Warmest Wishes & Glad Tidings

We hope you're all enjoying a peaceful week of comfort, good cheer, silent nights, loved ones, tasty treats, reflections and time. Despite my earnest efforts, each Christmas season seems to fly by too hurried for our family. Before we know it, it'll be 2012 and we'll be back into the swing of life. But for now, I'm doing my best to slow things down.

2011 has been good for our family... not without it's hiccups, but we've made it through, and I like to think we're stronger than ever.

Todd made it through rotations at Children's Hospital, anesthesia and ED (emergency department) this year... oh, and  a doozie of a four months in Portland. We've made it through 2 1/2 years of his UW oral and maxillofacial surgery residency, which leaves us with 1 1/2 years left.

A required rotation with a private head and neck OMFS group in Portland took us down to Oregon for a few fun-filled months of trauma service (read: late nights, early mornings and long weekends of car accidents, suicide attempts, bar fights and stupidity). The little guys and I tagged along for the first couple of months, taking a break in the middle with a few road trips to Utah and California, and even a business trip for me to New Jersey. I moved back to Washington with the boys halfway through for Ryder to begin school, and Todd was left to finish his out-of-state adventure alone. We were happily reunited in late October, very grateful to have that chapter of life behind us. When asked what he wants said about his year, Todd responded with, "I'm fat and happy. That sums me up."

There you have it.

I (Jenny) am soaking up life and trying to learn to embrace the little things. At this particular moment, I feel overwhelming blessed for the good health and strength of Todd, my boys and our immediate families.

I feel blessed to be home to cuddle Hudson when he walks in the room and bursts into tears at the site of the vacuum, and to clean up Cannon's spilled chocolate milk and feel his little arms around me as he tells me he's so very sorry, and to be able to drop Ryder off at school and be there to console him as he has a nervous breakdown in fear of losing his wonderful kindergarten teacher to mat-leave. I continue to "work" part time, handling media relations for a division of Siemens Healthcare. As much of a juggling act life can be, I feel blessed to be able to be home for the little and big moments with my boys.

Ryder (5) finished up preschool in 2011; enjoyed a lovely summer of adventures between Washington, Portland, Utah and California; and is now enjoying (almost) every bit of kindergarten. He very nearly grew gills this summer, with all of the time he spent swimming in Oregon. He's had fun trying new things, like soccer, karate and basketball, and he continues to love riding his scooter and swimming.

It's been such a thrill for us to see him embrace reading, writing and math... and its been a learning experience in teaching and patience for me! This year he has grown a passion for Legos and wrestling with Hudson. Ryder is such a loving, sensitive big brother. Oh, how we love his passionate spirit!

Cannon (3) is his big brother's biggest idol. He loves everything Ryder loves, as well as a few of his own -- dressing up, playing food, running and painting. He's growing in his independence with co-op preschool and his very own karate class. This little, big man in a gi is adorable!

Like his brother, Cannon has a new-found and sure-to-be life-long passion for Legos. Please let me know if you have have any ingenious Lego storage solutions, because I'm drowning over here! Cannon keeps us laughing and on our toes with his beefy little build, smooth dance moves and out-of-the-blue expressions. We love him dearly!

Hudson (14 mo) is our mostly happy-go-lucky toddler and has inherited the nickname of "destroyer," for self-explanatory reasons. He runs circles around me all day every day and tries his hardest to be one of the big boys - jumping in on the wrestling matches, joining his brothers' joyful screaming and chasing after all of the big kids during kindergarten drop-off. Hudson has grown a love for ALL fruit, green beans, dogs, books and, yes, even Legos. His Lego play is a bit different though, as his joy comes from dumping out our bins of Duplos and crashing his body through them to hear the loud noise he can make. He "ooohs" and "aaaahs" with a pointed finger whenever something catches his attention.

He's my not-so-little baby who still lets me cuddle him... even though he's undeniably a daddy's boy.

We look forward to spending Christmas day here as a family and pray for a pause in the chaos so Todd can enjoy some undivided time at home as well. We are grateful for a loving Savior and for the chance to focus on His life and to teach our boys of His example, service and love. We testify that Jesus Christ lives and loves us, and we hope and pray you will feel of His love and spirit this Christmas season.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!