Our season seems to have been going later and later over the last few years. A few years ago Michelle and I enjoyed going over to my parents’ house to watch football and relax after the group left on Sunday. We have found that the last two years have given us very little time to go and visit due to the schedules that groups have been enjoying. God has kept camp. He has increased the outreach that our service has had from 4,400 (in 2008) to 5,500 (in 2013) and we are seeing an increase in groups that are signing up for this coming year. Janell and Scott have started homeschooling and will be working on Kindergarten by June. Baby Emma has been speeding up and will be walking before she turns a year old, much to Michelle’s chagrin.
Like many families, Michelle and I have created our own traditions and are tweaking them as we grow closer together. One is the importance of starting Christmas music November 1st and of course our annual Christmas-movie-thon. Every Saturday between Thanksgiving and Christmas we entertain the teens (whoever shows up) and watch classic and not-so-classic Christmas movies as a family. My favorite tradition we have had since we were first married is a yearly escape.
Michelle and I look forward to getting away each year as a couple without children and without any agenda except each other. During our getaway, we take time to review our past year and our upcoming year as a family and as a couple and keep each other on track with our commitments with each other. This has been a promise of mine to Michelle since before we were married.
Dates to mark this year:
11/8 Janell turns 4
12/17 Michelle and Josh’s 8th anniversary
12/19 Emma turns 1
1/7 Scott turns 3