Monday, November 21, 2022
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
December 2011
Dear Friends and Family ~
Every year, we get to witness new and wonderful ways that God has worked in our lives and in the lives of our friends and family. And each year seems to be filled with exciting things….In our last Christmas letter, we had moved to Tacoma, WA…we are now back in our home in Klamath Falls, OR as of April. It is naturally a long story (as most exciting things tend to be!) but the main thing is that we have been exceedingly blessed and are very happy to return home. Life for our family is both exhilarating and hair-pulling – in the best way! – with four little ones under 7…
Mataya will turn 8 in January and is a natural-born mother, full of kindness, gentleness, and compassion. She’s an incredible and prompt aid to me when I need her. Whether it’s babysitting Jonathan, cooking on the stove, or simply tidying up the house, she is a faithful servant to me. She still plays violin and picked up piano earlier this year. She’s advancing in her 4th grade school work, keeping me searching my teacher’s manual for help! In her spare time, she loves to crochet, draw, and is a prolific writer to her pen pals. She and Katie are on the swim team and participated in their first swim meet in July, where they both did excellent! We had the incredible joy of witnessing Mataya be baptized by Chris in the Pacific Ocean in September. She had been asking us for months about it, along with the simple yet powerful statement “I love Jesus”. She has shown many fruits of the Holy Spirit and in great measure as well. We have no doubt God saved her soul, she loves Jesus and shares Him with others every chance she gets.
Social butterfly Katie, who turned 5 in August, is still our rainbow child, full of surprises and curiosity. She, above all our children, makes us laugh the most – tummy-hurting laughter. She has the most colorful personality and is very intelligent despite her obvious ridiculous behavior. She started 1st grade earlier this year and is already reading, doing math, memorizing Presidents, the United States, and more. She enjoys taking little Joy under her wing and teaching her things. She also adores preparing food for the family and tries to serve us whenever we have the patience to let her! The messes in our kitchen become quickly overlooked when we see her giving spirit. We enjoy this eccentric little girl so much – though she is loud and freaks out about practically everything! – she is a sweet and true friend…an adventure lives inside this child.
Three-year-old Joy is as sweet as they come, very quiet and very tender. She has a smile that brightens the room and a character that draws you in. She too has learned some Presidents and States and is learning how to write her letters and numbers. She is exceedingly meticulous and colors perfectly inside the lines….? Wow. She is also very petite and is being out-grown by her 1-year old brother. We are in wonder at the fact that she is wearing 12 months still! She too likes to serve, albeit her pretend food from her play kitchen. She’s mama’s girl and cannot seem to be around me enough, I love it. I learned how to do braid extensions (YouTube videos) and have never seen such a cute little African girl! Joy says she looks like mommy now…with the long hair she means!
Jonathan, our first boy, is so stinkin’ sweet, we adore him! Still not walking yet, he travels around quickly on all fours. He turned one in October and is a tall babe, a moose. He outweighs Joy and has met her in height. He is a good and content boy – probably why he doesn’t care about walking. His first word was “dada” followed by his rendition of “blankie”…I took an unexpected third place. Daddy is his favorite buddy though, for sure! Between all the girls, he is a spoiled little man who is never bereft of sloppy kisses.
We are doing well, keeping busy with friends, family, church, and homeschooling. Thanks for taking the time to read how our family has been doing this past year. In whatever you do during the Christmas season – and all year – remember that sweet Jesus came into the world to save us (1 John 4:9-10). Peace be with you all!!
In Christ Alone,
Christopher, Shawna, and children
Dear Friends and Family ~
Every year, we get to witness new and wonderful ways that God has worked in our lives and in the lives of our friends and family. And each year seems to be filled with exciting things….In our last Christmas letter, we had moved to Tacoma, WA…we are now back in our home in Klamath Falls, OR as of April. It is naturally a long story (as most exciting things tend to be!) but the main thing is that we have been exceedingly blessed and are very happy to return home. Life for our family is both exhilarating and hair-pulling – in the best way! – with four little ones under 7…
Mataya will turn 8 in January and is a natural-born mother, full of kindness, gentleness, and compassion. She’s an incredible and prompt aid to me when I need her. Whether it’s babysitting Jonathan, cooking on the stove, or simply tidying up the house, she is a faithful servant to me. She still plays violin and picked up piano earlier this year. She’s advancing in her 4th grade school work, keeping me searching my teacher’s manual for help! In her spare time, she loves to crochet, draw, and is a prolific writer to her pen pals. She and Katie are on the swim team and participated in their first swim meet in July, where they both did excellent! We had the incredible joy of witnessing Mataya be baptized by Chris in the Pacific Ocean in September. She had been asking us for months about it, along with the simple yet powerful statement “I love Jesus”. She has shown many fruits of the Holy Spirit and in great measure as well. We have no doubt God saved her soul, she loves Jesus and shares Him with others every chance she gets.
