Christmas Newsletter

Happy Christmas and a Jolly New Year from Spokane, Washington!  Indeed, as many of you know, we are now Washington residents.  This move has been the biggest part of our year and will, of course, influence most of our memories as we reflect on God's goodness to us in 2011. 

We found out about our move well in advance.  Last fall, in his last year of grad school, Keith applied, interviewed and accepted a job working for a national accounting firm with a branch in Spokane.  This seemed ideal, if we had to move, because it was still so close to our beloved Moscow, ID.  Miraculously, we found future renters for our house as early as January.  At the end of May, three days after our fourth anniversary, we packed up and moved 90 miles north. 

But moving wasn't the only big news in our lives this year.  A few weeks before we moved, we found out we were expecting our second child!  And so we settled into Spokane (me feeling the queasy benefits of early pregnancy) over the summer.  We have joined a lovely sort of "sister" church to our church in Moscow, Christ Church of Spokane.  The fellowship of the saints here is sweet and we are enjoying the smaller church body, even if it is spread out a lot farther than we are used to!  Distance doesn't seem to stop this congregation from being absolute party animals.  We have been to more fellowship meals and picnics and hoppin' church functions in the last seven months than we would normally attend in Moscow in a year.  We did not think this was possible!  Aside from church parties, we went camping, to theme parks, visited family nearish and far, explored lots of playgrounds, shopped, and otherwise mastered the general layout of the city of Spokane. 

Among other fun events, Keith got to go hiking in the Wallowas over Labor Day weekend, a yearly hoped-for highlight.  He currently spends lots of time tickling Charlie, watching shows with me, rides the bus to and from work, and does a good job of being "our man," as Charlie would say. 
And on top of all this, Keith has been diligently studying for the CPA exam, a four part test qualifying him to be a public accountant.  He's already passed the first two sections!  He must pass two more within the next year, and we hope to be done, Lord willing, with all the studying by June of 2012.

Charlie-boy remains the delight of our days with his wit, insanely clear verbal skills and enthusiastic love of life.  He absolutely loves to play mini-golf, jump off the bed into a pile of pillows, really take his time eating meals, and ask me endless questions.  Among his current favorite questions is, "What are we gonna do?" following my answer with, "And after that?"
 
For instance:
C:  What are we gonna do?
Me:  Go to bed?
C:  And after bed?
Me: Have breakfast.
C:  And after have bressick?
Me:  Play.
C:  And after play?
Me:  Go to the library.
C:  And after go to the library?
.... And so on.  The list can extend as far as three days in advance before I try to deter him.  (And woe is me if I don't know what is coming up next.)  It is not uncommon to repeat the daily list about five times on the ride home from the grocery store.  Sometimes, usually about the fourth time through, I'll answer with, "Go crazy!"  This answer typically isn't good enough for Charlie.

While Keith has been studying, I've gotten to know some wonderful ladies at prayer group, met and hired some good babysitters, tried to keep up with my crafting, juggle pregnancy with potty training, and generally tried to adjust to life in a new city.

I'm currently three weeks from my due date and anxiously waiting to hold our little daughter in my arms instead of my belly!  We thank God for a healthy pregnancy so far.  And while I'm a little anxious that we'll be spending our first tax season caring for a newborn, it seems we have no choice but to trust God's timing, since we certainly wouldn't have planned it that way! 

We are well-fed, warm, in good health, and learning daily what gratitude and cheerfullness really look like.  God's goodness truly crowns the year! 

Much love from Keith, Nellie, Charlie and (soon-to-be) Olivia Marie