A Glimpse of 2016

I haven't been blogging much lately. We have been keeping busy and since I'm on Facebook and Instagram often I just haven't felt like I had that much to say here on the blog. But I figured it was about time for a little update. 

In truth I struggle every year when it comes to Christmas cards/letters. My mom was pretty good about sending family update letters every Christmas when I was a kid. Everyone likes getting those, right? A little blurb catching you up on whats going on with far away family, etc. Its sweet, right?

Well, for us, not much changes from year to year. And that itself is hard to say sometimes. Progress with Joe and Christine is painfully slow. Joe often exhibits behaviors that make us concerned about the future. Both J&C are getting bigger, and we worry about the difficulty of caring for them long-term as they grow up. Sometimes we go about life as usual and don't think about how different our life is from the rest of the world. And other times the thought of it is crippling. 

My big struggle is how transparent to be in our Christmas letter/card. I don't want to be one of those people that holds everything in and puts on a front instead of allowing myself to be vulnerable with my friends and family. But is our Christmas card really the right venue for sharing my deepest pain as a special needs mom? Not the ideal place to spill all.

So, my Christmas cards are on the cheery and surface-y side. Everything in them is true, I just leave out the hard stuff. But, I do allow myself to open up to my close friends and family about our life and the challenges that come with it. 

If you are interested in a more in-depth conversation about whats going on with us just give me a call and we can get coffee or something and I'd be happy to share more in person. But as for now, expect my Christmas cards to stay light and fluffy. As Christmas cards should be. 

Mark 10:14-15

But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

Season of Giving

Proverbs 22:9 – "He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor."

A few years ago we started doing what we called "Sneaky Santa". We would make treats/goodie bags and drop them off at our friend's houses. Nate loves to "ring & run" trying not to get caught. 

Over the past couple years the outing has evolved into what we now call Random Acts of Christmas Kindness day. So, in addition to a few friends and family, we also take treats to our local first responders, widows in our church and even taking supplies to Ronald MacDonald House or Sheltering Wings.

While it seems to be a little more work each year as it has grown and changed, I love that we get to do this together every holiday season. It is so special seeing Nate get into the spirit of giving. 

Deuteronomy 15:10 – "Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to."

There are SO many ways that you and your family can do random acts of kindness in your own community. Here are a couple of links to help you and your kids do your own "Random Acts of Kindness" and help to instill the spirit of giving into your children while they're young!

100 Acts of Kindness for Kids

Random Acts of Kindness - 25 Ideas for raising grateful and kind kids

Many more ideas on my Random Acts of Kindness Pinterest board!

AND.... in the spirit of giving... Grace Hill Media has sponsored another great giveaway! I have DVD copies of Greater and Hillsong.  

GREATER is a film about an unlikely young man who had all the odds stacked up against him when he tried out to play football at one of the most prestigious football programs in the country. Both films highlight the perseverance people can have when they lean on their faith and when they do that – God enables them to do extraordinary things in life.

HILLSONG – LET HOPE RISE was a phenomenon when it came out in theaters this past September and we’d love to continue the worship experience with everyone this holiday season. 

Both of these quality films release on DVD on Tuesday, December 20th. Please comment on this post with your idea of a Random Act of Kindness to be entered in the giveaway. I'll post the winner on Christmas Day!

Christmas Letter 2015

I took the lazy route and combined our family photo & Christmas letting into one. ;-) Best idea ever!

Merry Christmas

 

2013 Family Christmas Letter/Card

 

We neglected to write a Christmas letter last year... 2012 was a super busy year for our families. We shared in mourning when family members pass away and people that we love's marriages ended and we rejoiced together when babies were born and weddings brought new members into our families. It was a year full of endings and beginnings. In comparison to 2012, this year has been less monumental, but still a time of growth.

Isaac is enjoying his job working in IT in Fishers. It was interesting for him to transition into a position in IT after working for so long running the counseling center. He is thriving in this environment and looking forward to many more years with the company.

Wani is working hard balancing homeschooling Nate and juggling Joe and Christine's school and therapy schedules. With special kids come special challenges and Wani is thankful for the support and encouragement from friends and family to help on the hard days. She enjoys doing photography on the side and is happy to see her work improving with every job. Taking advantage of having a daughter, Wani has taken up sewing and often makes dresses for Christine or gifts for friends and family.

Nate began the third grade in the fall. He seems to take this fact very seriously at times. While he is still doing well academically, he is having to work harder than he did previously. Nate enjoys spending his time building imaginary worlds through Legos and his storytelling skills. He loves exploring nature and playing with his friends. He and Isaac have been playing through the Lego video games and enjoy that time together. Nate is becoming a big helper around the house and he is an awesome big brother to his siblings who adore him.

