This is technically the second time I’ve
written this post. I spent a few hours the first time and it didn’t save…and I
really would like to scream, but everyone is asleep and that’d be immature and
self control is a resolution of mine, HA.
This is a now an After-Midnight-on-New-Year's-Day-Christmas-post…Enjoy!
We have had a really great Christmas season.
Levi has been saving his vacation time up for the last couple of years and had
an abundance of time that we could spend in Hannibal with our families. So we
packed up our car with incredibly too much gear and headed home. It’s been hard
to be away from our own little home, but everyone has been so accommodating in
making us comfortable. It’s been an exercise in flexibility and we’ve been
treated to some of the most graceful hosting. I’m so thankful for that.
I wasn’t sure if Jesse was going to be
interested in opening or playing with presents for Christmas. We tried to get
him primed by letting him open presents during advent. My mom continued a
tradition of giving small little gifts each day of advent. (Mind you, this was
a pre-Pinterest tradition, so it gets more points.) For many years this has been a special way she has built
anticipation and to celebrate. Jesse was so sweet on Christmas morning. He participated
in opening a majority of his gifts, however in true baby fashion he was more excited about the paper, boxes, and ribbons than the gifts. He put on a pretty good
show for us, smiling and giggling and exploring.
Jesse has really become quite the social and
expressive little guy. We have loved seeing him interact with all of our loved
ones. He has done a million and one cute things. One stands out in my mind-
Jesse was drawn toward one little ornament at my parent’s house. He came up to
it in his little walker and grabbed it off the tree. Then he paraded around the
kitchen to show everyone what he had gotten. When he was finished he stuck the ornament back into the branches. He remembered and repeated his
trick multiple times over 4 different days- with the same ornament every single time. It was just bizarre and adorable. This was one of those decisive occurrences
that demonstrates how much he has grown and matured. It just blows my mind.
This is the first time that I have posted pictures on a blog post, so I hope they show up correctly...
Papa with his sweeties. I love all these pictures of everyone holding the two babies. Aren't they precious???
Jesse performing his ornament trick.
Our little family after attending the Christmas Eve service at church.
Leaving cookies out for Santa. Jesse is sneaking some of his fuel…
Jesse opening a gift. I love the look of concentration on his little face.
Believe it or not this is the best picture I have of Jesse and his Great Gpa Jess. A combo of bad lighting and wriggling baby.
Mimi always know what will be fun to look at!
A majority of the "greats" with the babies.
Nana with her grand babies.
Usually during the Christmas season I have plenty of time to contemplate some of the beautiful ironies of Christmas, but this year was a little different. Instead of many thoughts swirling around in my mind, I’ve had just one. It comes from one line of a song from our Church’s Christmas Choir concert I participate in- “Glory Glory we have our Savior.” Its simple and it’s concise and it means everything to me.
Here is our Christmas Card and letter to wrap up the past year--
Our dear loved ones,
Well,
I can hardly believe another year has passed, but it’s true. I find myself
facing the crisp new pages of 2014; for the Strubes those pages are looking
full and heavy. But first a bit about the year that’s coming to an end.
Things
started off with a bang! In January, my sister gave birth to my perfect niece,
Kinsley Marie Fuller. Kate and Mike couldn’t be more blessed. That little girl
stole my heart, and once she was born I spent my time thinking of ways I could
hold her more. I was accused of being a baby hog, but I didn’t care. Levi was
completing a rotation with a doctor in Hannibal, so that gave me a little extra
time to spend with this precious little girl. Kinsley has spent the better part
of the year with her hair sticking STRAIGHT up and warning us of milestones we
should watch for in the baby that lives in our house.
We
came home to Cape Girardeau at the end of January, and swore off all travel
until Jesse arrived. He came a couple of weeks early, to my delight-- I feel
for those who have to carry to 40 weeks and beyond…37.5 was enough for me!
March 13, 2013 is one of those days that I will always remember- the day Jesse
Paul was born. In all honesty, I actually can’t remember the difference between
the 12th, 13th, and 14th because I don’t think
I slept more than a couple of hours- and I don’t care. I’d live all 72 of those
hours without sleep again if it gave me Jesse. He has been such a joy to Levi
and me. He’s funny and happy and my favorite thing ever. I won’t bore you with
his milestones, but he’s hit every one early and we have a video/picture of
Every. Single. One. I kid, but seriously-- we are blessed that God chose us to
be Jesse’s parents and that he worked in the way He does to prepare us for this
daunting yet fantastic task.
This
has really been Levi’s year. He’d never brag, but he also isn’t writing the
letter, so…He has done a stellar job with his medical school rotations and has enjoyed
each one. He passed all of his board exams. The results were posted in August
and everyone was very happy that day! We also recently found out that he got
his first choice for pediatric residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in
Tacoma, WA. I’m so very proud of his hard work, the father he has become, and
how perfectly he balances those two. He says, “I’ve never been happier.”
I’ve
been keeping busy making all kinds of handmade things, cooking, playing, and
generally doing what mommies do—all my favorites. It’s a simple blessed season
in my life and I’ve marked 2013 as a really great year; my best so far!
Some
other notable highpoints from 2013: Marrying off 4 of our best friends from
college, many special visits with family, building wonderful friendships in
Cape, both Levi and I being able to admit we are in our mid-twenties, visiting
prospective residency locations in WA and TX, and attending our church every
week that encourages spiritual health and growth.
Stand-by for our new address in May/June next
year. We’ll be moving to Washington State!
Sending all our love to you
Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas to all…(and now that it's past midnight--Happy New Year) and to all those still up, goodnight/morning or something like that.
