Merry Christmas!

* In the last few months, somewhere between the baby, the puppy, and the cross-country move, I lost the willpower to do ACTUAL Christmas cards. I love actual Christmas cards. But this year, it was a choice between sanity and said cards. I chose sanity. So here is the online version of what WOULD have been the Christmas cards. And for the record, I plan on being back to my usual cardy self next year.*

SERVINOS 2012

This year has been a year of blessings and learning for us. We have never been more aware of the Lord's guiding hand in our lives, and we have never needed Him more. We are blessed to have healthy children, a strong marriage, and lots to laugh about. Here's some of what we've learned...

KAI (5 months) has learned...

...to smile ...to giggle ...to sleep 12 hours at a stretch at night ...to (sort of) sit up ...that he has a voice ...that everything is more interesting if you drool on it ...to roll over ...to reach for toys ...that chubby infants get their neck rolls kissed often!

DANE (2 1/2 yrs) has learned...

...to talk A LOT and repeat A LOT ...that if you drop pieces of your dinner down to the dog he will lay beneath you and be your buddy for life ...to sing ...to pretend ...that no matter how many times you ask, Mom will always say you have to be 16 to drive a car ...that we do not ever EVER microwave toys, suck on rocks, or climb on counters ...that if you say sweetly, "Mommy can I hold you please?" she will almost always answer yes and pick you up.

HAVEN (4 1/2 yrs) has learned...

...to write her name ...to read beginner words ...that princess (and therefore little girls) don't always have to wear sparkle dresses--they can, in fact, wear pants ...beginning ballet ...to finally master the letter "R" sound ...that where bling is concerned, more is always better ...and that Dad will usually let you stay up past your bedtime if you crawl on his lap and watch football with him.

ELIJAH (6 1/2 yrs) has learned...

...to tie shoes ...to read chapter books ...to ride a bike with no training wheels ...that it is ok to switch elementary schools in the middle of the year when your family moves to South Carolina...beginning football and soccer ...to dribble a basketball with either hand ...that cool begins and ends with Luke Skywalker.

LINDSEY has learned...

...that it is just as breathtaking to snuggle your fourth baby as it was to snuggle the first ...that Zumba is delightful ...that somehow, inexplicably, a 7.5 lb infant will double your laundry ...that running amidst trees again is pure peace ...that Dane cannot be left alone for more than 3 seconds.

DAVID has learned...

how sweet it is to finish a doctoral degree, how patient you have to be while you wait for a final job offer from the VA ...that he truly loves doing therapy with combat veterans, and that if you walk in the door at night chewing gum Dane will be on you like white on rice demanding urgently that you give him that gum, until you do.

APOLLO (the 1 yr old boxer puppy) has learned...

...that we don't chew the kids' toys ...that if you want to pick food off of someone you should find Dane ...that we don't chew the kids' toys ...to walk nicely on a leash ...that we don't chew the kids' toys ...that sprinklers are fun ...that crayons and princess slippers are delicious--wait--I mean, that we don't chew the kids' toys.

Merry Christmas, friends and family!

We love you dearly and count you among our greatest blessings!