I have never really done Christmas cards so this is my version of a Christmas "card"!
As I have been contemplating about this past year I keep thinking about what a hard year 2014 has been for our family emotionally, physically, and financially. We started the year off with Eliza's heart surgery, then about six weeks later Megan's birth which required a c-section recovery, and then about six weeks later being back in the hospital with Megan for RSV. We were hoping this wasn't going to be the trend for this year. This alone was a financial stress with three hospital stays. We all recovered from that craziness the first few months of the year brought to us. Then Mike had a best friend that was hit by a car on his bike and died. He traveled to Kansas for the funeral. After that, Mike's uncle Mike passed away. He also traveled to Wyoming for that funeral. And then towards the end of the year in September, Dad got sick and was in the hospital and then he passed away in October. In between all of this we have had job rejections as well as rejections on homes that we have wanted to move to.
Among all the trials we have experienced this past year we know that we have been richly blessed as well. We are grateful that we caught the problem with Eliza's heart, that it was fixed, and she shouldn't have more problems with it. What a blessing! We were blessed to have such great doctors and nurses to handle Eliza's care. We were also very grateful for her quick recovery and that she didn't get sick after her surgery. Also, that it all happened in January so we didn't have to keep her away from rough outside play and swimming pools! :) We are so very grateful for the birth of our sweet Megan and that my c-section recovery went smoothly and quickly. Again, what a blessing! We are grateful for the doctor's and nurses who were able to help us when we were in the hospital a third time with Megan when she got RSV. We are so very blessed for Mikes job and that we are able to have incredible insurance which covered a whole lot of the hospital bills we incurred. I am so grateful we had a good savings set away because this year we have really needed and used it. It is hard to see that savings dwindle down so low but oh so grateful that we had it when we needed it most. What a blessing! We are also so very grateful and feel very blessed to have the knowledge of the gospel that we do. That we know about the Plan of Salvation and that we know that we will see our loved ones again. Again, what a blessing!
I know that Heavenly Father loves each of us and knows us individually. He knows our wants and what we need. He has a plan for our family. As we are trying to figure out what that plan is and what we need to do on our part we have faith that Heavenly Father will continue to direct and guide us in the direction we need to go to accomplish that plan.
This past year:
Mike has continued to work for the church welfare at Deseret Meat. He has really enjoyed working with the young men in our ward. He has had a lot of fun going to their activities and their camp-outs.
Chari has enjoyed being at home taking care of the kids and watching them grow and learn. I have also enjoyed serving in the primary presidency and was just recently released.
Tyson graduated preschool and started kindergarten and has started to learn to read. He lost his first two bottom teeth. He did swim lessons, played T-ball and Soccer and really had fun playing them.
Eliza has started preschool this year and she has learned so much and even gets to ride the bus. This has helped her speech improve so much and she is talking so much more and so much better now. She also started primary and was a sunbeam this year which has taken a little bit of an adjustment.
Megan was born this year and it is has been so much fun to see her grow and learn. As she went from a newborn to nine months old. She has the sweetest most chill little personalty.She just loves her siblings. She is eating anything we give her and getting very mobile and scooting everywhere and just started to pull herself up onto things.
As a family this year we have enjoyed camping, celebrating holidays and birthdays, a family vacation to Bear Lake and spending quality family time together. I am so grateful for my family and love them so very much. I can't wait to spend eternity with them.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Bring on the year 2015. Can't wait to see what is in store for us.
