Yesterday I just dropped of a big stack of Christmas cards with love at the post office. I love Christmas cards. I thinking of an idea, I love creating them with Scott on photoshop, I love ordering and when they arrive I hold my breath hoping they will turn out as I saw in my mind. (and hoping everything is spelled correctly since we probably ordered them when we were too tired late one school night)
I love when cards start arriving to our home. I love to see the pictures of friends far and wide and how God has blessed them. This year I opened three cards from former students: one very beautiful bride (I was her first grade teacher), one handsome groom (I was his second grade teacher), and one new Dad (I was his first and second grade teacher - I looped with me class that year). What a blessing to see them.
I carefully hang each one up on a garland above our kitchen window, remembering to pray for all of them throughout advent and the Christmas season.
With our family card now out and arriving at others homes I thought it might be a good idea to update 'where we are' in our little family, in case anyone is wondering. (I do put this blog address on all of our cards to visit us)
Let's start with Scott and I.
Scott and I are celebrating our 30th married Christmas. Yes, it's our 30. 💕 We are busy, we are happy, we are loving our lives.
Scott is a principal at a middle school in Simsbury, Connecticut. It is a huge school and a huge responsibility. He has a heart for education and loves what he does. But it's a big job and once in a while I hear him counting the years (not too many) until retirement. He trusts in the Lord for guidance each day in his work, both the little day to day, and the bigger picture of why he is called to education and the specific work he is doing.
I am a fourth grade teacher. It is my eighteenth year as a classroom teacher, nine years before my babies came into my life and I had the amazing privilege of being a stay at home mama for many years, and nine years so far since I went back to teaching. I love love love what I do. I love learning new ideas and perfecting what I can with my teaching and education. I am finishing up my + 30 credits (since my masters way back in 1999).
Motherhood, marriage, faith, and homemaking are my passion. I believe that home is meant to be heaven on earth and the place where faith is nurtured and grows.
Scott and I both believe in discipleship parenting and being 'never done'. We believe that they still need guidance, love, support, and now friendship in a sometimes dark and confusing words. Both in their young adult years, the foundation that we set is strong, but we want to be servant leaders always giving, supporting, loving (even from afar). Sometimes that can mean when they are home a hot bowl of their favorite soup, a listening ear, little surprises, lots of talking on the phone when they are far away, encouraging daily, and affirming their gifts and abilities.
Anna is 22 years old. How did that happen? She is beautiful. Her heart is of gold. And having her home while she is in graduate school has been such a gift to Scott and I. We are so lucky.
Anna graduated from the College of the Holy Cross this past May.
She applied for graduate schools throughout her senior year of college. She was accepted into a 3 year program for masters + 60 (I believe) in school psychology. She will become a psychologist in 3 years. She is attending Fairfield University and commutes over an hour 3 afternoons/evenings a week. It is a tough program and highly regarded. She is in a cohort and will be with the same students all 3 years. She's met friends and even carpools with one she's gotten to know really well.
Anna is a strong student and one of the hardest workers I know. She also acquired a gradship with the university to help pay for her masters. She works for a professor as writing/editing articles, with class details, things like that.
She is also working at an elementary school over 20 hours a week as a math tutor. She has to plan, test, adjust, and teach small groups of students who need to receive math support. It is an important role in the school and she has to attend meetings with the principal each week with updated data from her students. She takes her position very seriously and loves 'her kids'. She often talks of them them it so so so so much fun to have now education and teaching in common with her.
Abigail just completed her first semester of college. (graduation here) (college decision here) She had so many wonderful catholic choices. And boy! She chose right! Fairfield University is a Jesuit college steeped in catholic tradition. (college drop off here) She loves that her college is catholic. She is majoring in social work and minoring in Catholicism. She has taken some hard classes this first semester but wow! What a writer. So proud of her and how she is allowing God to stretch and move her during these college years. What happened to my baby girl? I miss her more than I can say and the first few months she was gone I had moments of pure sadness but Scott and I are slowly getting used to our new role in her life and loving on and supporting her from a far.
We are grateful for all that God is doing in our lives and completely trust him, rely on him, love him above all. Jesus is the center of our family and without our deep, rich Catholic faith we could not thrive in our lives. Scott and I attended the same church we found (in the city of Hartford) since we were young newlyweds. We believe in the mission, the heart, and the work that the friars are doing there. It is a joy to be a part of something 'bigger' than the day to day.
With that, on to the end of Advent and the beginning of the Christmas season. It is such a joy to write here and have this space filled with so many memories, pictures, and thoughts. Feel free to click on a different year and read. I have over ten years of posts in this little blog of mine.
I pray that anyone that clicks on this spot will be blessed by God and find joy this Christmas season as we have. We are so blessed. Merry Christmas everyone!
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