Playing her new piano

Christmas Letter 2010

Merry Christmas 2010,

My God’s love and gift of salvation bless you in the coming year.

It has been a long year for us.  So much has happened, and yet, it hasn’t been an overly bad year – just hard.

Christmas last year was very hazy, following the accident that Joel, LaRue, and I were in with my best friend (20 weeks along), and 2 of her children.  The New Year rolled around with several check-ups and tests for LaRue, and trips to Dallas – the meds were keeping her seizure free and she was growing normally.   We are optimistic, but still unsure how all the CAT scans and X-rays that she had will affect her as she grows up.  Keep her in your prayers – at present she is a very active and inquisitive 1 year old, who never lets grass grow under her feet, and strives hard to keep up with the older children.  We also weathered a very bad round of “The Crud” that hung on for most of January and well into February.  Kendra turned 15.  I don’t remember much of the first 6 months of last year.

In February, Tim left Insurance when he didn’t reach the minimums for sales, after putting a quick 15000 miles on the car to visit people who didn’t want to see him and the offices in Tyler plus the tests and equipment required. Then there was all the driving to take care of LaRue, which cut into his time to make sales.  Basketball officiating was making more money than the Insurance.   

Then in March, my best friend had her baby– the one in the car accident with us, driving – and he was rushed to the NICU unable to get enough oxygen,  and possible Downs Syndrome.  He was in the NICU for several days, but was home much sooner than the doctor’s expected – and the DS was confirmed.  We took her Bethie home with us while Karen recovered and adjusted to the bit of extra care that a DS baby needs.   Tim and Vannan enjoyed taking Bethie for her therapy horse lessons.   Bethie usually went home for the weekends.

Somewhere in there, Vannan took it upon herself to sew Easter dresses for our family and a few others.  Between a friend at the church and my aunt, Vannan was able to do much of the work.  Everyone came to our (my Dad’s) house for Easter.

In late April, Karen was concerned about a swelling in her abdomen, which was uncomfortable, the midwife sent her in for more tests ... and after much pain and several ER trips in May (so she was unable to help with the boys joint birthday party when they turned 5.  Kendra made their cakes.), but we also had Katie and Matthew come stay at our house, and by the middle of May, 2 year old Esther joined us.  Life fell into a rhythm and the children all worked well together those long 5 or so weeks of having 9 children living in our house.   

The summer flew by.  We had record-breaking highs throughout the entire summer.  I know Vannan turned 13, and the  three older children took turns visiting our Aunt and Uncle in Dallas, being treated to a bit of vacation time.  Joel went first for his 5^th birthday – spending a week going to museums and the zoo and sewing and crafting.  Vannan went for 2 weeks in July at her birthday – another zoo and museum trip, and lots of sewing and shopping.  Kendra went last, but because of school starting (for my Aunt) only got in one week.  In  August, I tried to madly clean house and organize, but even higher temps stalled progress daily, and we got far less completed than we had planned.  Also my sister, Ruth, had her 3^rd girl.

We threw ourselves into our new school routine, Ruth and Karen come up twice a week to work on kindergarten together with Rhoda and me – only to be short circuited by rounds of strep throat which is still working it’s way through various family members – thankfully, the immediate family all seem well for the last 2 months, other than my Dad, who finally went down after Thanksgiving and is now mostly recovered.

Tim trained to ref volleyball, and now it is basketball season.  So he’s had steady work since September, including being an election judge in three elections this year.  Actually, because he didn’t have a regular job to work around, he has been able to ref nearly every day, leaving the house often by noon and not home until 9 or 10 at night.  I think baseball and softball season comes next, he hasn’t decided if he wants to do it, but he would have to train and get set up with uniforms for that.  It’s not something we’ll get rich off of, but for sure, it is keeping food on the table, and the electricity turned on, and gas in the van.  In Texas, travel fees are part of the pay for officiating.

Joel has learned to read, and is quite excited to be reading on his own and able to understand a story.  He’s very active and loves computers, yellow and camouflage, bulldozers, CARS, Wall-E, and being the “middle man”.

LaRue turned 1 on Oct. 14, and two weeks later, she began walking.  Now she practically runs everywhere she goes.  She’s been climbing for a long time, almost before she was crawling.  We joke that she is 1 going on 5. 

Vannan is raising rabbits and has learned to sew, and a friend is giving her violin lessons – which she loves.   She has done a pretty good job of helping take care of Papa's house this year, but will be switching with Kendra over the next few weeks, so Kendra can take a turn.   She also has been raising rabbits - and currently, there are 25 at the barn.

