Pattishall Christmas Letter 2012

Sibling Love

Seasons Greetings Friends and Family,

If you are reading this then you got our family picture and may have wondered why our annual letter was conspicuously missing.  I'd love to say I directed you to our family blog in an effort to be more green, but in fact time was simply slipping away from me this year.  "Little Miss Evelyn," while our biggest blessing of 2012, has also taken up much of our time.  Of course that's how it should be.  I didn't want to have to choose between feeding my children and sending out Christmas letters, so writing it here was the compromise.  My family's hungry tummies thank you for understanding.  Without further ado I give you our seeming whirlwind of a year in a nutshell.

Soccer Star

February 2012 - After almost 7 years of teaching I decided to stay home full time.  It has been a bit of an adjustment, as I'm a person who likes the structure, challenge, and built-in friends the workplace provides. I do find ways to stay busy though.  Evie and I attend a couple of playgroups and I volunteer for several organizations and serve as room parent at Edmund's school.  Being at home has given me more rest, however, and in turn I have more energy to spend on the family.  Edmund also had a big change in February.  He left the school he had known since he was 3 months old to begin attending Resurrection United Methodist Church Preschool (or Jacob's School if you ask Edmund) in Durham.  The change of preschools went incredibly smoothly for him.  Both he and I have made friends at the new school, but still try to keep in touch with the old.

May 25, 2012 - We welcomed Evelyn Rose Pattishall into our family.  It is hard to believe she will be 7 months old on Christmas Day.  It seems like yesterday we brought her home, but at the same time we can't remember life without her.  Evie, as we call her, is an easy baby with just a little bit of attitude.  She adores her big brother Edmund, and Edmund is enamored with her.  Sometimes Edmund loves a little too much, but Evie takes it in stride.  Steven and I are delighting in watching the sibling relationship between them develop.

July 2012 - Steven began his third and final year of pediatric residency.  Our family also went on our annual Holden Beach trip, which marked Evie's first vacation.

August 2012 - Edmund tried his hand, er feet, at his first organized sport.  He played soccer for the Black Knights with one of his good buddies.  Time will tell if soccer will be a yearly occurrence, as he didn't quite understand why sharing the ball wasn't encouraged.  For now I think we may need to help him explore his creative side.

October 2012 - Steven, Edmund, Evie, and I took a road trip to see my Kentucky relatives.  I had fond memories of visiting Lincoln's birthplace and boyhood home in Kentucky, so we took the kiddos there.  Edmund is a Lincoln Log builder extraordinaire, so he was thrilled to learn about the person who inspired the name.  After time with Lincoln, it was off to Virginia to visit with Kay Kay and Granddad while Steven went on his first interview of the year.

Little Elf

December 2012 - Steven has completed several interviews, so now we are faced with the tough process of deciding where our family should be next July.  If there is one thing Steven and I have learned from this process it is that we sure like to stretch out our decision making.  We really do hope to know our plans for the next stage in our lives by the New Year.  

This year has been one of many changes for us, and for a family that doesn't handle change well, I'd say we're doing pretty well.  In a year of many changes I feel a non-traditional letter is fitting.  However, one thing I will miss about not having a formal Christmas letter this year is that I can't write a personal message to each and every one of you.  Please know that we think about you all often.  Feel free to call or write anytime.  And I do mean any time as Evie still thinks it's fun to occasionally keep her parents awake at night.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a sleep filled night!

Steven, Tabitha, Edmund, and Evie Pattishall 

Jesus Goes to a Monster Truck Rally

"Welcome to the Monster Truck Christmas Show"

My two good friends and I were having coffee this past week.  They mentioned they take baby Jesus out of their nativity sets and wrap him so the first gift the family opens on Christmas morning is Jesus.  I thought this was a great idea so I got baby Jesus from Edmund's Fisher Price nativity and put him in our bedroom to remind myself to wrap him later.  When I went back to retrieve baby Jesus I found him missing.  I asked Edmund if he took him back and he replied "yes."  I asked, "don't you think it would be fun to open Jesus on Christmas morning."  Edmund said "No, I play with him a lot and I'd miss him.  Come see mommy.  Jesus and the camel are attending my monster truck show."  And indeed they were.  Perhaps we'll trying wrapping him next year.