Laura is now 15 months old. She is
walking and starting to talk. She has the cutest little Puckish smile and loves
to laugh. She loves music and dancing. She keeps us on our toes and is
constantly working to hone her mountaineering skills by scaling objects she is
not supposed to climb. She also has a Houdini-like ability to open any
container.
Eva is three. Her very favorite
thing is tutus and she refuses to wear anything else. She loves make up and
Dora and fairies. She insists on carrying her “backpacks”, which consist of one
backpack on wheels, one on her back, one bag, and a purse, everywhere she goes.
Her current favorite song is Rudolph (which she asks for by asking for “miss-mas
songs”) and she loves to vehemently insert phrases she learned from her
siblings (such as “like a LIGHTBULB!”) into the song.
Jack is six and in first grade. His
very favorite thing right now is Pokemon. He just got cards for Christmas, but
made his own deck before opening his present. His best friend is Kylie and the
two of them love to create games based on their favorite shows (superhero shows
or power rangers). He gives awesome prayers, incorporating requests shaped by
the shows he loves, such as “help no one to die except bad guys”.
Elizabeth will be eight in two
weeks. She is in second grade this year and is the best reader in her grade,
devouring chapter books in hours. She loves art and regularly creates elaborate
art projects from scratch. She remains literal to the point of ridiculousness,
an interesting trait in a house full people who routinely use hyperbole (“A million years Mom? Nobody lives that
long.”).
Kylie is nine and is in fourth
grade. She has had the same teacher (Mrs. Brooks) for the last three years and
loves school, especially math. She instigated Jack’s Pokemon obsession and has
one of her own. She loves sports and superheros and power rangers and guns. She
has a wonderful sense of humor and keeps us laughing with her kooky outfits.
Her favorite article of clothing is knee socks, which she wears daily, pulled
all the way up.
Megan is eleven and started middle
school this year. She wears lip gloss and got asked out by a boy. She requested
(and received) eye shadow for Christmas. Ugh. I don’t think we’re ready for
this! She loves middle school and especially excels at English. The stories she
writes are amazing! She still loves art, although her interest is now primarily
in clothing design. She started playing the clarinet this fall. She can’t wait
to start officially babysitting next summer and is doing everything she can
think of to prepare.
I (Laney) had a very eventful year.
In March I crossed all my fingers and toes and contacted Dr. Mark Bird (a
therapist I quoted in most of my papers), asking if I could do my internships
with him. He agreed and I started working with him in May. He is an amazing
therapist and I love working with him. I finished the coursework part of my
program in June, maintaining a 4.0 GPA! I plan to take my MFT exam in May and should
graduate this coming June. I continue to work with the Dallas PDI (Prostitute
Diversion Initiative) Program each month and am now also working with the other
half of the program, the John School. I teach the section of the program on
pornography addiction. In September I started doing co-therapy with another
therapist named James, who is now one of my best friends, which is good as we
spend about 25 hours a week together.
The other big thing that happened
to me this year wasn’t quite as fun. At the end of March I was diagnosed with
postpartum cardiomyopathy, or heart failure due to pregnancy. The statistics
for this condition are not great, but we caught it early and my prognosis is
good. It has necessitated about a dozen changes in medications or doses of
medication over the past nine months and has significantly decreased our
participation in social, school, or church functions. It has also given us the
opportunity to streamline our lives and figure out what is really important to
us. It has increased our appreciation for each other and for our friends. Thank
you all for your concern, prayers, meals, and love! It means more than you
know. Currently the medications are preventing my condition from getting worse,
but I’m not getting any better. This is not abnormal; it often takes up to two
years to show signs of improvement in those who recover from this condition.
Rob is still working at Fidelity
(he’ll hit 10 years this spring). He has been an amazing support to me through
all my classes and now my internships, and through my health issues. He somehow
manages to juggle work and housework and taking care of the kids every night on
his own. He sees the older four kids more than I do as I work afternoons and
evenings. He sees this as an opportunity to get closer to them and I’ve loved
seeing his relationship with each of the kids grow and develop. Laura and Eva
have him wrapped around their little fingers. He stopped doing boxing and muay
thai classes due to my health and our schedule, but still loves to watch UFCs
with his friends when he gets the chance.
Lessons learned this year –
Life is short and can change in an instant. Cherish the
special people in your life. Make time for those you love. Surround yourself
with people who believe in you and support you. Figure out what’s really important
and make sure your focus is on the things that really matter. Treasure the
“Kinkade” moments in your life. Never miss a chance to tell someone you love
them or appreciate them. Laugh. Love.
Merry Christmas!!!
Love, Rob, Laney, Megan, Kylie,
Beth, Jack, Eva, and Laura
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