Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas 2009!! Can you believe that it is already Christmastime again? This year, at least for our family, when way to quickly! Here's our top 9 of 2009...
1. This list must start with Josh! Josh! Josh! We welcomed Joshua Michael into our family on August 28, 2009. Delivery went well and Mindy was so happy to not be pregnant anymore that staying up nights didn't even bother her (at least for a little while...). He weighed in at 9 lbs, and was a long 23 ¾ inches. We've loved watching him grow up the last few months—adding baby smiles, coos, giggles, and cries to our daily life once again.
2. Katelyn turns 2! We are continually amazed at our Miss Katelyn. In the last year she has added immense vocabulary (although sometimes Mom still has to interpret!), she's running, jumping, singing, doing stairs with proficiency, and usually understands that she needs to 'be soft' with Baby Josh. However, the 2 year old birthday also brought the dreaded terrible twos, and Mindy is exhausted! We're working on patience, sharing, responsibility, and controlling her emotions. Whew!
3. A job loss. Mike lost his job with Schumberger on April 23rd. What a day to remember...”Honey, I lost my job. We lost insurance. I'm coming home now.” After the initial shock, we rallied together and turned to Heavenly Father. How grateful we are that we have always been faithful tithing payers as there were many small, and big, miracles that helped us to weather this trial with ease, grace, and comfort. Heavenly Father prepped us for this job loss and we were able to grow our faith and gratitude.
4. Move Number 1. Six short weeks after losing our job, we rented our home and made the move to Utah—with very little money to our name and faith filling up all our pockets. We moved in with Mindy's parents in Layton, and what a way to catch up after living away for 3 years! Grandma and Grandpa loved the grandkids, and Mindy loved the help. We will be eternally grateful for their compassion and support when they opened their home to us in our time of need.
5. A New Job!! Mike got hired at L-3 Communications in Salt Lake. They work on government contracts and are busy, busy, busy! In fact, if you're a mechanical engineer, they need you! :) He really likes what he does, and even more, he loves his boss (something that was definitely missing in Houston), and finds great fulfillment in his relationships there. The commute is a bit longer, and the hours a bit longer, but he gets every other Friday off. Yeah!!
6. Move number 2! We moved to our new home in September. 1211 N 200 W, Layton Utah 84041—update your address books, again! (Hopefully we won't continue to have a new address every year!) We spent a few weeks painting and putting up new base and case, and things look awesome!! There are still some projects to finish, but you always need something to work on, right? Mike misses his winter garden, but we're all set for spring to grow an abundance of yummy produce. Come and visit if you're ever in the area—we'd love to see you!
7. BYU football. How fun to be in the great state of Utah for all the BYU fun! Mike got the opportunity to go to several games with his best friends, and we spent all the other games with Mindy's family enjoying BBQ's and Hostess Zingers. The BYU/UTAH game was awesome—and Mike got to be in the stadium for the big win! Go Cougs!
8. Catching up with Family. What a blessing to be close to family after 3 years away!! We have had the chance to attend birthday parties, engagement parties, funerals, Halloween parties, baby blessings, and family nights with the family that we love so much! The drive to Pleasant Grove is a bit longer then we would want, but like I keep saying—anything is closer than Texas!
9. Stability. After a crazy year full of change, the unknown, stepping forward armed with just faith, and the up and down emotions, we are finally stable! Our bank account is coming out of the red, our boxes are unpacked and the closets are beginning to be organized; we've received callings in our ward, we're re-stocking our food storage and we've got a schedule once again! Truly we have been able to organize ourselves and “prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.” (D&C 109:8) What a blessing!
As we look over the last year, we realize how much we truly have to be grateful, and be sure that our relationship with you makes it on our list as well. We're grateful especially for our Saviors loving care and for a family that gets to be together forever.
Merry Christmas!!
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