MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Dear family and friends,

It seems like yesterday that we were just starting the New Year of 2009! WOW this year has gone by so fast. It is a well known fact that time flies when you are having fun…and a fun year it has been!

Neil finished up his classroom year in June and we were able to enjoy him for 3 months at home before he started his clinical rotations. We are excited for him to be finished with school in August of 2010. We are so proud of him and all of his accomplishments in life. Every night when he walks in the door, the kids break into song singing:

I’m so glad when Daddy comes home,

Glad as I can be;
Clap my hands and shout for joy,
Then climb upon his knee,
Put my arms around his neck,
Hug him tight like this,
Pat his cheeks, then give him what?
A great big kiss.

I like to think that this is Neil’s favorite part of the day. All of the kids thoroughly enjoy their daddy! And I enjoy having his help and support here in our home. And did I mention that I am excited for him to be finished with school in August next year? Well, I am!

Earlier this year I was teaching scrapbooking classes at the local scrapbook store—something I need to do so I can continue getting my scrapbooking fix while on a very fixed budget. But like every other store that I have taught at, it closed in October. It was a very sad day and I haven’t found another outlet, yet. It may even appear that I have been in a deep depression because I haven’t blogged in that long either! I do plan on being better next year.

The kids continue to grow and never cease to put a smile on our faces every day. Brendan started Primary at church this year and is often the loudest singer during singing time. He has enjoyed learning his ABC’s and likes to color every day. He keeps on reminding us that he wants to move back to Indiana after Dad is done with school. WE hope that that isn’t the case.

Eliza has accomplished a lot this year in giving up her *binkie* and learning how to go potty on the toilet. She is our talker and is always saying something cutesy. She has quite the look out of the corner of her eye and grins with her lips curled in. What a character! She has been found reading books in her room for hours and has become quite the mom to Lincoln lately.

Lincoln is trying to master the art of walking right now. He is such a cute little brother and wants to play with whatever his siblings are interested in. He is sporting the same vocabulary that Brendan had at this age. Everything is UHHH, UHHH. He has finally started to sleep through the night (truthfully…we just stopped listening and he is a very fast learner). We love our children dearly and count them as beautiful blessings in our lives!

We enjoyed a long vacation from life here at the apartments in July and loved our time at Mammoth with the Bedkes and at Lake Powell with the Ericksons. We loved being with family and can’t wait for the time when we can travel more often to see people more often. We are so blessed with the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. It is great to be able to live in the latter days!

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love,

the Ericksons in Yakima: Neil, Julia, Brendan, Eliza, and Lincoln