Merry Christmas!

Christmas picture.

Spoons full of icing ... their reward for a job well done on their gingerbread house.

Silly Faces

 

Bella decorating her gingerbread man.


Our Christmas Letter:

Merry Christmas! We hope this letter finds everyone healthy and doing well. We have had a very blessed 2009 and pray 2010 will be just as wonderful.

Keenan started to learn to ski this last January and February. We think he will really take off this winter. He can’t wait to hit the slopes this year. Aidan continues to be more daring taking on black diamond slopes that his mommy won’t even touch. This will be his 4th year skiing.

Michael and I celebrated our 10th year anniversary in May. Ten years already? Really? Doesn’t seem possible. They have been 10 wonderful years and we look forward to spending many many more decades together.

In March of this year we got the phone call we did not expect to receive for a couple more years. We were matched with a beautiful 3 year old girl in China. We learned her name and saw her precious face for the first time on March 30th. We could not believe we had been matched. Last fall we completed paperwork stating we would accept a special needs child. In February we increased the age of the child we would accept to be 3 ½, so she would be younger than Keenan. So this year has been very busy. We prepared our home and traveled to meet Isabella and brought her home in August. Our journey to China and to Isabella was an experience of a lifetime. God made it very clear to us that he had hand picked her for our family. We are so thankful.

Isabella was born with a cleft lip/palate and a heart defect. Her heart and lip were repaired in China and her palate was recently repaired here at Cincinnati Children’s hospital. Aidan adores Bella and Keenan and her have become a lot closer, although there is still quite a bit of competition between them.

God provided Bella with a wonderful foster family to live with for 20 months prior to us meeting her. We are so thankful and believe they saved her life and gave her a chance. She was not thriving in the orphanage and had been quite ill when they got her.

Aidan celebrated his 7th birthday and Keenan celebrated his 4th birthday this year. Aidan is in first grade and is doing very well. He is enjoying reading and loves art, music and gym. Keenan and Bella started a new preschool in November and they both love it so far. The preschool has a gym and that seems to be Keenan’s highlight of the day. Bella enjoys painting and singing songs.

After a one year temporary period, Michael was given his permanent contract with State Farm in October. He continues to love working with and helping people with their needs.

Aidan has tested and received his red belt in Tae Kwon Do. To our surprise, Keenan decided he wanted to join class one day and has also been taking Tae Kwon Do. Aidan and Keenan also played Upwards soccer this fall. Keenan did a great job running up and down the field. We really aren’t sure if he knew he was supposed to try to kick the ball, but very funny to watch.

Isabella has been doing great since she has been home. She has been through a lot of medical appointments (which she hates!) and she is starting occupational and speech therapy. She loves Dora, loves wrestling with her brothers, loves musical toys, loves swimming in our pool and loves to go places.

May you and your family enjoy time together this Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our lord and savior.