Jonathan, our first boy, is so stinkin’ sweet, we adore him! Still not walking yet, he travels around quickly on all fours. He turned one in October and is a tall babe, a moose. He outweighs Joy and has met her in height. He is a good and content boy – probably why he doesn’t care about walking. His first word was “dada” followed by his rendition of “blankie”…I took an unexpected third place. Daddy is his favorite buddy though, for sure! Between all the girls, he is a spoiled little man who is never bereft of sloppy kisses.
In Christ Alone,
Christopher, Shawna, and children
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Randoms...
Thanksgiving: Making frosting in the KitchenAid, the rule is to lick the whisk when finished...
Daddy and Joy
That's hippy rebel Kate...always doing something cute (translated: strange and alarming)
Our sweet little man...surrounded by three sisters...hopefully the next one's a little bro for him.
Cocoa Bear!
Our Children
So we tried a couple times to get a picture with all four of the children...this is what we came up with...we really hope to get one with us parents in it too but that's difficult to do when I'm (Shawna) the one behind the camera. We'll work on getting that family portrait as soon as possible!
So here we have Mataya (Matty), turns 7 in about a week, Katie 4, Joy 2, and Jonathan 2 months old.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Christmas 2010
December 2010
Our Dear Friends & Family,
Merry, Merry Christmas!! What a joyful year this has been…Matty said to us a couple days ago, “Mommy, why does it seem like the months are going by faster now?” She’s only 6 and is already realizing this?! It’s so true. All the more reason and drive for us to live out each day to the fullest measure of what God has for us.
The latest news….We moved from Klamath Falls to Seattle (Tacoma) back in late August for one reason: the children. Over the last 6 ½ years that Chris has worked for the railroad, this time of year has always been the most difficult because he leaves us for a few months at a time due to slow traffic in Klamath. We learned just how heavily this wore on Matty as she lay in our bed crying one July evening because Daddy would be leaving in the morning. It was at that very point we decided to drop everything and move. Chris resolved that it was unacceptable to ‘raise’ his children in this way. We rented our home to some dear friends and moved. To say the least, we made many sacrifices in order to move us up here for the sake and health of our family…and we seriously cannot even begin to explain to you how much God has changed us in the last few months of us being here. Miraculous and wonderful.
The latest, latest news…we had a baby! Jonathan David was birthed at our home on October 19 at 7AM. He was a planned homebirth and came right on his due date, 8lbs 4oz. He has already added flavor to our family of women and is Daddy’s favorite little man (he can say that as long as he’s the only boy!).
In March…with Shawna 3 months pregnant, we flew to Ethiopia, Africa! After 1 ½ yrs of paperwork (and $25,000 later), we picked up our 22-month African beauty who we named Joy. Thus…we doubled our children in less than 9 months! “Cocoa-Bear”, as we like to call her, is now 2 1/2 and has proven to be remarkably intelligent. She has an amazing memory and is also the most snuggly child with an empathetic, warm heart that diffuses any pain or sadness. She eagerly looks forward to tea time with Mommy. Her favorite thing to do besides eating is coloring.
Katie, our 4yr old hippy rebel, is enjoying kindergarten with who she calls “Teacher Mommy”. She writes all her letters and numbers very well and can spell her name as well as her sisters’ names. She’s also reading sight words and always insists “Mommy, Jesus is God and the Holy Spirit, all three together are God”. Hey, she has her theology nailed down! She is a most eccentric, appreciative and sharing child, even though she’s the most vicious and short-fused!
Mataya, our disciplined, meticulous, and studious girl will be turning 7 in January (yikes) and is excelling in 3rd grade. When mommy’s busy, she takes it upon herself to teach Katie her schoolwork. She’s a huge help for Mommy, as are all our girls. A week ago, she lost her two front teeth and has the cutest smile with her gap. When she’s not doing school or playing violin, you’re guaranteed to find her either reading a chapter book or writing to one of her 13 (!) pen pals. Her and Katie are still attending Awana at a local church and we are still in search for our church home.
Shawna adores being devoted to the home and four children each God-given, grace-filled day. Chris joyfully provides for us from his office on the rails controlling the BNSF locomotive delivering yesterday’s freight tomorrow. Though we are all thriving and rejoicing in all our many blessings, we miss our friends and family ‘back home’ in Klamath. It’s our hope that someday we will return.
“For unto us is born this day in the City of David, a SAVIOR who is CHRIST THE LORD!!!” Luke 2:11
Merry Christmas!
