Merry Christmas from The Wiebes!

Dear Friends and Family (and the rest of the online world!):

I had every intention this year of sending out, via good ol' Canada Post, Christmas cards.  But alas, I didn't get around to it, so my neglected blog gets to be the medium of our Christmas greetings this year.

We have had a challenging, hectic, busy year, but have been so blessed through it all. We started the year still living at my parent's home, where we had been since we finished school in May, 2010.  Since May 2011 we have moved four times, finally, just three weeks ago, ending up in a condo in Cougar Ridge, in Calgary, where we intend to stay for a while.

Since graduation Jared has been working to become accredited in Canada. In May we packed up and moved to Victoria for Jared to attend Spring term at the University of Victoria. We moved back to my parents in July, and waited for the results of his course work.  Jared successfully gained accreditation and in August he started his first legal job as a Student at Law at a small firm in down town Calgary.  He is enjoying his work and really happy to be putting all his hard work to use. In October we moved our whole family into the one bedroom basement suite of a home we own. At the beginning of December we finally emptied our storage unit, with boxes unopened for 2 years, and moved permanently into our current home. 

This year I also completed my training to become a Doula (a professional birth attendant).  I have been so blessed to be a part of so many births. The miracle of birth continues to amaze me, and working as a doula is a perfect way to put my passion for empowering birth to use.

I still have horses, which I try to ride as much as possible, but not nearly as much as I would like to.  They bring me a lot of joy, not to mention good exercise!

Both boys are growing far too fast.  Eli is as busy as can be, constantly on the move, gathering all sorts of treasures for "projects."  He is such a caring, loving boy, and a wonderful big brother.  He is so smart, always impressing adults around him at ability and willingness to share his knowledge. His favourite colour is "golden,"  he loves his mommy, daddy and Silas, LEGO, and his pony, Princess.

Silas is a constant joy in our little family.  Although he is the spiting image of his father, he seems to be developing the strong will of his mother!  He does exactly what he wants, when he wants, and refuses to be rushed into anything by anyone.  His language development continues to amuse the rest of us, with Eli being his greatest interpreter.  In the last three months he has potty trained, weaned, and begun sleeping in his own room, sharing a bed with his big brother. We can't believe how big our baby is getting.

Speaking of babies... we are expecting Wiebe #3 in the new year.   Due in April, we are especially glad to finally be settled in our own home, because we are planning to have a home water birth, attended by the wonderful midwife who was with us for Eli's birth. We are not finding out what we are having, and will be thrilled no matter what. (And yes, I'm still riding horses, even though I'm pregnant!)

We hope that everyone has been blessed as much as we have been this year.  Despite the craziness of our lives, we have been able to take a few minutes this season to contemplate just how blessed we are to have a loving Father in Heaven and Saviour, Jesus Christ, as Jared and I played Mary and Joseph in the Heritage Park Nativity Pageant this past week.  Tonight, as we act out a far less professional version of the same story, with Jared's extended family, we hope our children will also be able to feel the real spirit of Christmas, the spirit of Christ.

Blessings to you all,

Jared, Jenny, Eli and Silas