December 2013

Merry Christmas to you! It's difficult to know even where to begin our Christmas letter this year. Two thousand thirteen has been a big year to be sure!

Our biggest and most recent news is that we're moving. Hopefully that won't come as a complete surprise to most of you, but if it does don't worry, it shocked us too! Jim was let go from his job at the end of October. Things had been pretty stressful there for a few months with the firing of his boss and a few other employees in the weeks that followed, often leaving Jim to pick up the slack for several positions in addition to covering his own. Given all that Jim was doing, we definitely didn't see the pink slip coming. He was told, "nothing personal", but the new Service Manager wanted to put together his own team (AKA hire his buddy for Jim's job). Through a business associate and friend, he was led to a job opportunity in Mankato, MN. One week from the date Jim lost his job, he interviewed for the Service Manager position and two weeks after that, accepted their offer. We sold our home before it even listed, spent two whirlwind weeks going back to Mankato a total of four times to house hunt and put in an offer on a great home in Madison Lake. Some of the things we like best about this home are: a.) it has 5 bedrooms (enough space for guests, hint, hint!), b.) it is located 3 blocks from the lake, and c.) about 200 feet outside our door is a great park with play area, ball diamond, basketball court and walking trail, all just 10 minutes from Mankato. It has been pretty incredible trying to mentally and emotionally come to terms with moving from where Jim and I both grew up, where our family, our friends, our church and our homeschooling community are. However, it has been quite clear as the pieces have neatly fallen into place better than I could have hoped to imagine, that God is at work in this process. I recently told a friend that although my head is often spinning from trying to grasp and keep a handle on all that encompasses this move, I am grateful it is happening so quickly. It's sort of like ripping off a band-aid as opposed to trying to carefully pull it away, both hurt, but when you just get the separation over with, the recovery is shorter (at least that's my hope!). To be sure this will be a very painful move, but there is also some excitement mixed in to begin this new adventure the Lord has embarked us on.

Miss Elora continues to be the little firecracker of our home. Oh boy, is she two! :-) Elora adores her siblings and tries her very best to keep up with them, often fairly successfully. She is talking up a storm now and has begun doing a little singing as well. There is nothing more precious than her heartfelt rendition of Jesus Loves Me or I Love You Lord.

James played basketball again this year and he and I have advanced as far as green belt in Tae Kwon Do. We will be testing for second degree green belt this coming Monday and hope to find a place to continue in Minnesota. This is James' 5th grade year of school and aside from major upheaval to our schedule in the last month, he is doing well.

Gabbi keeps busy as well with friends, babysitting, reading, movies and working on her drawing skills. She always seems to be learning new techniques or methods. Copic markers and a Wacom Bamboo drawing tablet were added to her "tool kit" this past year and I am excited that she will have an opportunity to have half a day's worth of private lessons with her Copic markers before we move. Gabbi also was part of the homeschool production of Beauty and the Beast this fall. They all did a fabulous job! The other big thing in Gabbi's life is the loft bed that looks like a stable Jim built her this summer. Since the girls share a room, we wanted to give her a space all her own. She will have her own room in Minnesota and I think she's especially excited to have more than beneath a loft to make her own.

Jim began his new job on December 2nd. He travels to Mankato early Monday mornings and comes home Friday evening. He will do this for a total of three weeks, then have the week of Christmas off and we will move as a family on December 30th. He is enjoying the job very much so far. It's a much smaller dealership than what he's used to, but they are doing well and growing. This spring they will be breaking ground on a new facility out on the eastern edge of Mankato where all the shopping, restaurants and other development seem to be booming. Jim is excited for the opportunities he'll have at this dealership. I am excited about how much they really wanted Jim for the job and pursued him. I've been praying for a few years now that my husband would be appreciated by his employer and recognized for the abilities he brings to the table. This seems an answer to prayer.

Due to some staffing changes at the Rec Center (my part time job), in January I took on Co-Coordinating the child care room with a co-worker. I added an additional shift to the ones I was already working and enjoyed having a hand in the organization and function of the room and its employees. As the summer began to draw to a close however, I recognized that I would not be able to do both the job and homeschooling well, particularly as Gabbi would begin high school this fall. I agonized for several weeks over a way to make both work, but ultimately came to the conclusion that I wasn't willing to give less than my best in either area, so something would have to give. I ended my short-lived, but positive stint as a Co-Coordinator mid-September and returned to "regular" worker until resigning at the beginning of December. I've worked there for almost seven years, but for a little part time job it was really hard to leave!

In addition to the recent job stuff, we've also gone through some difficult things at our church. It's true that there is no perfect church and thank God for that because I certainly couldn't worship there! I had hoped the situation would be resolved differently than it was and was deeply disappointed when it didn't happen the way I hoped. Despite the pain of that experience, I am grateful for what I learned through it, both about myself and about others. God doesn't waste anything and I firmly believe there is always beauty that can rise from the ashes. I'm learning to cling to Christ and Him crucified, nothing more, nothing less.

Earlier this fall I was given the opportunity to be a spokesperson in promoting Mercy Hospital's Especially For You race and fund. It was a joy to "pay it forward" for this wonderful fund that makes breast care services available to those who cannot afford them. I was a beneficiary of the fund in 2008 when Jim lost his job in the floods and as a result of that mammogram, my cancer was caught early. I was thrilled to be a part of getting the word out about this great resource in our community. Additionally, it was my great honor to coordinate a team for the EFY race in memory of my sister-in-law, Lisa, who lost her battle with breast cancer last October. Our team was called Lisa's Legacy and her daughter, Hadley, designed the logo for our team shirts. I'm not sure exactly how I'll do it from MN, but I hope to continue our team each year for many to come. :-)

This has definitely been a year of stretching and growing. I decided at the beginning of 2013 to spend the year daily working to memorize the book of Ephesians. I had hoped to have all six chapters memorized by the end of the year. Several months in, I recognized that my brain is not as quick as my children's to memorize, so it will take me about two years. I also began to realize several months ago that I have not experienced the kind of spiritual growth in my life that I have over the last year in a long time, if ever. It has been a delight to discover new and deeper truths as I have recited and read the same verses day after day, instead of the monotony I thought I might feel. God's word changes you and as I get older and as I dig deeper, I get both more hungry and more satisfied. It's a beautiful place to be.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6