Joe has continued in his life skills class. They are pretty structured and are working with him on his IEP goals. He seems to miss it while on school breaks. He is doing a lot of assisted walking these days. When we go out Joe often will walk holding our hands – but while at school he uses a walker with some help. He loves bouncing around to music and playing with his big brother... and sometimes terrorizing his little sister.

Christine graduated from First Steps in the spring and entered developmental preschool in the fall. We are thankful to have the familiar faces of Joe's former teachers and therapists welcome Christine into the program. The goals that she is working on in school and therapy are very similar to those that Joe is: including increasing communication with augmentative devices, progressing in the walker and others. She is a busy little bee and a very happy girl. She brightens our days with her smiles and laughter.

We are thankful for the many ways that God is blessing us and would love to hear what He is doing in your lives as well. If you want to catch up with us you can do so via facebook, or the phone/emails/blogs listed below.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. - Romans 15:13

Blessings From,

Isaac, Wani, Nate, Joe and Christine 

Christmas Recap

We had a delightful Christmas with our families.  My family gathering included a brunch of a breakfast burrito bar.  Yum!  And a nap before heading to grandma's for dinner with my large extended family.  ;-)

 Our Christmas day was laid back and wonderful, just Isaac and the kids and I enjoying each other at home.  No bustling about, just relaxing.

 

Then, the following weekend we spent with Isaac's family.  The kids had such a good time with their cousins!  I was pleased to get this one good shot of them all looking cute - Joe and Christine were not big fans of the snow so most of their pix were rather dramatic.  ;-) 

 

We are very thankful for such a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to a great year in 2013!

A Very Crafty Christmas!

I decided to make gifts for some of our family this year.  I am pleased with how they turned out, and my family seemed happy too.  What more could I ask?  Here are a few of the things I made this year.

some stockings

a couple of fort kits for my nephews

diaper bag for one of my sisters

a jumper/dress for Christine made from two adult women's shirts (I am kicking myself for not getting step by step pic of it!)


It was fun making special things for my family.  But procrastination did lead to a stressful few days right before Christmas.  I am hoping to get a head start next year!  ;-)

Christmas Tidings

We have had a very busy but blessed year.  On top of the usual busyness and chaos we were flooded with major life events in our family in what felt like a very short time.  We have two divorces going on in the family.  We have had family members in the hospital, some have passed away.  But there were also exciting life events too.  My husband started a new job that he loves.  Two of my sisters got married.  Two of my sisters had babies...  Its been an eventful year for us!

Because of the busyness (or my laziness) I opted not to write a Christmas letter this year.  And for our card I used the pictures we had taken in the spring instead of taking new ones... I know, I'm such a slacker.  ;-)  But here is what our Christmas card looked like.

Do they come any cuter than that?  ;-)  And another thing I did differently is I only sent cards to the people who sent us one.   I have a stack of pre-stuffed envelopes on standby and when a card came in I addressed one to them and sent it out. Last year I realized how many of the people I was sending cards to were not reciprocating and I figured this was as good a way as any to cut back.  

Thanks for following along or stopping by.  I am happy to share a bit of our crazy life with you all.

The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" (NASB) - Lamentations 3:22-24

4 Gifts

My husband and I have been trying to find ways to simplify our Christmas gift giving.  In particular with our kids.  By the time we have Christmas with his family and my family and us... its kind of an overload of  toys and frivolous things that are nice but do not necessarily add value to our lives or the holiday.  Its just stuff.
Obviously as a parent I want to give my children gifts.  But I don't want them to grow up feeling like that is what the Christmas season is about.  My husband and I are trying to downplay the gifts and bring the focus back to Christ.  One way we are doing that is limiting the gifts to four things.  I found this idea on Pinterest here and also this post.  I love this idea.  Here is the breakdown of what the gifts will be for our kids.

Nate:

Want - He is a huge Lego fan but I knew others would be buying him Lego sets so I wanted something that would interest him in the same way but still be a little different.  I got a good deal on a box of Knex on Amazon.  Nate has never owned any of these before but they seem like something that he would really enjoy.
Need - Nate has started to take his bible to church lately and frankly its ending up on the dirty floor of the van from time to time.  So, I thought that now would be a good time for him to get a bible cover.  I thought about making one but I want to make sure it can withstand the abuse of a sever year old boy so my husband is picking one out at the Christian bookstore.
Wear - Nate is pretty set for clothes for the most part.  But he likes to dress up for church and I have a nice dress coat that I got at Old Navy a couple of seasons ago and is just now the size he needs so he will be getting a nice big boy coat.
Read - I got a great deal at Half Price Books on a copy of Fun With Nature: Take Along Guide.  It was only a couple of bucks in the clearance section.  Nate will enjoy learning about nature and using the book to help him explore on trips to the park.

