Christmas Letter 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

I hesitated many weeks about whether or not to do a Christmas “letter” this year….but here it goes. So much has happened to us this year – trials and tribulations! It all began the day after Christmas last year and hasn’t really stopped. It seemed like 2009 was the year of curse for us….or at least that is what we focused on. Isn’t it funny how we always seem to focus on the trials in our lives? It’s so easy for us to say “woe is me” and feel sorry for ourselves. We always seemed to think that everyone else had it better than us and we were never going to recover.

However, Romans 8:38&39 says, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Isn’t that wonderful?!!? We have security in our Lord and NOTHING – no NOTHING – can separate us from His Love!!! No matter what happened to us this year, we were never apart from Him and the love He has for us!!!

Which brings me to the many blessing we have been given this year….

Although the year started off slow with the economy the way it was, the Lord has blessed Brian with many achievements! He has worked a lot of hours and traveled many miles, but has had many success stories as well. One of the challenges he had this year was getting a “Material Remix Device” approved by the Alabama Department of Transportation. In July, that project was completed as it was approved. He was elected President of the Dealer Advisory Council for Paving Products and he has enjoyed his time serving in this position. Brian has had an incredible year as the Paving Products Specialist at Thompson Tractor Company and we are all very proud of him.

Jackson had a great year. He’s growing up so big and is so fun to be around. He played his first year of T-Ball last spring and really enjoyed it. It was so fun to see him hit the ball and run as hard as he could. He even had a couple of homeruns and yes, I was that crazy mom jumping in the stands. He loves to play outside and has a wild imagination. He took swimming lessons this summer and LOVED to be in the water. He is in preschool 3 days a week and absolutely loves his new teacher. Next fall he will start kindergarten and prays everyday for God to “make him 6” so he can go to “big school and ride the bus”. He is VERY ready to start kindergarten but I’m not sure that mom is ready…pray for me in August, please!!!

Jonathan has also had a great year. It’s amazing to see where he is today compared to this time last year. Last spring he had his adenoids and tonsils removed and, although the recovery was something we NEVER want to experience again, he has taken off with his talking and learning. He has done so well and we know this was the right thing to do. He is very interested in whatever hobby or playtime activity that Jackson is doing and looks up to him very much. He loves to ride his bike and play with anything that has wheels. He is currently in school 3 days a week and loves his teacher. Luckily, for him, his best friend is also in his class this year so they have A LOT of time to be together and play! He is fascinated with numbers and letters and doesn’t go anywhere without reading you everything (just by saying the letters, of course). He is growing SO much and we can see why the Dr. said there is a chance he will be 6”8” at his full height…..yep, we’re thinking SCHOLARSHIPS!!!!

Angela never has a hard time staying busy. She is still working 2 days a week at the preschool as an aide in a four year old class. This is her first year to not “teach” but is still enjoying her job and being at the school with the boys. She also is still very involved in their church where she leads the Women’s Ministry and serves on the team for the Moms Group. She started working part time for an organizing company in Pelham, All Spaced Out, in March and really loves sharing her habit of organizing with all the people she comes in contact with. Angela also started running this year and was able to run a 10K in Atlanta on the 4th of July. It was an experience that she will never forget and was so thankful to have the opportunity.

Our family has been ready to see 2009 go for a long time, but I can honestly say that it will be a year that we look back at as a time of growth and reflection on all that we have been blessed with. While we had trials and said good bye to a couple of loved ones, it was a year of blessings and we are so thankful. So, with that in mind, we hope that your 2009 was also full of many blessings and we pray that 2010 will be even better for you and your family. We love you and hope that you have a very Merry Christmas!! May we all remember the TRUE reason for the season!!

God Bless,
Brian, Angela, Jackson and Jonathan

PS – Please help me make Brian’s 40th birthday one he will never forget!! Will you please help me fill up our mailbox by sending him a birthday card? His birthday is December 30th!!! Thank you!!!