels like we are just muddling through this life barely keeping afloat; keeping too busy with work, church activities and precious family time, that I sometimes think, “What is it all for?” I truly believe the answer to be, “To glorify God; whether it is through our darkest days of heart-wrenching pain or in the innocent joys of new life and discoveries.”

To keep it all balanced can only be achieved through intimate communion with our Father and Creator. This year I have struggled with being a working mother. My leave was so wonderful, spending everyday with my precious girls and watching Brileigh develop so much as an active toddler. I was already dreading going back to work when Mary Lee got her diagnosis and we had a day/weekend to find alternative childcare arrangements, and I had guilt about leaving my baby with a stranger. Miss Lora is so wonderful and truly God’s blessing for Carrie, who lights up when I drop her off every morning.

Carrie spends her days practicing all her newest tricks. She sat up for the first time over the Fourth when Grandma and Grandpa were here, started crawling in late September, is currently climbing everything in sight and will soon be taking her first steps. She makes her wishes known and definitely has an opinion on most things. It has been a blessing watching Brileigh mother her and learn how to share toys and Mom&Dad’s attention.

This spring, Brileigh was having health issues and it took numerous trips to the doctor to figure out it was allergies and to work out a treatment plan to control her symptoms. She has been enjoying her time at Y school and is learning so much with her numbers, letters and writing. I have enjoyed having company for the drive, a lunch date every Thursday in the staff cafeteria after her swimming lessons and being able to leave work early most Fridays to play on the Y grounds before we commute back down the mountain and home to Daddy and Carrie for pizza/movie night.

We’ve had our share of weekend camping trips, and family and friends visiting us this year. My whole family has visited us at some point—most of them coming out for Carrie’s baptism in early January and then single visits from Mitzi in February, Wade in May, Mom & Dad over the Fourth of July and Rachel in October. In March we were able to head to MT for Cousin Andrew’s wedding—which was the first car trip for Carrie. Betty and Jeff stopped by on their way to AZ for spring break and it was so nice to spend the evening with them. Loren tried to visit us while he was out in CO, but due to a sick child and emergency room waiting on their part, we never were able to connect. Memorial Day weekend the Leivestad’s hosted a friend’s reunion--40 friends (3 generations) from the Sidney area joined us in Colorado for a very short weekend of fun and fellowship. It was great to see old friends and rekindle those relationships.

We’ve also had a year filled with sadness at saying good-bye to family members. In February, Seth and Shelly moved from 4 houses away to Minnesota. It was sad to see them move so far away especially since Brileigh and Leif are such good friends and were enjoying living so close together, but we know it was the best thing for them and they love Fergus Falls. We were able to see their new house in June when we went for a quick weekend trip to see my aunt, which was my opportunity to see her one last time and say good-bye as she passed away less than 2 months later after a hard battle with breast cancer. As much as Aunt Cathy is missed, we know that her suffering is over and pray for continued peace through their mourning for her family left behind.

As I mentioned before, Brian’s mother is fighting her own battle with breast cancer. Three years ago, she started taking watercolor classes offered at the Breast Cancer Center and really started flourishing. So naturally her friend who owns a gallery in town offered to do a benefit for her medical costs. So in September, Mary Lee had her first art show. She displayed 20 originals and many other prints, cards and other crafts. It was so wonderful to see the display of love on her behalf as more than 150 people attended and all her originals sold. This year has been a celebration of her life as we celebrated her 60th birthday at the end of June, with friends and family. It was fun that her nephew was able to come and surprise her.

Brian is keeping very busy with his work at Woodward Governor working six days a week since July. I am still at the YMCA of the Rockies, in the capacity of Payroll/Membership Coordinator. We both keep busy helping out at church on Sunday and try to spend what other limited time we have in good quality time together as a family.

Home and family is where the heart is and we are blessed to be surrounded by Brian’s family. Even Seth and Shelly were able to make it home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We look forward to extended family time together at Christmas as we get to meet up with my family in Hawaii (where Wade is stationed) and spend a week together.

I hope that God has been with you this year through all of your difficult pains and glorious pleasures. Christmas is the time to reflect just how great God’s love is for us—He sent His son as a helpless babe to save us from our sins. Life on this earth can be difficult because Satan is busy fighting, but we already know that God has prevailed through His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Remember to count your blessings one by one, because only then you will you realize truly how much you’ve been given. As you go into this next year, may God’s peace and blessings go with you.

God bless, Jennifer, Brian, Brileigh and Carrie

Birthday girl!

Friday night was C's first birthday. The clean before picture....The after supper photo.

I got almost as messy as C. C's first taste of cake. Notice she got the C for Carrie.After a quick clean-up, C was ready to open her presents (with a little help from me of course)!A car that plays music was a big hit. M has to keep reminding me that it is C's present :)Happy Birthday was sung so much to C that she started singing along. If you listen closely you can hear her adding, "To you" right on time.

Happy Birthday sister. Thanks for one great year!

Y Christmas

Last week, M and I celebrated Christmas at the Y. Monday night was the staff Christmas party and Santa came to visit all the kids. This time around I decided it was probably safe to sit on his lap. Then Wednesday night the Preschool had our Christmas play. First Miss L. read the Christmas story to us, then we sang 3 songs for all the parents--Frosty, Rudolph and Jingle Bells. I learned all my songs really well and have still been singing them at home, at church and everyone in between!!

