Christmas Letter, 2013...

***This letter is what we would ordinarily send out to everyone at Christmas time.  This year was a little unusual, as the letters were printing when an ice storm hit and we lost power for the next 7 days!  Needless to say, they did not get sent out in time.  I am still sending a few to relatives, friends who don't have FB accounts, and those who have specifically requested a hard copy of the infamous Christmas letter, but for the vast majority of people we know, here it is... in electronic form!  If you need new contact information for us, please feel free to make a comment with an e-mail address at which to reach you!  Love you all...  L.***

Dear Friends and Family,

As we come to the close of another year, we are feeling amazingly blessed and maybe even a little bit surprised at where God has brought us.  After twelve years, we have essentially returned "home" and are adjusting to life a little closer to grandparents and with a new church family at Durand Church of the Nazarene, where Phil accepted a call as Associate Pastor in September! 

      

Seth turned 13 in September, thrusting us into a new era of life!  It's really hard to wrap my mind around the fact that we now have a teenager.  Seth is very busy, these days, programming video games on his laptop, creating pieces of art, and working hard at Bible Quizzing.  Seth is enjoying making new friends in the neighborhood and in Durand, and he really likes living closer to his grandparents!

 

   

Grace turned 12 in October, so the countdown to the teenage years is on for her, too!  This past year, Grace's world has revolved around music and Bible Quizzing.  She has won numerous awards and scholarships and continues to amaze us with her dedication and hard work.  Grace loves being a part of a bigger youth group, and she is making friends quickly.  Grace continues to be a huge help, at home, especially with Miah.

    

Caleb turned 9 in May.  This year he participated in Upward Basketball and has continued to play piano.  It was a huge highlight for him when he and Grace did a duet, together, for Fall Festival and were declared "winners".  Caleb has also been tagging along in the quiz world and likes to keep track of statistics!  He works hard at everything he does and never gives up!  

     

Ian turned 7 the day after Christmas!  He is enjoying learning to read, and he likes to make messes in his free time!  We're thankful for a nice playground, because now at least some of those messes have moved outdoors!  Ian loves playing with dinosaurs and Lego and snuggling down to watch movies.

     

Miah is 3 1/2, going on 13... at least...  She continues to be "the queen" around here, and we all love playing with her!  Miah enjoys singing, dancing, reading, and having adventures with her My Little Ponies and Strawberry Shortcake dolls.  As of late, she is also having a lot of fun watching Disney Junior (this is the first time in years we have had any television channels, and Miah can't get over how easy it is to "push the red button" when she wants to watch something)!

Phil and I (Lisa) celebrated 16 years of marriage in August!  It's a really fun time of life for us, since the kids are getting older and more independent, and we have more options for spending time together, just the two of us! 

As we head toward another new year, may you be blessed beyond what you could ever imagine!  You are in our thoughts and prayers often.

  

Love,

Phil, Lisa, Seth, Grace, Caleb, Ian, and Miah
"The Lord said... 'Go back the way you came...'" (I Kings 19:15)