Time to share this year's Christmas portraits of precious Eli James and Abby Lila!
I just love how much Abigail looks like my G-Ma in this first one.
And how very evident Eli's love for his sister is is the others!
And here is our Christmas card and letter.
Dear Family and Friends,
Merry Christmas! We look forward to writing this letter each year as an opportunity both to update you on our family and to share what Christmas means to us. While it is a time to appreciate family and friends, and to show love through the giving of gifts, it is also a time to celebrate the very special gift of love given to every one of us by God. That gift was the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Through that gift we all have the opportunity to live a life of hope and joy, while also looking forward to an even better life after death. This truth is something we are passionate about, and we want so much for you to experience the joy that we do. We want you to know that God treasures you, truly and deeply values you, and counts you as one of His greatest accomplishments. He is a God of grace and mercy, and can bring us joy even in difficult circumstances. The best part is: He wants to be in a relationship with you! We would love to have a conversation with you about Him should you ever have that desire or any questions.
Part of the joy of writing this letter is reflecting on our blessings and sharing them with you. Ryan continues to teach science and coach three sports at Inglewood Junior High. His big change this year is his new position as the Varsity Assistant for the Issaquah High School boys’ basketball team, the team for which he played. He is enjoying the experience, and is grateful to be doing what he loves. Coaching at IHS also affords him more family time, which is a blessing to all of us!
Cheryl keeps busier than ever with Eli and Abby, and is daily grateful for her job as a full-time mom! She enjoys her involvement in a weekly Bible study, a fellowship group, and a weekly playgroup. Cheryl has also taken up running and completed her first 5k race in October. She has battled shin splints since then, but hopes to complete more races soon.
Eli is our creative little gentleman. He is thriving in preschool three afternoons each week; he attends a small, play-based school on a farm just a quarter mile from our home. His social skills have grown, he loves learning, and he always looks forward to school. Eli adores his sister, and thanks God for her first every time he prays. He enjoys playing sports, and after completing his first basketball league and soccer class this fall, he is looking forward to tee ball and more soccer beginning in January. Eli is constantly imagining and drawing plans for various projects to build, games to play, and parties to have!
Abby is our spunky little monkey! She has earned the nicknames Sassy, Tough Cookie, and Bruiser from us (and Cutie Pie and Mixed-Up Chameleon from Eli – the latter is a reference to the crazy outfits she creates). We love watching her develop her fun and funny personality. She loves to pick out clothes, wear her hair in a ponytail on top, and walk around with one of her many purses on her elbow! She loves talking on her phone, and is constantly building her immense vocabulary and sense of humor. She loves animals, racing and tackling, and playing in her kitchen, usually making soup for us all to eat.
Please visit our blog: www.theeliandabbyshow.blogspot.com, which Cheryl does her best to keep updated. Please let us know if you’re ever in the area; we have a guest room, and little Zoe will enthusiastically welcome you with lots of wet kisses and vigorous tail-wagging!
Enjoy a blessed and beautiful Christmas season! We wish you all the best in the coming year, and we hope to hear from you soon!
With love,
Ryan, Cheryl, Eli, Abby, and Zoe
And how very evident Eli's love for his sister is is the others!
And here is our Christmas card and letter.
Dear Family and Friends,
Merry Christmas! We look forward to writing this letter each year as an opportunity both to update you on our family and to share what Christmas means to us. While it is a time to appreciate family and friends, and to show love through the giving of gifts, it is also a time to celebrate the very special gift of love given to every one of us by God. That gift was the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Through that gift we all have the opportunity to live a life of hope and joy, while also looking forward to an even better life after death. This truth is something we are passionate about, and we want so much for you to experience the joy that we do. We want you to know that God treasures you, truly and deeply values you, and counts you as one of His greatest accomplishments. He is a God of grace and mercy, and can bring us joy even in difficult circumstances. The best part is: He wants to be in a relationship with you! We would love to have a conversation with you about Him should you ever have that desire or any questions.
Part of the joy of writing this letter is reflecting on our blessings and sharing them with you. Ryan continues to teach science and coach three sports at Inglewood Junior High. His big change this year is his new position as the Varsity Assistant for the Issaquah High School boys’ basketball team, the team for which he played. He is enjoying the experience, and is grateful to be doing what he loves. Coaching at IHS also affords him more family time, which is a blessing to all of us!
Cheryl keeps busier than ever with Eli and Abby, and is daily grateful for her job as a full-time mom! She enjoys her involvement in a weekly Bible study, a fellowship group, and a weekly playgroup. Cheryl has also taken up running and completed her first 5k race in October. She has battled shin splints since then, but hopes to complete more races soon.
Eli is our creative little gentleman. He is thriving in preschool three afternoons each week; he attends a small, play-based school on a farm just a quarter mile from our home. His social skills have grown, he loves learning, and he always looks forward to school. Eli adores his sister, and thanks God for her first every time he prays. He enjoys playing sports, and after completing his first basketball league and soccer class this fall, he is looking forward to tee ball and more soccer beginning in January. Eli is constantly imagining and drawing plans for various projects to build, games to play, and parties to have!
Abby is our spunky little monkey! She has earned the nicknames Sassy, Tough Cookie, and Bruiser from us (and Cutie Pie and Mixed-Up Chameleon from Eli – the latter is a reference to the crazy outfits she creates). We love watching her develop her fun and funny personality. She loves to pick out clothes, wear her hair in a ponytail on top, and walk around with one of her many purses on her elbow! She loves talking on her phone, and is constantly building her immense vocabulary and sense of humor. She loves animals, racing and tackling, and playing in her kitchen, usually making soup for us all to eat.
Please visit our blog: www.theeliandabbyshow.blogspot.com, which Cheryl does her best to keep updated. Please let us know if you’re ever in the area; we have a guest room, and little Zoe will enthusiastically welcome you with lots of wet kisses and vigorous tail-wagging!
Enjoy a blessed and beautiful Christmas season! We wish you all the best in the coming year, and we hope to hear from you soon!
With love,
Ryan, Cheryl, Eli, Abby, and Zoe
Merry Christmas everyone!
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