Christmas 2013

Once again we are choosing to make our Christmas card digital and share it with loads more people, than send it out to just a few.   This is our official Christmas card of 2013 :-)

This year has been another fabulous year for our family.  Obviously, it comes with the normal ups and downs of raising two young kids, but overall we feel very blessed.

Paul is still working at Meijer, but has moved from logistics to ecommerce.  I am still learning what all of that means, but think I am understanding it more and more.  Due to this move at Meijer he really needed to step back from the part-time job he held at our church.  It was a really tough decision, but in the end I think we both knew it was the right decision.  He still finds himself helping out at Cornerstone often whether it's with lights or service directing, but the time there is much more manageable--and his wife is MUCH happier to see more of him  :-)

I am somehow surviving with my crazy children at home.  For those of you who read my posts on Facebook, you are well aware that Belle and Evie are keeping me busy.  Although I love being home with them I am more than thrilled for a night out to sing with Alive, do something MOPS related, or even just unwind at the end of the day with my crochet hook and a ball of yarn.   As you can imagine, parenting a drama queen and an antagonist can lead to many interesting and entertaining moments in the Thompson household!  Thank goodness they are so stinking cute ;-)  Belle and Evie teach me something new everyday--whether it's about the mind of a child or about myself as a person.  As I always say, this parenting gig is the hardest, but most amazing and rewarding job I have ever had.

Belle is still quite the dramatic child.  I am CERTAIN that she makes up for the time she doesn't talk while sleeping within the first 15 minutes of being awake each morning.  She is a chatty girl who still has some killer one-liners.  Belle is curious about the world around her and loves to ask questions and figure things out.  Right now she is at preschool at Legacy Christian School, and seems to really enjoy it.  She loves to sing, read, color, and play with her dolls.

Evie has definitely kept me busy this year.  We had our first couple of trips to the doctor to get some stitches, and I tend to follow her around to make sure she doesn't kill herself or ruin the house.  You can often tell where Evie has been because she usually leaves a trail of marker colored walls, rolls of toilet paper in the toilet, or broken toys.  She is a busy girl, but she is quite the cuddler.  Evie melts my heart every day when she grabs her blanket, pacifier, and climbs onto my lap to watch a show.  She sure knows how to work that cute smile and curly hair.

We are just a a few weeks away from meeting the next member of our family.  My pregnancy has been fairly easy, and we are thrilled to welcome a little boy.  I am not quite sure what awaits him with his two older sisters, but I am certain Belle will be my big helper and Evie will be covering him in kisses (or trying to sit on him).

We have definitely had our own set of trials in 2013, but we feel thankful for the blessings we have experienced as well.   It is a continual process of relying and trusting on God to give us strength in our marriage, patience and confidence in our parenting, and direction for our family and work life.

Blessings in your 2014!