Christmas letter 2008

Welcome to our e-Christmas letter! How very green of us to save the trees by not using paper for this year's letter...

2008 has gone by in a blur. We've had some good things, some not so good things, and lots of everyday things in between. The biggest news is our move to a smaller town just north of Denver, about 40 miles from where we used to live. We are loving life here. We also spent 2 weeks in Minnesota in July, for the 4th of July and Melissa's brother Nate's wedding, in which Connor was a ringbearer and Isabel was a flower girl. We had a fantastic time, with so many fun memories. Here's an overview of what's happened with each of us:

Brian is still the sports editor at the Longmont Times-Call. His newspaper thus far seems to be escaping the poor fate of many a larger newspaper, thank heavens. He did a bit of traveling this year, including to Arizona to cover the Colorado Rockies spring training, which he loved. He also covers the Denver Broncos, and some college and high school sports, as well as managing the sports staff. He serves as the employment specialist at church, a new calling that he is still figuring out. He was able to do more fishing over the summer, as it's a much quicker jaunt into the mountains now, and increased his bike riding, another favorite pasttime. He also loves spending time with his beautiful and talented wife, and his perfect and amazing children (can you tell who's writing this letter? ;)

Melissa is busy as ever. After serving as Primary President for the past 2 years in our previous ward (church congregation), she was called back into Primary shortly after our move, this time as 1st counselor. She works with a great presidency, and is still working on learning the names and faces of the 100+ children. She has been doing a lot of crafts, including her first quilt (for Isabel). She reads when she can, and just joined a 2nd book club. It's a great excuse to get together with girlfriends (and yes, we do talk about the book too!). She has had her busiest year ever of freelance work, with clients including: The Children's Hospital, The Medical Center of Aurora, The University of Colorado Cancer Center, a national IT healthcare consulting firm, and the Girl Scouts of Colorado. And she runs the affairs of our home and 3 children (laundry alone for a family of 5 is never-ending!).

Connor is 5 and a kindergartener! After a rough first couple of months, he has adjusted beauifully to kindergarten, thanks to a great support team at school. He is fully reading, and on his first report card was graded to be reading above grade level! This is so fun and exciting for all of us. Connor is an inquisitive, funny, determined, loud (at home), quiet (at school), sensitive, busy, energetic, loving boy. He loves legos, playing outside, hiking in the mountains, all forms of transportation (from hot air balloons to trains to helicopters and beyond), the Shrek movies, playing games, riding his bike, and being with his family. His favorites classes/activities at school are art, writing, and his 5th-grade reading buddy.

Isabel is 3 going on 13. She started dance lessons this year, and completely adores it. She recently had her first recital, which was a smashing success. She does her dance routines all the time, and has been known to break out in song and dance wherever we are. In addition to dance, her favorites are music, singing, art projects, writing half of her name, princesses, Sesame Street, The Little Mermaid, playing outside, reading books, using her imagination, wearing lip gloss, going to the mountains, and anything that has sugar in it. Sugar-coated sugar is even better (think Nerds here.) She is wildly imaginative, creative, loud, spunky, talkative, extremely strong-willed, and wacky. She is excited to be a Sunbeam in January at church.

Lucas is the adored baby of our family. He is energetic, engaged, fiesty, strong-willed, snuggly, playful, and has a severe case of I-have-to-keep-up-with-everyone-else syndrome. Not one to be left out of anything, he makes sure he gets/does the same as everyone else. He loves Elmo, Sesame Street, going outside, transportation of all sorts, stacking things, opening things, removing things, ripping things, exploring things, music, singing, dancing, balls, balloons, animals and animal sounds, and books. He loves books more than I can say. All day long he brings us books to read, and will sit still for rather long periods of time if he's being read to. He just started going to Nursery at Church and seems to be adjusting fairly well.

We are grateful for the many blessings in our life, for all the basic needs of life and then some. We are blessed to have so many wonderful family and friends who celebrate our triumphs with us and support us through our trials. And we are grateful for a loving Savior, him whose birth we joyously celebrate.

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year~
Brian, Melissa, Connor, Isabel and Lucas