Christmas Letter 2006

I have never heard those sleigh bells jingle-ing or ring ting-tingle-ling. But I have heard a couple toddlers running down the hall with bells hanging on their ears - and I am pretty sure that it is better. I have noticed that our heater is running a little bit harder lately and that we are running a bit easier. I have noticed that our family is putting on the winter fat. Or maybe it is the baby growing in Megan that is doing that. As for mine I would like to believe it is ‘sympathy’ weight. Sympathy for uneaten Christmas cookies.

Here are a few things we learned this year:

1. Don’t attempt conversation with toddlers present.
2. A whole new language. For instance caterpillar = peeler pilauer.
3. Family planning is a waste of time.


News brief: We are currently exactly average. We have 2.5 kids. Megan is making our daughter and doing a nice job of it (due in March.) Brad upgraded to captain and is still based in Santa Barbara. The twins just turned two and can tell you so, but don’t know what it means. Ian likes putting oranges in gopher holes. Jeremy wants to hug busses. Neither is sure whom they are looking at when they look in a mirror. They are able to sit still for up to 20 seconds at a time. Not a day goes by that they do not say something to make us laugh out loud.

This year was full of reminders that we are guaranteed nothing and entitled to nothing. The fact that Jesus showed up in a feed trough and died in his 30s is just one more reminder. So from the comfort of our overstuffed winter bed, our bellies overstuffed with interestingly shaped colorful cookies, we can only be grateful. In the light of ever-present suffering, it is our only option. For our bed, our boys, electric Christmas lights, cookies, our girl on the way, winter weight, forced air gas heating, Christmas music to remind us that she bore to us a savior, and for each other, still happy. Of all the 1000 ways that things could be different by year 3 of our marriage I have nothing but gratitude. Pure gratitude.

Merry Christmas
Brad, Megan, Ian, Jeremy, and baby sister