Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Here is another year later and I am in awe that time has flown by in the blink of an eye. A good friend told me one day that "The days are long, but the years are short" and I couldn't agree more! This past year has been filled with so many ups and downs and full of great heartache as well as joys, and lots of changes!

Madelynn is 13, almost 14months, months old as I sit here and she is amazing! She is so smart and she is an AMAZING little mama! She nurses her babies, dresses/undresses her babies, reads to her babies and totes them everywhere she goes! She has a new love of dresses and 'girly' things and she loves to carry clothes around the house. She has a tendency to grab baby wipes, washcloths, or towels and then she'll proceed around my house dusting and cleaning everything! Madelynn is such a daddy's girl and as soon as Dan walks into the door she runs to him with the biggest smile and she throws her arms around his neck. Whenever there is an opportunity to look outside, she is constantly yelling 'dad' as she searches out the window for him! It is so sweet! She's a great eater, will eat almost anything, and is still nursing strong! My personal goal is to nurse until 2 or until she self-weans. Madelynn is so sweet, and if you haven't had the chance to meet her, let's set something up, because she will surely melt your heart!!

Joshua is 2.5, almost 3 (March). He is all boy! Joshua loves his trains, his cars, and his play kitchen! He is a mean cook and loves to show everyone what he can do with plastic food!! In October Joshua decided that he was done with diapers. He woke up one day and refused a diaper and that was nearly the end of it. It took a little longer to be night trained, but from the get go he was day and nap trained-I'm so proud!! Joshua is a cuddle bug and a bookworm and he is s-l-o-w-l-y getting better with meeting new people. He is still very noise-sensitive and doesn't do well in large crowds, but he's learning that being close to mommy and daddy, and saying a little prayer, makes it all better! Speaking of prayer-Joshua is AMAZING! He prays anytime someone gets a boo-boo and he lays his sweet little hands on the owie and prays to Jesus asking Him to take the boo-boo's away. It is the sweetest thing! He tends to pray a sermon at dinner, but gets cold feet when we have company over. Joshua loves his sissy to death and he is also a GREAT big brother!

Dan is still working at Minnesota Teen Challenge in the IT Department and recently was promoted to Network Administrator. He loves his job but is starting to find it difficult to be at work as Joshua does not like for daddy to leave and often calls crying that he misses daddy. Dan is doing an amazing job at TC and we have been blessed that he loves his boss! 'The Boss' is great and his wife and I have become very close this past year and I have been truly blessed by their presences in our life!

I am still working from home doing daycare. Currently I am caring for 2 families, one part time and one full time. The kids both love that they have playmates and I love that the kids aren't easily bored with others around. The littlest daycare kid is just starting to get mobile and I have enjoyed her 'babyness' so much, as Madelynn was on the move from such an early age (crawling at 4months, walking at 8mo). We recently moved into another apartment in Maple Grove and we love it! (If you don't have our new address and want it let me know!)

So there you have it, a brief look at 2010! As we wrap this year up I pray that you will remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Season and that He is why we celebrate each Christmas. It's not the presents, the food or the guy in the big red suit, but because of Jesus, God's own son!!

Merry Christmas!
Dan, Autumn, Joshua and Madelynn