Merry Christmas

This has been quite a year. When I think about last January, I almost can't even believe where we are now. So many changes, some expected (new baby! starting kindergarten!) but mostly unexpected (sold our house! building a new one! moving to a small town, a little place we didn't even know existed back in January!)

While I'd like to look back and say it was a year of peace, simplicity, and joy, the truth is even better. 
It was a year of growth. 
A year of tantrums and tears and "mom fails," but also a year of adjusting to three kids and the exponential love that comes along. 
A year of difficult decisions, but also a year of learning to trust each other and the answers to prayers. 
A year of packing and moving and all the stress that comes from trying to sell a house with three little kids, but also a year of looking forward to new beginnings and having faith that our Heavenly Father has great things in store for us.

What it all comes down to is that it was a year. And we survived it. Maybe even thrived in some moments. 

And we'd like to celebrate that
by giving awards to each family member. 

2015
The things we were best at:

Kent: Kids' first choice for snuggles and loves. Able to transform into a dragon, jedi knight, or superhero as needed. Traveled to Romania (twice), Paris, Boston, and Manhattan, but most impressively, he survived the crowds of Disneyland at Christmas.

Becca: Packing extraordinaire. Perfected the art of getting the house show ready in 45 minutes or less. Able to translate a kindergartener's phonetic spelling while under pressure, convince a four-year-old that there's more to her dietary needs  life than candy, and do both of these while being loved on/slobber attacked by a crazy strong nine-month-old.

Nicholas: Best Jack-o-Lantern smile (missing 6 teeth). Most likely to have "the best day ever!" every single day of school. Dreams of becoming a rockstar with a song on the radio or youtube and makes up the best lyrics and choreography.

Ellie: Most able to watch silly cat videos for hours on end. Grilled Cheese Sandwich's biggest fan (with quesadillas coming in a close second.) Most likely to share, serve, and make sure everyone is taken care of. 

Christian: Our never-failing, never-ending wiggling bundle of smiles. Always happy, and always moving. The speediest army-crawler around. Most likely to be mistaken for a puppy as he spends his time chasing balls, nibbling at our toes, and attempting to squeeze out the door.

With the year behind us, as we find rest and stillness spending time with family this Christmastime, we find ourselves feeling more grateful than ever for the peace that comes from the blessings of being led by the Spirit, the joy and hope of our Savior, and the never-failing Love of our Father. Life is good. So very good. 
We hope you all have the merriest, most wonderful holidays.

Merry Christmas!