Our Christmas Letter 2008

We are so excited for this holiday season. There are so many things that we are thankful for, and lots of things that have happened this past year.

We moved to our new home in West Haven, Utah at the beginning of December last year (which is why there was no Christmas letter). We love our new home and our new ward. It seems that we have been blessed to move into a place where there are lots of children with speech issues like our Paige has. It's been a blessing to be able to have people to talk to who understand what it's like to have a child who is delayed.

Doug has been really busy the last few months. He still works for the Church doing web development for the Newsroom website. He loves what he does and is glad he works in the environment that he does. He really loves the FrontRunner commuter train, which is only a mile from our house. He spends his time on the train relaxing and watching shows that he downloads to his iPod.

We have had a little work challenge pop up though this year. The church has decided to move Doug's whole department to the old Intel building in Riverton. This means in June this year he will have to add another 25 minutes on to his commute making it one and a half hours each way. We are having faith and hoping that we can work something out so he doesn't have to go down there 5 days a week. Doug's calling in the ward is Ward Clerk. He likes being in on all the action. (I think he will like it less when we move to the 9 AM time slot.)

I have kept busy being a mom. My calling in the ward is Primary teacher for the 7's. Next year I move to the CTR 5's. (Sadly this is because no one but me can keep my daughter sitting still.) I am looking forward to a new challenge. I am grateful for the moments I can have some time to myself at the gym, or go to dinner with the girls. As much as I love my kids, it's nice to spend some time with grownups.

Paige is in preschool at the elementary school this year. She loves her teachers and the helpers in her classroom. She doesn't like the bus ride very much. Her speech has grown by leaps and bounds this year, and I can understand everything she says. She is a talker, and likes to sing Jingle bells, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, I am a Child of God, ABC's, and Jesus wants me for a sunbeam. Recently she started writing her name, and that does a mother's heart good. She's an artistic little thing. She loves painting, drawing, coloring, and play-doh. She likes to play computer (she's her daddy's girl) and eat cookie dough and cheese.

Matt is 2 1/2 and growing fast. He is a boy through and through. He loves cars, trains, and balls. He also loves dirt and mud. He is going through his "I'll do it myself" phase, and I get the biggest kick out of it. He is in nursery and finally to the point where daddy doesn't have to be with him the whole time. Matt's favorite food is Doughnuts and chocolate, but he will stuff any kind of candy into his mouth.

We are so thankful this year for all the many blessing that our Heavenly Father has given us. We have been blessed with Doug's job not to feel the pinch during these economic times. We are blessed with the friends that we have, and the support system they are to us. We are so blessed with our wonderful family. We have amazing parents and grandparents who are always there for us. Most of all we are thankful for the gospel and the knowledge that we have of being an eternal family.

We want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and pray that you find joy in the coming year.