Our Dear Friends & Family,
Merry, Merry Christmas!! What a joyful year this has been…Matty said to us a couple days ago, “Mommy, why does it seem like the months are going by faster now?” She’s only 6 and is already realizing this?! It’s so true. All the more reason and drive for us to live out each day to the fullest measure of what God has for us.
The latest news….We moved from Klamath Falls to Seattle (Tacoma) back in late August for one reason: the children. Over the last 6 ½ years that Chris has worked for the railroad, this time of year has always been the most difficult because he leaves us for a few months at a time due to slow traffic in Klamath. We learned just how heavily this wore on Matty as she lay in our bed crying one July evening because Daddy would be leaving in the morning. It was at that very point we decided to drop everything and move. Chris resolved that it was unacceptable to ‘raise’ his children in this way. We rented our home to some dear friends and moved. To say the least, we made many sacrifices in order to move us up here for the sake and health of our family…and we seriously cannot even begin to explain to you how much God has changed us in the last few months of us being here. Miraculous and wonderful.
The latest, latest news…we had a baby! Jonathan David was birthed at our home on October 19 at 7AM. He was a planned homebirth and came right on his due date, 8lbs 4oz. He has already added flavor to our family of women and is Daddy’s favorite little man (he can say that as long as he’s the only boy!).
In March…with Shawna 3 months pregnant, we flew to Ethiopia, Africa! After 1 ½ yrs of paperwork (and $25,000 later), we picked up our 22-month African beauty who we named Joy. Thus…we doubled our children in less than 9 months! “Cocoa-Bear”, as we like to call her, is now 2 1/2 and has proven to be remarkably intelligent. She has an amazing memory and is also the most snuggly child with an empathetic, warm heart that diffuses any pain or sadness. She eagerly looks forward to tea time with Mommy. Her favorite thing to do besides eating is coloring.
Katie, our 4yr old hippy rebel, is enjoying kindergarten with who she calls “Teacher Mommy”. She writes all her letters and numbers very well and can spell her name as well as her sisters’ names. She’s also reading sight words and always insists “Mommy, Jesus is God and the Holy Spirit, all three together are God”. Hey, she has her theology nailed down! She is a most eccentric, appreciative and sharing child, even though she’s the most vicious and short-fused!
Mataya, our disciplined, meticulous, and studious girl will be turning 7 in January (yikes) and is excelling in 3rd grade. When mommy’s busy, she takes it upon herself to teach Katie her schoolwork. She’s a huge help for Mommy, as are all our girls. A week ago, she lost her two front teeth and has the cutest smile with her gap. When she’s not doing school or playing violin, you’re guaranteed to find her either reading a chapter book or writing to one of her 13 (!) pen pals. Her and Katie are still attending Awana at a local church and we are still in search for our church home.
Shawna adores being devoted to the home and four children each God-given, grace-filled day. Chris joyfully provides for us from his office on the rails controlling the BNSF locomotive delivering yesterday’s freight tomorrow. Though we are all thriving and rejoicing in all our many blessings, we miss our friends and family ‘back home’ in Klamath. It’s our hope that someday we will return.
“For unto us is born this day in the City of David, a SAVIOR who is CHRIST THE LORD!!!” Luke 2:11
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Three months later...
Does anyone still read this, or am I just trying to hear myself talk? It has been three months since we last posted anything, and I thought, with all the recent changes, what better time to restart this. So what have we been up to since late June? Well…
… we live in Seattle and are expecting our fourth very soon!
Maybe you should have some filler, if you’re at all interested that is. Let’s see, I guess I should go back to where things started getting interesting, in early July. On July 5, because of a work slow down, I (Chris) was forced to go back to southern WA to provide for the family. As the time came for me to leave, that afternoon in fact, Mataya (and the rest of us) had a sort of melt down. For six years, since I was hired by the railroad, I have spent most of my railroad time away, mostly in southern WA. Well that reality finally caught up to us, as it typically does to Shawna and me when I leave, but the difference between this time and previous times was that we saw the genuine pain in Matty’s eyes as I was getting ready to leave. I was planning on leaving in the middle of the night, after the kids went to bed. That night, Matty couldn’t, wouldn’t is more like an appropriate word, go to sleep. We kept her in our bed where she stayed up crying and told me that she wouldn’t go to sleep because that meant that I was leaving. That hit Shawna and I like a ton of bricks, there was so much hurt there. We stayed up well past 1am at a loss of what to do. For so long we have talked about moving close to a terminal where I can work year round. But it always ended there, at talk. We tried to put the talk into action several years ago, but fell short after tried very little (we put our house on the market for five months before pulling it and deciding to deal with the situation). So this was the time, time to put family first, and stop worrying about possessions like the house.
