Merry Christmas! We
hope this e-Christmas Card finds you well.
2019 began in a strange way.
Soon after a family Christmas weekend in Little Amana we learned that
Matt’s step-dad had cancer. Larry was
diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer.
God has been good to all of us even in this scary time.
On Groundhog’s Day we got a special surprise. Our little groundhog Anna decided to make her
grand entrance. She came very
quickly. Christine labored at the
hospital for less than a half hour, which was a massive change from when Joshua
was born. With Anna we became a family
of five and had to adjust to that.
Larry wanted everyone to go to Arizona with him in the spring. So, we all did. 18 of us from Iowa, Minnesota, Louisiana and
Australia all went. We spent a couple
days with family in Phoenix and then the bulk of the time in one big house in
Flagstaff. We explored Sedona and
Flagstaff, saw the Grand Canyon, and spent hours enjoying each other. It was an incredibly memorable trip.
Not long after we got back we had to say goodbye to our
first foster daughter “L” after six months in our home. It was a little sad, but mostly very
happy. She and her mom are doing well
and we even got to celebrate Joshua’s second birthday with them in May and her
second birthday with her mom’s family in August.
We spent the summer living as a family of four until August
26th. That evening we got a
call asking if we were able to take a baby boy just 6 weeks younger than Anna
and a 14 year-old boy. We said ‘yes’ and
they arrived at our house the next day.
The boys are still with us now and we’ve been learning how to live as a
family of six.
This year has been eventful.
There have been very high highs and very scary lows, but through it all
God has been with us. And that it was
Christmas is all about: God with us.
Jesus became our Emmanuel more than 2,000 years ago and we eagerly await
His return.
“For to us a child is born,
to us a Son is given;
and the government shall be upon His shoulders,
and His name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6
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