Merry Christmas from the Wiebes

I can hardly believe it's almost Christmas!  I really meant to send out an actual Christmas card this year, but despite having all my presents bought before December, and a pretty lax calendar, somehow I have been too busy yet again.  I did, however, convince my darling sister Chloe to take pictures of my family, so I didn't completely fail in the matter.

In any case, let me tell you about what a wonderful year it's been, and how blessed we are going into this Christmas season!

We started out the year living in a new home, pregnant with our third child, and Jared deep into his articling year.  In April we were blessed with our third boy!  Atticus Booth was born at home on April 11, 2012.  It took us almost five weeks to name him!  He has been such a joy in our family, and we are grateful for him every day. In his eight months he has mastered breastfeeding, rolling over, sitting up, and in the last month has become completely mobile, crawling all over the home, wreaking havoc as he goes. His brothers love him completely and he is never short for entertainment. 

Silas is three years old now, and has really blossomed in the few months since his birthday.  He was wearing 18-24 month clothes in the summer, and now he's wearing size 4.  He is his own little man who insists on the whole world slowing down just a little, as nothing and nobody can seem to hurry him.  He is very independent, happy to go on any adventure he can find.  He went to his first art class this fall, and loved it. He also loves his nursery class at church and playing lego with Eli.  He is honestly the sweetest boy on earth.

And my darling Eli: he continues to amaze us with how clever and charming he is.  He mastered his bicycle this spring, well before his 5th birthday, and his world opened up.  We spent hours and hours this summer following him around on his bike as he explored the neighbourhood. He has taught me that as the mother of boys I may as well get rid of everything in my home but Lego, because Lego is all there is! We are homeschooling the boys, and so Eli is, in theory, in kindergarten. We spend our days doing art projects and engaging in a lot of creative play.  He is learning his letters and how to write.  I am so lucky to spend my days with him!

As for Jared and I, we are often surprised when we sit back and look at our lives and realize that we are not young marrieds any more.  We've got three children, two mortgages, one dog and all sorts of responsibilities.  Not that I'm complaining, I'm just often surprised by the fact. 

Jared is a lawyer, not a law student, not a student-at-law, a lawyer.  After a year of articling, in October he was admitted to The Bar and is now a full fledged lawyer, the real McCoy!  After 8 years of marriage to a student, we are glad to be where we are at.  He is working as an associate at a firm in Calgary, and enjoying what he does.  He still enjoys music and is determined to spend more time pursuing it this year. He works with the young men at church in the Scouting program, and loves it. 

Life as a mom of three boys is far busier than I ever dreamed it would be.  Don't get me wrong, I love it, I'm just exhausted most of the time, no big deal. I'm homeschooling the boys, teaching a language arts class, knitting up a storm and pretending to be a horseback rider, although I don't often get out to visit my horses. I have put my Doula business on hold, as I can't leave Atticus any longer than his next meal, but I still am immersed in the natural birth world. I am dreaming of moving from our tiny condo to a home, and eventually to some land where I can have chickens and goats and horses and lots of room!   

And there you have it. The life of the Wiebe family in 2012.  We have had a fantastic year and expect the same for 2013.  We know we have been blessed immensely by our Heavenly Father and are mindful at this time of year of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. May all who read this feel his love as we have felt it, and be blessed by it in the year to come.

Merry Christmas to all!!!

 

All photos taken by Chloe Taylor Photography, 2012.