The next few weeks flew by as we prepared for the upcoming move. We first had to decide where, we chose Seattle. Next was when, we decided to immediately. Finally was how, and we decided to just go for it. The last week of August found us with the house completely boxed up, everything in the garage waiting for the moving truck, and us happily on our way to Seattle, as a family, together. We found a place within a week, came back to Klamath a week later, and moved in to the new house in mid August. What about our things and the house in Klamath Falls? We rented a U-Haul, loaded our stuff, and some good friends of ours who wanted to rent our house, moved their stuff in. It was truly incredible how things fell into place with such an ease that stress was very minimal.
So here we are, 15 miles south of Seattle in Tacoma/Federal Way. We are in a nice house owned by an Air Force pilot who was relocated to another area. Our time has been spent on relearning the area. Shawna and I lived up here while I was on active duty over six years ago and left just after Matty was born. We have been integrating well and like it here. We found a great church, enrolled the kids in Awana, started this year’s home-school curriculum, and are expecting number four in a few weeks! We have decided to home-birth, if it so works out, and found an awesome midwife. Shawna has been incredible through all of this radical change, and knows nothing of complaining (which at over 8 months pregnant is expected but is non-existent). The kids and I are truly blessed to have her run our home. I may lead it, but she makes it function.
Of course, with how quickly and easily everything fell into place, there have been struggles. Our struggles with saying goodbye to our friends and family and the life we have grown accustomed to have of course left us with feelings of sadness. But through all the myriad of emotions these past few months, we are discovering something else. We came here wanting to be close to each other and to avoid long separation, but what we are finding is even more than that, something more exhilarating, something more special, and it took us the huge culture shock of moving to open our eyes to it.
… we live in Seattle and are expecting our fourth very soon!
Maybe you should have some filler, if you’re at all interested that is. Let’s see, I guess I should go back to where things started getting interesting, in early July. On July 5, because of a work slow down, I (Chris) was forced to go back to southern WA to provide for the family. As the time came for me to leave, that afternoon in fact, Mataya (and the rest of us) had a sort of melt down. For six years, since I was hired by the railroad, I have spent most of my railroad time away, mostly in southern WA. Well that reality finally caught up to us, as it typically does to Shawna and me when I leave, but the difference between this time and previous times was that we saw the genuine pain in Matty’s eyes as I was getting ready to leave. I was planning on leaving in the middle of the night, after the kids went to bed. That night, Matty couldn’t, wouldn’t is more like an appropriate word, go to sleep. We kept her in our bed where she stayed up crying and told me that she wouldn’t go to sleep because that meant that I was leaving. That hit Shawna and I like a ton of bricks, there was so much hurt there. We stayed up well past 1am at a loss of what to do. For so long we have talked about moving close to a terminal where I can work year round. But it always ended there, at talk. We tried to put the talk into action several years ago, but fell short after tried very little (we put our house on the market for five months before pulling it and deciding to deal with the situation). So this was the time, time to put family first, and stop worrying about possessions like the house.
The next few weeks flew by as we prepared for the upcoming move. We first had to decide where, we chose Seattle. Next was when, we decided to immediately. Finally was how, and we decided to just go for it. The last week of August found us with the house completely boxed up, everything in the garage waiting for the moving truck, and us happily on our way to Seattle, as a family, together. We found a place within a week, came back to Klamath a week later, and moved in to the new house in mid August. What about our things and the house in Klamath Falls? We rented a U-Haul, loaded our stuff, and some good friends of ours who wanted to rent our house, moved their stuff in. It was truly incredible how things fell into place with such an ease that stress was very minimal.
So here we are, 15 miles south of Seattle in Tacoma/Federal Way. We are in a nice house owned by an Air Force pilot who was relocated to another area. Our time has been spent on relearning the area. Shawna and I lived up here while I was on active duty over six years ago and left just after Matty was born. We have been integrating well and like it here. We found a great church, enrolled the kids in Awana, started this year’s home-school curriculum, and are expecting number four in a few weeks! We have decided to home-birth, if it so works out, and found an awesome midwife. Shawna has been incredible through all of this radical change, and knows nothing of complaining (which at over 8 months pregnant is expected but is non-existent). The kids and I are truly blessed to have her run our home. I may lead it, but she makes it function.
Of course, with how quickly and easily everything fell into place, there have been struggles. Our struggles with saying goodbye to our friends and family and the life we have grown accustomed to have of course left us with feelings of sadness. But through all the myriad of emotions these past few months, we are discovering something else. We came here wanting to be close to each other and to avoid long separation, but what we are finding is even more than that, something more exhilarating, something more special, and it took us the huge culture shock of moving to open our eyes to it.
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