Merry Christmas

I had started a family update email to send out to family and friends we don't see as often as we'd like and I decided I'd post it on my blog instead.

 

Merry Christmas

 

We've been blessed with another year together.

 

 

We graduated two more children this year - Pheonix and Megan.

That makes five homeschool graduates so far, with five more to go.

 

 

A quick update on all ten kids -

Blaze (22) is working and designing video games.

Alex (21) is working at FedEx and has some big news!

Elle (20) is working at Giant and attending Full Sail University.

Pheonix (19) is working at MoviEtown during his "gap year".

Megan (17) is working at Good Will and still tossing around future goals.

Madi (16) is working at MoviEtown and is anxious to take her drivers test in a few weeks.

Jess (14) is in high school now! And is the best babysitter in the world!

Avarie (8) is in 2nd grade and is quite the artist.

Ezra (7) is still seeing his speech therapist, now only every other week, but is doing well.

Marlee (4) is happy to be starting school like all the other kids.

 

Pheonix traveled to Portugal on a missions trip and Megan had her first out of the country trip to Ireland this past summer. Four of my kids have now been blessed to travel on missions trips.

 

We are still involved with March of Dimes and TeamEzra in honor of Ezra who was born three months early.

 

2013 was filled with many ups and downs.

 

We are still living in Mount Joy and despite only having eight of our ten kids living at home, we still feel pretty crowded at times, we talk about moving often, but our house is home.

 

We lost our summer swimming entertainment with the sale of my parents home and I'm still working on dealing with their divorce. They both have moved on and my dad got remarried this past summer.

 

Our biggest news of 2013 is the birth of our first grandchild - Gabriel Alexander Bryan born on July 5th.

Gabe is Alex's son and what an amazing road that has been. He is an awesome daddy.

 

 

 

 Another new family member is Jasper Newton

 

 

He fits right in with the family of pets which now totals - two dogs, four cats, three lizards, and one hamster.

 

We have an incredible group of friends who are more like family.

 

 

I became an Aunt again with the birth of my sister's baby Bria Morgan!

 

 

The remaining pictures are of my growing children, my ever expanding family, and a glimpse into our past year.

Rod and I are blessed because we are loved, we are happy, and we have each other.

 

Happy New Year!