Our year has been FULL of excitement, as always!
Although, it was a different kind of excitement compared to years of old...having a (4th) baby...changes everything :)
Because we were in baby mode, yet again this year (Jackson was born in November of 2010), our lives slowed down, simplified and we stayed put way more than ever. Which was a tough adjustment in many ways.
I (Megan) began 2011 motivated to experience "The Happiness Project" - a book that inspires you to break down your goals for yourself into 1 month increments...it was a success...for 6 months :) I simplified, organized, and became WAY more efficient with my time (out of necessity with 4 kids!). I used E-mealz to help me at dinner time, I read books each month to help me be a better mom, wife and person, I blogged often...but as the baby got older and the kids started being home in the summer, well, I just got too tired to keep "up" with my goals I had set in January. I must say, I'm still Happy! And I'm probably in a better place now, as we head into 2012 than I have been for those 6 months I quit my project.
I have cut way back on serving outside the home, but one thing I am committed to being a part of is Joey's school - The Oaks Academy. I am the Co-Coordinator of Parent Reps and I love it! I have also chose to serve at Common Ground - I coordinated our church's 10 year anniversary this past August called CG10 and served as a Sunday School teacher in the 4s room from Sept through Nov. I also have enjoyed a book study one night a week with an amazing group of women who make me feel known and loved.
Joe, God bless him, has been a huge help with the increased responsibilities of having four kids. Joe is still active in the Circle City Sound Barbershop Chorus as well as the bass for his own quartet called Rip Chord. They are amazing! And their wives are great too! We've enjoyed birthdays, retreats, and watching our husbands perform all year long - the Rip Chord family is a special gift to us.
Joe has been with Indiana Municipal Power Agency for 6 years and is doing very well. Ask him about Street Lights…he’s become an expert as he finished up a 5 million dollar government grant that his agency was awarded. Now that he's a PE (Professional Engineer), the next expectation of his company is for him to pursue his MBA. Just a few weeks ago he was admitted into the Butler University MBA program! He starts in January and will be going in the evenings and weekends for atleast the next 2 years. It's exciting that he is a Bulldog!
He also spends a lot of time working on our home and rental properties – which seems like a never ending task! He and my dad finished tiling our kitchen floor this May and it is beautiful!
Joey (turns 7 in April) is doing very well. He is in first grade at The Oaks Academy and loves it. This fall he played in a Y soccer league and he is also in Piano lessons every Monday afternoon - he's so talented. He enjoyed a Music Camp at his school this summer too. Joey lost his first tooth in September (it was like it was contagious in his class!). School is his very favorite thing – he has great teachers, a great school and he is thriving. He is a very strong reader and does well in math too. We are amazed at his memory and ability to remember the littlest of details. His new favorite books are Boxcar Children and Magic Tree House series - he LOVES the mysteries that are chapter books!
Morgan (turns 5 a few days after Christmas) is our “sweet pretty girl”. She is passionate, opinionated, and a pack rat. Her "stuff" is always overflowing into other rooms, and in bags, bins and purses are all over the house. She LOVED playing soccer this fall, especially because she could wear her pink sporty skirt with her cleats and shin guards! She is in 4s Preschool and we are excited for her to start back to her old school (ECC) next week. (We tried a Co-op thing for she and Jameson where I helped teach and it just didn't work out for us). She loves painting, building, taping paper and playing pretend. We are very excited to "surprise" her with a special treat for her 5th birthday- you'll have to check our blog for the reveal!
Jameson (turning 3 in Feb) is our quiet spirit...well, atleast he used to be! He is involved in First Steps (a speech therapy program) because when he turned 2 he was still quite limited on words. Now after nearly a year of weekly therapy, (Thank you Jennifer!) he is excelling and has his voice! Just the other day he said "I love you, mom" for the first time...what a gift! He was in the Co-op once a week and will now be at ECC on Tuesdays with his sister and that seems to really improve his speech too - being around other 2 years olds is lots of fun for him. He is our athlete. He is rough and tumble with bruises on his legs from falling while playing basketball, scratches on his arm from climbing a tree and sweaty hair from running non-stop.
Jackson (turned 1 on Nov. 15th) is our bundle of sunshine. He is always smiling, laughing or trying to get you to smile by making funny noises or "singing" as loud as he can. He is sweet, easy, laid back and along for the ride. Not much gets to him, but if he's hungry, he'll let you know. He is SO CLOSE to walking...which just means a whole new world for him (and us!). He is into cupboards, crawling up stairs and loves putting things in and taking things out....even folded laundry (...sigh). We are so thankful for this precious gift in our family.
Because life with four is alot to balance, we limited our "stuff" this year. But we still made an effort to "Make Memories" with our family the best we could:
Over Memorial Day, after being downtown watching the parade, Joe surprised us with an overnight stay at Caribean Cove (and indoor waterpark) just on the north side of town - it was the kids' first ever hotel stay. Exhausting, but fun!
We took our annual trip in July with the Williams side of the family (to Pennsylvania this year). Idlewild Rocked! It’s always fun to see everyone!
We went to a State Park in Bloomington with a bunch of barbershoppers and "camping" (although NOT overnight!) was a fun experience for the kids too.
Thanks to a raffle during a fundraiser for The Viewfinder Project, we won a photo shoot with a wonderful photographer (see Christmas card - you KNOW I didn't take those!) What a gift it is to have such priceless photos of all of us!
Weekly, we have a great group of friends from Common Ground who we host for food and fellowship called our "House Church" - it brings us great joy to walk this journey with others.
Joe and I celebrated 10 years of marriage this August - we bought bedroom furniture (our first set!) and have plans to take a trip to Florida when it's not so sunny in Indiana (like Jan or Feb!). I don't know how to explain it, but our love for each other has grown stronger and deeper these past 10 years...we're so blessed.
Mostly, we just enjoy our time with each other, especially when Daddy's home!
We love being this busy, goofy, crazy family of 6!
We hope this letter finds you well! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Visit this blog or become “Friends” of Joe and I on Facebook!
Or check out the stuff we're a part of:
http://www.e-mealz.com/
http://www.theoaksacademy.org/
http://www.circlecitysound.org/
http://www.butler.edu/
http://www.cground.org/
http://www.theviewfinderproject.com/
http://www.bluecandyphotography.com/
Merry Christmas and Happy 2012 to you!
Joe, Megan, Joey, Morgan, Jameson and Jackson
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