Joe:

Want - Well, frankly its hard to tell what Joe (or Christine) really wants.  But I do my best.  He loves doors of any kind.  He will sit and open and close cabinet doors just for fun.  He's a funny kid like that.  So, that being said I found a Melissa and Doug Farm Hide and Seek on sale awhile back.  I think it seems like something he will like.  I hope I'm right!  ;-)
Need - I thought about getting Joe some pants because he burns holes in the knees faster than any kid I've ever met.  But I know a couple family members will be getting him pants already.  So, I had to get creative.  Since we haven't really advanced very far developmentally we kind of get bored of "therapy" toys before out-growing them.  So its always fun to get a few new ones in the mix.  I got this Melissa and Doug Bug catching magnetic puzzle on Amazon when Melissa and Doug stuff was half off.  It'll be good for fine motor skills and for matching.
Wear - Typically I am a "wear clothing more than one day" kind of person.  But since Joe attends school I don't really feel I can get away with that for him, especially with shirts (I can get away with having him wear pants a couple of days).  So, I have another Old Navy clearance deal with a cute long sleeve t-shirt with a screen sprinted necktie on it.  So cute!
Read - Joe is only minimally interested in having books read to him.  He is still pretty grabby and honestly, we don't do it all that often because he doesn't get into it and won't sit still well.  But when I saw this book at HPB I cracked up laughing and had to buy it.  I know, I'm a dork.  ;-)

Christine:
Want -Awhile ago we got Christine to attempt to pretend she said "hello" into a phone.  Now, even though we haven't been able to get her to do it lately we want to encourage that kind of play and she enjoys toys that makes sounds and play music.  So I got her this adorable Fisher Price smart phone.  It looks like daddy's droid!  Sort of.  ;-)
Need -  I have seen Christine's therapists use chunky crayons (that are easier to grasp) and figured that would be a good therapy tool to have at the house for both her and Joe.  I found this set at Home Goods for $5.
Wear - I have a small stash of clothes for her to wear this summer but not a lot.  So, again with the Old Navy clearance deals (have I mentioned that I Christmas shop over the summer?)... I have a couple of outfits that I got at like 75-90% off.  Technically it adds up to be more than one thing... but we'll let it slide.  Little girl clothes are way more fun to buy than boys'... just sayin.  ;-)
Read -  Drawings and illustrations are great but I feel like Christine really benefits more from real pictures of things.  So I found a cute counting board book for her that has actual pictures instead of illustrations.


Well, it may be simple to some but we would rather have a simple heartfelt Christmas than an overspent, stressful and commercialized holiday season.  This is just a small step toward having a more Christ centered Christmas. What things do you like to do to make Christmas meaningful for your friends and family?

 

 

 

 

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NASB)

Early Family Holiday

Because one of my sisters lives out of state we ended up having to do our holidays last week because it was the only time that she and her husband could travel.  I sure had to hurry to get their gifts made!  ;-)  Our family has grown a lot since last year's holiday family photo!  We have had two weddings and two babies since then!  I'm the oldest of five kids and we now have six grandkids in the family!

After the "fun" photo part of the evening (in my cramped living room because we couldn't get everyone together until after dark) we were able to relax and enjoy spending the evening together.

What a blessing to be a part of a "big" family!  Looking forward to many more holidays together!

Christmas Recap

We were blessed with several wonderful Christmas gatherings this year. It was a busy Christmas weekend but full of fun and family. Friday we had my family over to our house for a yummy menu of lasagna, spinach alfredo, and bruschetta.


We read the Christmas story from the book of Luke before opening our presents together. Christine got this awesome zebra that she loves! Nate and my nephew had a blast playing in the paper. And Joe was just excited to have everyone there. Isaac and Nate had a couple of good games of chess. Then Isaac played with my sister's boyfriend and let him win. I think. ;-)
The only thing missing from the day was my sister who moved to Georgia this year. sigh... its our first Christmas apart. It was weird to not have her there to share the day with us.

Saturday was Christmas Eve which is always spent at my Grandma's house with all our family on my dad's side. He is #8 of ten kids so needless to say its a full house! As usual I'm negligent in taking pictures at this particular event. But it was a special time as always.

Christmas day we had the rare pleasure to stay home and just do Christmas on our own. No running to anyone else's house, or having guests. Just us. Relaxing together. It was a blessing. I made us a yummy brunch of casserole and cinnamon rolls.



Then we enjoyed sharing our gifts with one another... have I mentioned lately how cute my kids are? Nate loved the hats I got him. He is always playing "Spy" games and now he has hats to go with his disguises... and a special pad to write his spy notes on.


The day after Christmas we shared dinner with my inlaws and were again overwhelmed by their generosity. The kids got a lot of fun toys. They love spending time with their cousins too. Here is a pix of Nate and his cousin showing off their toothless grins.
Christine had such fun playing with Grandma's beads.
And here we are... hopefully we'll get a better group shot in the spring at our family photo session. ;-)

Anyway, that about wraps up our Christmas season... I'm ready to tackle the New Year! ;-)