I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas, With every Christmas Card I
write…
It’s hard to believe that just one year ago, after singing
“All I want for Christmas is Ollie” all month long, that on Christmas Eve our
precious baby boy was placed in our arms for the very first time. He was truly a
Christmas miracle and we are eternally grateful for our earthly angel that
brought him into this world and has been there to rejoice with us ever
since.
Looking back 2012 has felt like the spring after a long, long
winter. We may have been doing a little snowboarding during that long winter
and finding other ways to still enjoy life, but it was a long winter none the
less. Now that the spring has come we can finally look back with gratitude for
what the winter taught us, how it changed us and truly brought us closer to our
Heavenly Father. Our hearts go out to family, friends and neighbors that are
still in the winters of their lives, our prayers are ever with you.
This was definitely a year of change for us. There were
things we had to give up (like sleep!), and other things that we had to simply
adapt (like baby proofing our house, or sitting close to an exit at the movies.)
There were countless “firsts” for Ollie and for us that were new, exciting, and
priceless (like watching him learn to roll over, clap his hands, or say Momma
and Dada for the very first time!). Truly every day we have with him still
feels like a miracle, and we worry all the time that we are spoiling him
because we can’t help but hold him a little tighter and kiss his precious cheek
one more time, wanting to hold onto every little moment because they are all
passing so quickly!
The most monumental moment of the year was taking Ollie to
the temple to become a forever family. All dressed in white surrounded by loved
ones, Ollie was sealed to us over the very same alter Matt and I were sealed
over 14 years ago. Words can never tell the things we felt in our hearts that
day, but the blessings are eternal as is our love for each other. This
Christmas card is a celebration of that cherished event in our life, and our
dream of another day when we will all be dressed in white again as we are
officially starting the process all over, praying for our next little miracle!
Matt still keeps himself busy running his landscaping company, and you would have thought a baby would have slowed him down, but he has still found plenty of time to play this year. He of course loves having his little side kick right there with him and dreams about when he will be big enough to play with the big boyz. In the mean time I get to hear plenty of laughs and giggles coming out of those two as they wrestle around and play together. He couldn’t be happier to be a Dad!
One of our favorite memories was taking Ollie to Kauai when he was 4 months old to introduce him to the ocean for the very first time. Matt also got busy introducing him to surfing in our own back yard, and we did make it to California to watch Dada hit the waves out there. Some of Matt’s other fun excursions this year included fishing off the coast of BC Canada with Uncle Rich, and a real live cattle drive with the brothers.
Another big change for the family came later in the year when Matt was called as Elders Quorum President. He’s never served in Elders Quorum before so it has been a humbling experience but he is growing so much as he makes sacrifices to prepare himself, to love, and to serve others. We feel so blessed to have so many people loving and supporting him!
Loree
Having Ollie has opened my eyes and I now have a bit more
understanding and empathy for mothers. I’m in awe of all the women that make it
look so easy! I have learned to let go of a daily shower, brushed hair and even
brushed teeth, and there is plenty of dust and other things that I have had to overlook.
It’s not that I don’t still make the effort, I’ve just had to learn that it’s
ok to push some things off so I can not only tend to Ollie’s needs but also enjoy my time with him.
Other favorite experiences this year were rappelling through
waterfalls in Moab, and ice-climbing with Matt on a glacier in Alaska. Truly
amazing- the deep blue ice and cascading waterfalls inside the glacier took my
breath away! Grateful for the one-on-one time with Matt also!
Ollie
It’s amazing how much Ollie has grown and changed in just one
year. He has gone from the quiet little, completely dependent baby to this
mobile, independent little man that is bursting with personality. He loves to
make funny faces, sticking out his big lips as far as they can go to protest
when we say “No” and at other times just because he knows it makes us laugh.
Ollie is quite social. He adores all of the family, and it warms my heart to see how much they love him. Nieces and nephews that use to rush to Matt and me are now much more excited to see him! No matter where we go his cute little self always gets attention, he loves to dish out his big smiles and seems to make everyone’s day a little brighter!
His favorite things in life are eating, wrestling his kitty, climbing on his big dog, opening cupboards and emptying out the contents, anything electronic, playing in water (whether it’s the pool, the shower, the bath, or the sink- he loves splashing around!), and being the center of our little world! We can never get enough of this little guy and while we try and hold onto every little moment praying he won’t grow too fast, we can’t wait to experience the joys each new stage of his life brings!
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