Christmas Letter

December 20, 2011
Merry Christmas Family and Friends!

It has been another fun filled year for us and we welcome 2012 with optimism and happiness…well, I do anyway. Eventually I am sure T.J. will also have a brighter outlook on the future. Unfortunately, he is still working two jobs and putting in 12-14 hour days, but that full-time driving position at UPS is right on the horizon! When he is not working or sleeping, T.J. really enjoys being an accomplished Aquarist. We have a total of 4 fish tanks in our home ranging from 12 to 150 gallons including fresh and saltwater fish! We love him, miss him, and appreciate all that he does to support our family. Hopefully the new year will bring a new work schedule and we will get to see him a lot more.

I fill my days pretty quickly with taking care of our two beautiful children. Those responsibilities range from Laundry, to Lego Heroes, to Singing Itsy Bitsy Spider over and over! I absolutely love what I do. Well maybe not the Laundry part, but definitely the last two! Oh, and I do get to feed the fish :). I am beginning to learn what it means to be a true Homemaker, and have discovered that it is hard work. But what a fulfilling job! I enjoy learning new things and trying different ways to make our home a more enjoyable place to be. I love my sweet little family so much and I am so happy to be where I am!

Our Draeven Boy is growing up…FAST! He turned four in October, and started Preschool this year. His latest passions in addition to reading Dinosaur Encyclopedias include: Building with Legos, Playing computer/video games, and anything that includes good guys vs. bad guys. It was super fun to watch him in the primary program this year. He memorized his part and sang every word to the songs. We really enjoy listening to his stories (fiction and nonfiction) and hearing him make up songs about whatever he happens to be doing at the time. He is such a joy in our lives, we love him so much!

Our Little Adalyn…Oh what FUN!!! This little girl will not be left out of
Anything! She does everything her big brother does, and that means video games and wrestling too! If anyone is lying on the floor, she is instantly engaged in attack mode! Although she comes in a very cute tiny package, she is absolutely full of it! We LOVE watching her sing and dance! Boy oh boy does this girl love music and dancing! She can hear a faint beat over a speaker in a store and she will start grooving! I can not express how much I love having a little girl! The frilly dresses and fancy hair are a bit of a challenge, but that is what she wants, so I am learning! We are so grateful for our strong-willed, 19 pound, 1½ year old princess.

I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the holidays! May the spirit of the season remind us what is truly important in life. Don’t let a minute go by without being grateful for today! Merry Christmas!

Love, The Miners,
T.J., Jenn, Draeven, and Adalyn