Kendra still knits, but has added crochet to her skills.  She’s the best cook in the family, and very much enjoys decorating cakes.  She is also writing books, and completed the NaNoWriMo young writer’s challenge this fall.   It is her understanding that she will receive a paperback proof copy of her final draft as a prize.  She is very excited.  She will be 16 in 7 weeks.

We still have my niece, Marriana.  She turned 4 in August.  She lives at my Dad's house, but we get her up, feed her, and put her to bed - except for Sunday's, when she hangs out with Daddy all day.  Her favorite things include .. PINK, grey cats, flowers, butterflies, hands on activities and giggles.

Please keep our family in your prayers.  We would love to hear from family and friends.

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As of Friday, Tim has "a job" again.  He starts work on Monday.   He will be arranging the sell of insurance benefit packages for companies.   The job is about 45 minutes or more away, but I do not know if this is a calls only job or travel and present job, or both (like last year).  He gets paid via commission on sales.  He'll find out more details on Monday.  Contact Tim for updates or details.

Kendra project in process

Best friends

Stockings out

She loves our wow

Visiting mamaw

Its a wow!

My hand is stuck

Nov 1 - 12 Months with Jess

They are old friends now,
after taking their pictures together 12 times.

We forgot to take pictures last month,
but maybe we will remember the 14 months tomorrow?



When LaRue met Jess

http://weshallmountupwithwings.blogspot.com/2009/11/larue-meets-jess-2-weeks-old.html

Oct 26 and 27 - Happy LaRue

What makes LaRue happy?



Pens and paper

(she has no clue that she is holding a Tide spot treater pen)

She is happily exploring all the neat things Tim keeps in his reffing bag.

See! Paper!

And the froggie outfit was given to Vannan as a baby
It's one of the few that my sisters have asked to borrow!

Isn't she so cute!

Love that froggie!

Snuggling with Daddy

She really is a Daddy's girl.

And a snuggly doll.

Joel's MP bear.

August 22 - Ruth's Girls

Newborn Jade

Shianne and Jade

Miya

In Daddy's hands

Oct 13 - naps on a picnic table

Sound asleep
or so they said

The flash woke me up!

Back asleep
(yeah, he's pretending)

and so is this one.

October - Fun Times

Puzzles

Actually, they are working the same puzzle.
Eventually, Joel convinced Marriana that he neede those pieces too.

More puzzles

Throwing balls

Taking naps

Pretending to take naps

Oct 7 = Playing Outside

Swinging in the makeshift hammock.

It use to be the netting on the trampoline.

Running in the yard.

Sticker nose?

Kissing cats.

Kids Playing Oct 6

Anthony gave LaRue a stick.

I'm not sure why,
but she was either fishing,
or training to fight.

Joel had a 102 fever,
so we told him to take off his shirt
and lay in the sun.
He ended up sleeping there for about 30 minutes.

Good Vit. D.
and it was a really nice day.
Fresh air and all that.

You can see Grub 1 trying to teach
her something.

He runs around with his sticks
all the time.
Who needs toys?

Not this boy.

He's got Imagination!
And if you have that
there is no place you can't go
and nothing you can't do.

Many Hands Make Light Work

After a party
there comes the clean up.

And I was very greatful to Tyler
and a few others who helped me put
things together for the party.

But look at all the wonderful help we had
cleaning up.

They were a bit disappointed that we were done.

And the whole clean up took
around an hour.

I think it was a great party.

LaRue Birthday Presents

Joel gave her his ball and telephone
and with his Christmas money
he bought her a bath toy.

Esther gave her the doll that Joel gave to Esther
when Esther turned 1.

Grandma and Grandpa gave her a pretty dress.
The phone was more interesting.

They also gave her a car seat -
which is also part of her Christmas.

I'm sure she'll be happy with paper and bows.

Aunt Cindy and uncle Tommy
gave her an electric toy turtle.

One of her favorite gifts.

You should have seen her reaction when all the little
kids reached over to play with it.

Major objections!


She was also given some money,
which we put into diapers.

And a toy train.

And a police car from Matthew.

And an outfit from Mamaw and Papaw,
but we had to exchange it for the next size up.
And ended up with a different outfit,
as we didn't find that one.
It was really cute - just too small.

LaRue is wearing 18 month clothes,
and I expect to have to start pulling 24 month sizes
by February.

She also just moved into size 5 shoes.
What a shock, as she was size 3 all summer.

But they were sandles and she was barefoot most of the time.