Christmas Greetings

Got these out before Christmas...which is a minor miracle in itself. Each year in my attempt to "keep things simple" I take on more in photoshop than I know how in order to do the cards myself because I'm secretly, subconsciously trying to sabotage the keep-it-simple theme... I have a little more know-how (through trial and error) and a little less hair at the end of the process... 

Hope you enjoy the year-at-a-glance update. Maranatha! (Look it up.)

Merry Christmas Dear Friends and Family!

The Story: A Day In The Life of The Mezgers

Kyle goes to work super early. Three kids wake up. Alison drinks an obscene amount of coffee. Preschool drop-off for somebody (all three on Friday)! Alison pushes a jogging stroller or a shopping stroller. Drive by the new house under construction on the way home. Eat lunch – preferably something plated to resemble a face. Rebecca takes off her clothes and puts on a tiara. Maggie cuddles before naptime. Owen builds something or draws something or both. “Quiet Time” is less than quiet. Kyle gets home. The people rejoice! Alison defaults to cooking venison sausage because, well, why not? Kyle and Alison try to have a conversation over dinner – and decide to bail until office hours can be scheduled. Kids pull out every toy and pillow in the house. Baths are discussed and sometimes executed. Maggie plays in the potty if the bathroom door is left open. Stories are read. Teeth are brushed. Rebecca isn’t tired and thus dances in bed. Owen has one more question, then one more. House finally gets quiet. Kyle and Alison say hello and quickly discuss house decisions Alison has probably already made. Kyle goes to bed so he can get up early to put people to sleep. Alison stays up late warranting the next day’s coffee. Sound familiar? Busy and blessed.

The Cast In Order of Age:

Maggie – Seriously snuggly, smiley and spunky 18 month-old. New to walking and talking – she is all over the place with her drunken-sailor-waddle and uh-ohs. It didn’t take her long to establish “her spot” on the couch – right in the middle of Owen & Rebecca. She is a full-blown one-nap-taking, open-mouth-kiss-giving, sippy-cup-drinking, cabinet-locks-don’t-stand-a-chance-against-me toddler. She loves her baby dolls, going down the slide (head first –weee!) and eating play-doh and crayons.

Rebecca – Mermaid-Princess-Ballerina-Angel-Tinkerbelle – in her own words. Rebecca, three years old, is an extreme extrovert with a flair for the dramatic – in wardrobe choices, playtime games and tantrums. She is an encourager – cheering on her own potty training successes with an enthusiastic hip hip horay!  She loves to plan imaginary birthday parties (just like Momma) and pack for trips (just like Daddy), filling bags of all type with items of all kind. She loves being sneaky, having “girl time,” giving animal-themed kisses, painting (herself) and dancing. Most of all, she just loves fun!

Owen -  (Still) The world’s best big brother. Five years old going on thirty. Basically – he’s last year’s
“curious gentleman with a goofy side” – with another year under his belt. He is always designing and building things – loves his legos and toy circuit board. He has moved on from outer space to snakes (oh. joy.) and loves to hum, especially music with a synthesizer. He had his first successful dear hunt and first jump off the diving board this year – no doubt inspired by late nights up watching the Olympics this summer. No more nap. No more training wheels. Ready to learn to read so he can follow all the instructions by himself!

Alison –Highlights of the year: Seeing walls on the new house go up, finding some regular babysitters, waking up early (not joking), picking out doorknobs (joking), throwing her Mom a surprise party that was actually a surprise, Friday mornings, photo-taking and blogging (without a single hard drive crash this year), cramming for book club, hiking and sleeping late in Banff, Canada with Kyle (without kids), participating in the crab-hunting tradition at the Mezger Family Port-A beach trip (not that bad, actually).

Kyle ­- Highlights of the year: Time at Uncle Frank’s ranch, camping at E-Rock and Garner State Parks (highlights for all), deer hunting with Owen, bear-spotting and hiking in Banff, successfully transporting anesthesia drugs to Honduras (the good kind of drug trafficking), picking out gutters (sorta not joking), being forced to wear Alison’s court jester Halloween costume from 7^th grade (what a team player) to fit the family theme.

The Next Chapter - Lord willing, we’ll be in our new house sometime in the spring. Yippee!!! We have a dedicated guest room that we’re currently taking reservations for…so let us know when you want to visit!  Kyle and Alison go to Honduras in April (Kyle’s return trip, Alison’s first) – all three kids will stay with grandparents (this is their official notice). Summer will be hot, but we’ll eat lots of cold watermelon and survive. Then Owen starts kindergarten – whoa. Whoa. A crazy fall will ensue. And we’ll remind ourselves how much we have to be thankful for.

The Bigger Story: Jesus Emmanuel

A baby was born 2000 years ago so that our stories would matter. So that the happy, the sad, the epic and the mundane would all matter. We’ve said it before but life’s craziness warrants us reminding ourselves again – this is not our home. Jesus is our cornerstone, our promise and highest hope, the architect of our lives and our great reward. “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell…” (1 Colossians 1:15-20). Oh, the joy we find when we dwell there too. 

Merry Christmas to you and yours, 

With love, 

the Mezgers