Once again, Catching Up

Boy, oh boy, am I good at putting off this blog.  And the sad thing is that I so enjoy going back and revisiting it from time to time.  Maybe in my NEW, new job, I will do a better job???

So, the new job.  It's with the city still, and I've moved across the hall.  I'm officially a Deputy Clerk-Treasurer, having been appointed back in December.  I did get a bit of a raise, and I definitely enjoy it so far.  My days are mostly less rushed and the stress is even a bit less here.  I still love that my weekends and evenings never involve thinking about work.  And the ladies I work with here and more encouraging.  We perform more as a team over here, and I have my own responsibilities. Woohoo!  My job is accounts receivable, along with many miscellaneous duties.

The picture above is one that Steve took of the children at the Statehouse for the Prayer Service they hold before the legislative session begins.  He took them out of school and they attended with him, which was really neat.  And, as a result, Avery will be going for his first day as a page for his grandpa this Thursday!  How cool!  And how many children grow up with multiple pictures of themselves with the Governor, a State Rep, the mayor.... etc.?  I'd call us blessed!

Speaking of blessed, we had a very blessed Christmas, despite Steve being on shift.  We celebrated on Christmas Eve as a family and then attended the 11 p.m. service at church.  It was magical being in God's House as the hour turned to the day of Christ's birth.  My favorite was the candle lighting service while singing Silent Night. 

We rang in the New Year with the Swift's and the VanOsdol's as our "friendsgiving."  We had a lot of fun eating and catching up.  While we had been seeing each other weekly, that kind of gave way more recently to other busy-ness.  We are so thankful for our friends and the blessing they are in our lives.

The boys enjoyed basketball, which ended mid-December.  They all had fairly successful teams, and Silas' team even went undefeated.  Chaille is now beginning her league at the church.  It is a one hour practice on Mondays and one game each Saturday.  We have officially begun a winter "slow-down" and it seems to be doing us a lot of good.  It is almost as if you can feel the fog lift and we are truly a family again.  I'm loving it!

I'm kind of in a hurry as I wrap this up, so I will add that the kids have had a great first half of the school year, and we have stayed moderately healthy, although the stomach bug invaded our house for a week at the beginning of December, but it was a short bug that took down all of us, except Steve.  Things are really good, and we are really happy.  I'm hopeful to update more often, but no promises because it doesn't usually work out.  We are just plain busy!