It’s been 5-6 years since we sent out Christmas cards, but it’s happening this year! WHAT?!

Here’s our last card:

Ummmm, I guess it’s actually been 6 years. First observations: kids grow fast, some of us have more grays, I have less hair, WOW, Spain was amazing, how can our daughter be a senior?, and school hair rules for Ryan are lame because holy delicious thick curly hair, Batman!

Here’s this years pic, brought to you by Elisa Marie Photography:


ANYWAY, Jason styled it beautifully, our talented friend Elisa provided the photography, and I wrote the sentiments…

If you’re familiar with Laura Tremaine’s “10 Things to Tell You,” posts, you’ll like how I listed off some highlights of the last several years and what we’re up to of late.

But since real life occurs amongst the highlights in the span of 5+ years, here are “10 Things to Tell You That Didn’t Make the Card,”…because some aren’t Christmas card material, and others just didn’t make the cut:

. . .


1. My mom’s death really swept my legs, but the deep grief of it didn’t show up until my dad died 2.5 years later.
2. Moving to Nashville has been really lonely…like, really…FOR ALL OF US.
3. Working from home as a writer, who is actually wired as a coach, mentor, and leader, BITES.
4. We found a church we like…after 8 yrs of not looking.
5. I had thoracic outlet syndrome and couldn’t workout for about a year and a half which totally sucked and I got chubby…and Jason had to go to PT for back issues.
6. I still haven’t finished my book(s).
7. I go to Trader Joe’s just to have human interaction sometimes.
8. In July I committed to myself to work out consistently and start doing macros and am blown away by the science of persistence. Presently, Em is still in the lead in front of mom and dad for who will have a six-pack the soonest…
9. I started volunteering every week at Thistle Farms and it’s the best! I get to work with the most amazing women! Holy cow, I can’t EVEN, you guys!
10. I weaned myself off anti-depressants after a year+…they helped for a season, but I don’t need them anymore. It doesn’t mean there aren’t hard days, but I’m hopeful and excited and thankful to be alive…and I could not be more thrilled about what’s in store!

So, there you go. Ask anyone who has written their holiday cards or letters this year if they have their “Real life, nitty gritty” 2.0 version in another Word doc, and then share your own…because, sure life is beautiful, but it’s beauty is revealed amongst mess and the unplanned for things, too.

May your holiday season, however you celebrate, be laced with God’s extravagant love for you.

As gentile believers, we celebrate Christmas for the unconditional gift of God’s love for humanity through the Christ child…an inclusive, miraculous, unassuming, non-partisan, non-denominational, unconditional, needy babe born to unmarried, teenaged, Middle-Eastern Jewish parents fleeing the tumultuous mudslinging, finger-pointing, and politically polarizing times of their society.

Yet the message is timeless: “A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior and Master. This is what you are to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”

Love you guys!

6 Responses

  1. Oh, if I could could write like you!! The things I would spew. Likely similar as you in different words. Our thoughts are so a like when it comes to the world.

    For the first time in 10 years I am not sending out Christmas cards. I don’t have a picture to include of my family (is that not the saddest?)! A whole year! Not one picture!

    Happy Christmas to you and your beautiful family! The years, while difficult but full of beauty, inspiration and growth have been good to you! xoxo

    • There’s no shame, sister. Some years go like that…but you’ve been TOGETHER, capturing memories that pictures just can’t hold. Happy Christmas to you guys! xoxox

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