Christmas Donkey

Yesterday at daycare a donkey came to visit C. Quite the Christmas picture!!

Santa

Monday evening I wrote my letter to Santa so that he would have time to write to me before I saw him Friday. I was excited all week to go to D's work so that I could see Santa. I was even good at school on Friday and listened to my teachers. When we got to D's work, we went on the sleigh ride around the lot looking at all the pretty Christmas lights. C was very enthralled and kept pointing at all the trees we passed.

We then stopped to watch the elves making all the toys.

Finally it was time to see Santa. After all that waiting, I got a little shy. I didn't want to sit on his lap or anything. So M&D let C go first. I don't think she quite knew what to think of him.

M&D finally convinced me to at least stand for a picture.

Santa tried to read the letter he wrote me but because I wouldn't sit on his lap, I didn't really hear him. But he gave it to me to take home.

Advent Party

Two weeks ago, we went to an Advent party at Pastor and I's house. We had lots of wonderful food, good music and fun fellowship.

Writing and dancing

I've been spending all my time practicing my writing. Even when I am coloring other things, my name ends up on the paper.C has even been practicing with her coloring. Most of the time the pencil tries to get into the mouth, but this particular evening the pencil actually got to the paper.

C's been doing a lot of dancing lately, but every time the camera comes out she starts reaching for it and forgets dancing. But tonight while over at Uncle L's house, we started playing Guitar Hero and C got all excited. I guess she's a rock fan!!

I

Beginning to look a lot like Chrismas.....

The first week of November was 77 degrees so M decided it would be a wonderful weekend to have us girls play outside and she would work on the Christmas lights. The Mama deer hasn't been working for a few years on one side and last year the baby deer's lights started blinking out, so M knew that she would have to spend some time figuring them out. So C and I headed outside with M and played in the warmth of the sun for a few hours. On Saturday, M and I went shopping for my new little friend. I don't know her name or where she lives, but M told me she has never had a real Christmas before. So I packed a box all by myself for her. I was very excited to buy her all sorts of nice things that I like to play with, like crayons and paper, toothbrush and dress. M helped with the wrapping, but I got it all into the box by myself (M just helped with the organization so the lid actually fit on).

Once it was all packed a neighbor girl came and picked it up for her school to deliver to the Operation Christmas Child distribution warehouse. I had lots of fun and M has decided that we need to make this an annual tradition and grow with my little friend each year I get older.

Family Time

The whole family was together today and so we took the opportunity to take lots of pictures. Hope you liked the highlights!

Eleven Months

Now that C is eleven months old, she finds her way to strange places. One of her favorite places these days is the poof chair in the family room. She can climb up into it and will lay or sit and play with her toys.I guess she feels a little higher up and able to look out over the family room.

What a cutie....with her 2 teeth showing through!

Dentist

Yesterday was my very first dentist appointment. I was very brave and very well behaved. I let the dentist count all my teeth.I even got to wear cool sunglasses while she cleaned my teeth. M was so proud of me and now I have very clean teeth!

Animals, animals, animals.....

Recently M and I went to a store that I had been eyeing for a few days (every since M switched my car seat and moved me to the other side of the car!!)Ironically we first went Halloween weekend, so I was all dressed up like a cow.

I fit in pretty well with the stuffed animals exhibit.

I call it Noah's Ark and it is entirely filled with stuffed bears and other animals. It was very fun and we've decided now that winter is upon us that this will be our Friday afternoon adventure.
In other animal news, we all went to the Denver Zoo last Saturday. M didn't get any pictures, but we had fun for the short time we were there. There were lots of baby animals--four tigers, 3 giraffes and other animals. Then the clouds moved in and it got too cold so we left after only 2 hours.

Summer sliding

M found some pictures that she took on her camera this summer. This was one of C's first time on the slide. Sorry it's not very clear, but M thought it was pretty cute.

Brave little soul....

Halloween

Just a few cute pictures of my little Halloween girls.

I was 4 different things for Halloween. Hey in my world it was a 3 day holiday. Friday at school we trick-or-treated all over the Y grounds, so I was a cow and stayed very warm in the coat.
Saturday early afternoon we went to the Fall Fest in Loveland. I dressed up as Tinkle Bell, but M forgot to get a picture of that one.
Then Saturday evening we went to Uncle L and Aunt J for the Halloween party. C's babysitter had given M some homemade costumes that her children had grown out of. So Saturday I was the blue crayon

and Sunday I was the orange crayon when trick-or-treating.

Stair climbing

Last week when M ran upstairs quickly to grab one thing, C followed her to the stairs. Previously, she would just stand at the bottom step and pound her hand on it. But not this night....by the time D got to her she was already on the 2nd step. So M grabbed her camera and we all watched her go.It took about 5 minutes, but she made it all the way to the top!

In other C news, she got her first tooth 2 weeks ago and is now working on her 2nd tooth, also on the bottom.

The biggest news for me is that I have learned to write my name. So anytime I have a chance, the crayons and paper come out so that I can practice. According to M, I'm getting pretty good at it. What do you think? I'm still practicing because I know I don't have all my letters correct, but hey it's only been one month since I first learned!