What a year!  Since I actually accomplished a Christmas letter (even though it was sent out after Christmas).  I’ll just post it here for to review our year.

Hello to our friends and family!

We have lots of sayings in our home.  Mark likes to say our family motto is, “Go!  Go!  Go!” I often tell awestruck onlookers that “life is never boring around here.”

2015 has proven to live up to both of those sayings.   In a nutshell:  We have hosted an orphan again, started the adoption process, taken a couple of trips to the ER, spent ten days in the hospital with one of our babies, gone to the beach, gone to the mountains, gone to the lake,and traveled to Atlanta (through rush hour no less) more times than I care to count.  Oh, and traveled to Ukraine and Italy and through Germany and Austria.  You know.  Just an average life in a house full of Characters.

Mark and I are trying to wrap our heads around the fact that our oldest, Zoe, is now a teenager.  She is a delight and while we are wading through the emotions that come with this age, we can truly say that we are enjoying this time with our young lady.  She is excelling in her schoolwork.  This year we have found that God has blessed her with a gift and love of languages.  She has taught herself several language including French, Mandarin Chinese, Elvish, and Ukrainian with a side of Russian.  Formally, she is learning Spanish for school and almost complete with level 1.  We are so excited to see where God will take her with that.  She is also in church choir and other extra curricular activities to ensure she is getting properly socialized.

Ace is cruising along in 6th grade.  He is getting quite the sense of humor and always keeps us on our toes.  He is proving to be a wonderful asset in the big brother department and learning to change diapers.  We are excited to see that he is developing strong leadership skills too!  Legos take up a bit of time too.

Liam is still our ball full of passion and energy.  He sees life and tackles it head first.  He is now in 4th grade and, once he gets going, is doing wonderful with his work.  He loves his little brothers and sisters and loves to help with them.  And play with Legos.  Legos are important.

Josiah is closest in age to Liam and the extreme opposite.  Those of you who knew Mark as a young boy, will be glad to know he has a clone.  He makes us laugh and tries to maintain peace.  He has a great relationship with Liam and is continuing to take his big buddy role with Emmie quite seriously.  Josiah is halfway through his 3rd grade year.  Legos are the prime source of entertainment for this one.  And reading.

Ceili Rain enthusiastically attacked 1st grade this year.  She continues to be our princess ninja and can not decide whether she wants to be a singer, an artist, or a librarian.  The latter thrills her grandmom to no end.  We still are expecting something in the medical field as she is the prime boo-boo bandager in the house.

Bryant “officially” started school this year.  He is learning to read and doing very well.  He loves to give hugs and make Emmie laugh.  Oh, and did I mention our boys love Legos?

Malachi is “free” (that’s three in toddler talk).  If you asked him, he would tell you he is the sole protector of his baby sister.  He thinks she hung the moon.  Oh, who am I kidding.  All of the kids think she hung the moon.  Anyway, Malachi loves all things Legos and is not hesitant to follow Ceili Rain and Bryant in whatever exploits (aka destruction) they have going on.

Emmie turned one this year and had quite the year.  She continues to fight Neurofibromatosis Type 1 as her alter ego, Super Ems.  In the medical world, she had surgery in April to remove a portion of the tumor (plexiform) growing in her neck.  She went through seven neck braces before the orthotist found one that was indestructible by a stubborn forward bending spine and a busy toddler learning to walk.  Unfortunately, that brace was short lived as a fall in August sent us back to the hospital for a few days and eventually, Emmie was put in a halo brace to try and keep the bend from worsening and allow her bones to get stronger.  She’ll have surgery in January or February to try and correct her spine and then a few more months in her “princess” tiara halo.    She makes us laugh daily as she giggles and toddles and grabs markers to color whatever she finds.  She loves babies with a passion.  She has so many stuffed animals that it’s not uncommon to see an animal in her arms at all times.  And don’t get me started on how much she adores her brothers and sisters.  She knows that she is their favorite and milks it for all it’s worth.  She is talking more every day and we love to laugh and cheer at her new words.

Yarik, our host son from last winter is now on the track to become our adopted son.  We pray we are able to bring him home soon and trusting God for His provision and guidance.  Adoption is not easy.  At all.  But, we have seen so many answered prayers and so much of God’s hand on us.  We have peace even in the midst of the waiting.  Yarik turns 9 in January.  He is just one of the family.  Easy-going and huggable and goofy and fun. And he’s a boy in our house which means he likes Legos.

Mark and I traveled to Ukraine on our first adoption trip this past November.  We also snuck in a train ride through Germany, Austria and Italy and a quick stay in Venice.  Ukraine and the history and the people are absolutely amazing.  So rich and powerful.   We survived the nine hour flights with no shower or sleep (well, Mark slept but Abbie was wide awake on the way over).  Jet lag pulled at us but we persevered.  Venice was exactly like the pictures and being there was un-real.

I know it doesn’t look like it, but this is the Cliff’s Notes version of our life this year.  The best way to get in depth details (if you are still awake after reading all of this) of our adventures, prayer needs, adoption, and NF is to follow our blog at www.bunchofcharacters.com.  We also just started a facebook page where we can post quick updates: www.facebook.com/bunchofcharacters

If you are still reading, we want to share some closing thoughts. Our year has definitely been a roller coaster with lots of twists, turns, and loops.  We have grown so much in our faith in Christ and our love for our family this year.  We have learned that each day is very precious and that our children are gifts from God.  We also know that He alone has control over their lives and while we try to squeeze tight to that control, God is lovingly showing us that He knows best what they need.  He already has their lives planned out.  We have learned to see God in the mundane and the big things and to praise Him through it all.

May your life be blessed with Christ’s love this coming year and may you see His hand move in mighty ways.

Merry Christmas!

The Characters

Mark, Abbie, Zoe, Ace, Liam, Josiah, Ceili Rain, Bryant, Malachi, Emmie, and Yarik

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the Power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever, and ever.  Amen.”

-Ephesians 3:20-21