Christmas 2007

Christmas Letter 2007

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

What a great year the Ward Family has enjoyed. We are so humbled and blessed by the many blessings we’re enjoying – and still so keenly aware that as we’ve celebrated some amazing moments, there are those we love who have endured their most difficult. Our hearts and prayers continue to go out to you – especially this holiday season. And as always, to those who are supporting our freedom all over the world – we stand in humble gratitude to you. There is no way we’ll ever be able to repay the cost you and your families continue to pay so we can “have it our way”– Godspeed!

You really can’t imagine all Jeff and I have learned this year. It’s truly amazing and almost embarrassing to ponder how we ever functioned before we had children to really teach us something. Just look at how we’ve grown just this year…
* You do have to pay more for the jeans with the holes in them.
* Princess Leia was not a Jedi and therefore does not have a light saber (“so neither will you mom”).
* The Darth Vader theme is never to be sung by “grills” (girls) – only boys forever and always.
* Dad doesn’t work anymore – he just goes to the airport.
* Jesus’ mother was “Merry Christmas”
* When your daughter invites a boy for dinner – it’s not considered chaperoning if the parents spend the whole time in the bathroom throwing up.
* We have to keep our money in piggy banks or else Matthew from the Bible will come back and take it from us like he did in Bible days.
* When your son is almost asleep and you go in for one more nighttime kiss – he can immediately pause his dream by touching his finger on his forehead. This is not to be initiated by the parent – only the child.
* Leggings are back – but not the ugly ones (WHAT????).
* Parents should be seen and not heard – or heard and not seen – or better yet both when there are cute guys anywhere close.
* Kindergartners can no longer kiss mommy without their faces turning red, and strange grunts coming from their belly – but waves are appropriate – if not overzealous. Do not blow kisses from the carpool line!
* When you tell your children that we’ll have to wait on the weatherman to tell us when the next snow storm is if you’re not incredibly clear it may be translated -“we’ll have to go see the weatherman at the snow store and get more snow”.

Truly, it’s been an uneventful year at our home. Now, 2008 promises to bring some excitement with the end to Jeff’s assignment in the International Affairs office and a move to another assignment, a move for Abby to high school, Michael will be moving to elementary school and Matti will move to school 5 days a week – I will then be moving to whatever “facility” that’s close by and has a vacancy! But we can talk about all of that next year.

As a final note, if you’ve got a second this crazy season and could check in with the God of the Universe – I’m certain He’d love to tell you how much He loves you; how He created all things – especially Christmas because of His crazy love for you and how He’s got this whole thing under control no matter what. Don’t know what your day or your heart is full of – but only Jesus gives life to this living.

We’re off to find the snow store so we can sled this afternoon between showings of Star Wars. Feel free to check out our blog to keep up with the continuing education of two parents – www.cindyandthewards.blogspot.com – just be sure to leave a comment and let us know you were there and please come see us!

Blessings to you and yours!

daddy and the kids praying...

Christmas ... intentionally.

Evidently two security officers hired to guard the gate at a local military installation got into a fight one day while at their post. The argument got really hot and both of them pulled their weapons - 10 shots were fired. Neither one of them hit a thing! It's a true story -

If we're not careful that's how the Christmas season happens - we shoot and shoot and shoot - but never hit anything; much less our intended target. Books and articles abound on how to keep the focus on Jesus during Christmas - but I'm normally so busy sending in sugar cookies to this school, gift bags to that school and trying to keep the laundry done that those books don't get a whole lot of attention in our home.

This is one of those times when traditions really become a gift. Like the cruise control on a car - those traditions can keep you up to speed on the journey your family is taking. So, take a minute, pray and add maybe one new tradition to your Christmas this year. For our family especially - since we relocate so often - these time honored traditions become "home".

Here are the few we do - I'd love to hear a few that you do - let's just promise each other not to get overwhelmed....

* Birthday cake for Jesus - it's dessert for Christmas dinner after we read the Christmas story. The kids love baking it.

* Prayer before presents - once the kids have come down and seen what Santa's brought, we play and enjoy for a while - then daddy leads us in a prayer of thanksgiving for all we have, all we're about to get and for all the kids around the world who may not be enjoying Christmas at all.

* Christmas Bingo - my grandmother started this and I loved it as a kid. Now I am enjoying my mom share it with my kids every year. We play bingo Christmas Eve as a family and enjoy silly prizes before we go to bed.

deprogramming and deciphering...

For those of you who love to hear about all of my parenting mistakes (and I know who you are - you "pseudo-friends") I've got a good one for you.

Last night around bedtime Michael and I sat down with the December issue of "Highlights" the kids magazine for some reading before rest time. Michael was exhausted - every blink looked like those big gorgeous eyelashes were having to help each other up ...but he wanted to finish the page.

We finished the story and at the bottom were looking at the kids drawings that had been sent in to go with the story. He was having fun looking at the pictures and being able to read the age of the artist by himself. Then he saw one and said "wow, that's from a 7 year old mom ... but what the hell is it?"

Uh oh.
__________________

I guess like every other mom in the world I've been listening to the kids and their Christmas wishes for days now. The Ward boys are totally engulfed in Star Wars - well actually all 8 boys under the age of 10 in our cul-de-sac are engulfed in Star Wars. We have light sabres in every color from one end of the street to the other - we LOVE Star Wars.

The boys have been playing the Star Wars games on Playstation with Abby and Jeff alot lately - so the excitement is almost more than we can contain right now.

So one day recently in the car one of them started telling me about the "Complete Star Wars Suck UP" and how we had to have it. The other one chimed in and quickly they rose several octaves explaining all that Darth Vader does, and then Hans Solo does and then Luke...and it went on and on bigger and better by the second.
I interrupted to try and figure out what in the world they were talking about - was it a Lego's game, a ship, a computer game??? What was the "Compwete Star Wars Suck Up?"

It took about 30 minutes and then it hit me - it was another game for Play Station called "The Complete Star Wars SAGA".

Mind you, they'll not have me calling it that in their presence - but I do think the guy at Target is going to understand what I'm talking about now.