Stuff on Us: 2009

Well, the Holidays are here...at least, New Years Eve is here. Christmas has come and gone with all its fun and excitement. We're a little slow on the draw this year but all good things come to those who wait...or something like that. With a glass of wine in hand, the kids in front of the Wii (yes, I admit, maybe I am not, after all, the perfect parent) and baby safely corralled by closed doors, baby gates and the occasional call of "no, Joshua" I embark on our Christmas letter...the cards were dropped in the mail today by Jason on his way to run errands and this seems like a perfect way to wrap up 2009.

This year has been eventful in the best of ways...Of course in January we welcomed Joshua William to our family and Josh (or Djotty, as he is affectionately known) has wiggled his way into all of our hearts. At just over 11 months he is doing so many fun things that it is hard to remember all of them...walking across the room (but only when he wants to, not when we want him to), clapping, smiling and making airplane noises. He has yet to come out with his first word but based on his #1 and #2 obsessions its sure to be either "Daniel" or "Macey". While he can laugh and giggle with the best of them, I have taken to describing him as "stoic"...he's an observer who takes it all in and processes things at his own pace. He also has a stubborn streak a mile long that has us wondering what the next 17 years have in store for us...if his first year is any indication we are going to spend a significant amount of time in the next few years being surprised by what he decides is important and digs his heels in on...we believe there will be some "picking our battles" going on with this one.

Daniel just turned 7 and is in first grade this year. That means all day school, lunch in the cafeteria and all those fun things that kids learn in school...potty talk, "dirty" jokes and how to really push his sister's buttons. If I hear another covert "turd" or reference to bathroom functions during a meal I might just lose it. Then again, I suppose it goes with the territory. In addition to all the things he is picking up from his peers he also seems to be learning a thing or two from the teachers...Daniel is reading like a champ and loves the math program at school. He is quite the artist and while we as accountants-by-trade are baffled by this particular trait (the mailman, perhaps? no...it must be some latent gene that has skipped a generation ...or two or three or four) we are doing our best to foster his talent. If anyone has any ideas, pass them our way. While it has its challenges (see potty talk references above) we are enjoying parenting an elementary school kid. Its amazing to watch him interact with the other kids. Jason and I both would have pegged him as the quiet, brainy kid who observes the world from his safety zone...the child we see when we are bystanders in his class is assertive, funny and a magnet for other kids. Amazing.

Macey just turned 5 and is in three day morning preschool at All Saints. If she could hop on the bus with Daniel every morning she would; alas, she has to wait a few more months. She can not wait to go to kindergarten in the fall. That desire aside, she loves preschool and all her friends. We are struggling with whether to send her to all day kindergarten or just half day...in Minnesota public schools the half day program is free and available to all; the all day kindergarten costs $$ and at least in our district admittance is based on a lottery system with limited availability. Its one of those decisions that one day seem like a no-brainer and the next day like its going to influence her college performance...ahhh, the joys of parenting. Macey has an exuberant spirit that makes her irresistible-this week we took the older kids bowling and there were maybe three frames where she walked, not danced or jiggled, away from the lane. She is just bursting with life. We are so blessed to have this little girl in our life.

NOTE: The beauty of a blogged Christmas letter is becoming clear to me, as I don't have to try and cut this letter down to one page...oh happy me, and I'm sorry if this makes me seem to wander on and on and on... : )

Jason has continued to have the kids at home two days a week and work at his office down the road part-time the other days. While I think he found the task of taking care of an 8 week old daunting (who wouldn't??) he was up to the challenge. I think he could have used one or two (or a hundred) less "what's going on there and is the baby still alive?" calls from me but I did my best...it was simply impossible for me not to pick up the phone and find out what was going on. Jason's business is moving more slowly than we would like but ever-forward so we are grateful. There is talk of an Internet based weekly radio show, launching of a website and a myriad of other things...I try to be supportive while not being intrusive...this balance is hard to find but I do my best. I enjoy hearing all about it and its a great contrast to what I spend my working days doing...taxes (don't yawn, please). I am still at Green Tree as the tax director and its been a good year for us. In an economy where there are so many people who are out of work or struggling with their current employment I feel so blessed to have a job that I really like, doing something that I am good at...I know, I know, who would admit such a thing when the "something" is taxes?

On to the obligatory travel update...Jason did his annual Vegas trip (17 years and counting) in March and we spent most of June on the road. I drove East with the kids (my Aunt Margie flew out and and traveled with us to PA) and did the East Coast tour...PA, MD, DC, VA, NC. While we were making our way down the Mid-Atlantic Jason was golfing in Williamsburg...we crossed paths on I-95 to rendezvous for a few minutes (...is that really how you spell that? how odd...is it possible I have never written that word before? I assure you I have never before spelled it correctly...) as the kids and I went south and Jason headed north to the US Open in NY...how a family from Minnesota managed to pull that off is one for the record books. In any case, we finally gathered back together at Long Beach, NC for our annual family Beach Trip and as always that was fun and relaxing. Jason made an unexpected trip to Lexington, KY later in the summer to support a friend in the hospital (Joe's all better now, thanks for asking) and then the kids and I headed back East (a plane this time, yeah!) in October for our twin nephews' birthday party. Some of our friends went "abroad" this year and others traveled to fun and exciting locations here in the good ole USofA...we are content, for the moment, to cross the Mississippi a dozen times a year and call ourselves adventurous! We are planning a 10 year anniversary trip for October 2010 and we may head west (Vegas maybe?) instead of east for that trip, sans kids of course. Is there really such a thing as a flight that does not include sippy cups, a dozen trips to the potty and animal crackers? Maybe 2010 will reveal the answer to that question!

Well, my wine glass is empty, the baby is crying (not too loud,YET) and Jason is impatiently wondering if I am going to help him get dinner ready. Here's to the end of 2009, the beginning of 2010 and a Merry Christmas/Happy New Year to all!

Love,

Cindy, Jason, Daniel, Macey and Josh

Today Brenda's grandson, Ethan, had his second surgery to correct the cleft palette and cleft lip that he was born with. He had his initial surgery to correct the lip several months ago. Now, at 11 months, he is having the surgery to correct the palette. I spoke with Brenda a few minutes ago and he is out of surgery and doing well. She described the process and all the things they had to do...a breathing tube, an iv, stiches, a morphine drip, all on this beautiful little boy. He is doing great and his mom, Mandy, is holding him while he sleeps. This is just a quick request to everyone that you say a special prayer for baby Ethan, a reminder to be thankful that we live in this great country where medical miracles like fixing a little boy's mouth are everyday occurances, and finally please go home (or reach over if you are already there) and hug your own little boys and girls 'cause they are what its all about.

Oh, and here's a virtual kleenex cause if hearing about Ethan did not make you tear up, I don't know what will.