2008 Roberts Family Christmas Letter

I know that most of you reading this would GET our Christmas letter, but for those of you who don't...here is our year snapshot.

Dear Family and Friends,

This is my very first Christmas letter! I always enjoy everyone’s updates, so I decided that it was time to try my own. 2008 has been a busy year (as every year is when you have 6 children!) filled with wonderful events as well as some sadness that comes with life.


We began our year with the Anderson clan at our house for our Christmas after Christmas. We thoroughly enjoyed having both of my siblings and their families here, as well as my Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad stayed for an extended period, visiting friends throughout Florida. Wyatt began crawling, Mary turned 15, and Truett began his 3rd year of baseball.




February was relatively uneventful (it is one of the few months we have no birthdays!) with a day trip to Disney the only thing of note. Our Christmas gift was Florida seasonal passes to Disney, so that offered more opportunities for visits to our (well, MY) favorite place on earth.

At the end of February, I reunited with my 2 best friends from college, Valerie (Tanner) Gaines and Deborah (Jankowski) Donaldson for a 3-day cruise to the Bahamas. It is always a precious time with these friends who can pick up as if a day hasn’t passed (even though we are 9 children and 20 years beyond our college days).

In March we added another Teenager to our house as Bradlee celebrated her 13th birthday with an elegant dinner party for her friends. We pulled it off with help from my sister-in-law, Amy, who cooked a wonderful menu that Bradlee planned herself.
We celebrated Easter at our home church, Community Bible Church of Ocala. We have been a part of this church plant since 2005 and prayerfully hired a pastor who started serving in Ocala in June. Pastor Matt McGuire and his wife, Christy, have been a huge blessing to our little church family.

Spring brought Whitney’s 12th birthday and a camping trip to Fort Wilderness at Disney World. Mary rode in the Special Olympics equestrian event for our county, finishing first in her English Equitation class and 5th in her trail class (due to a very uncooperative pony!). She qualified for the State games as well but did not participate.


All 3 girls danced in the ballet “Jacob’s Ladder” in May, completing their 5th year with Dance Divine and Light of Joy Ballet company. Mom and Dad came to watch, and Bradlee & Whitney went home with them for a 2-week visit. We met back up with Mom & Dad in Gatlinburg and had a relaxing vacation with them and my niece, Sarah. We also celebrated Wyatt’s first birthday on June 7, with him taking his first steps just a few days before.

Summer was quiet with no baseball or ballet, and my personal highlight was 10 weeks of horseback riding lessons taken at Mary’s school. It had been a long time since I had been riding on a regular basis, and I recruited my friend Deirdre to enjoy the adventure with me. It was so much fun. In August, the kids and I traveled to Virginia to celebrate my mom’s 70th birthday with all of her family, and everyone but Ben was able to come. While we all missed him, it was a great time. School began in full swing at the beginning of August, with Mary beginning high school, Bradlee in 8th, Whitney in 7th, and Truett in 4th. Homeschooling continues to go well as we enjoy our time together.

Mary competed at a horse show in September for exceptional students, riding independently and placed well. Emmett celebrated his 3rd birthday with a day at Hollywood Studios in Disney World. He continues to make us smile daily with his antics.
We also took an opportunity to enjoy the flexibility of our homeschool schedule; travel time with Daddy to Georgia and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where we met up again with Mom & Dad while Ben attended a Christian School conference.

In October, I celebrated a milestone of my own, turning the grand age of 40. My fine plan was to be at Disney World on my birthday…and that is exactly where we were. We had a wonderful time with several extra magical moments throughout the day. It was our year to stay in Florida for Thanksgiving, so we headed to the Roberts Farm in Polk City and enjoyed Jerry & Karen’s hospitality, riding 4-wheelers, and playing paint ball.

As we end this year, with tears we are closing the doors of our company here in Ocala. Abundant Funds Ministries will now exist as a division of Signature Fundraising, based out of Lancaster, California. We are excited about the new opportunities that will allow Ben, his brother, and our sales staff to continue with the jobs they love, but equally saddened by the loss of jobs for our local employees, several of whom have been with us for over 10 years and are like family to us. We will miss the regular contact with them and pray for great new opportunities for them in the future. The Christian Collection fundraising program for Christian schools that we have developed with great care and precision over the last 18 years, will continue under the Signature umbrella, and we are so blessed that God has brought this company into our path. They are likeminded with us in our business as well as spiritual philosophy, and we will look forward to the coming changes and opportunities.

With all joys seem to come sadness, and while we have been blessed with healthy children and parents this year, I have also lost an aunt and an uncle. As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, please take time to hold your family close. If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, please take the time to reflect on this season as one of great blessing and great sacrifice. Truly the greatest gift ever given was wrapped in swaddling clothes. Marvel at the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Thank you all for your prayers for our family as we have difficult decisions this year. And thank you for the wonderful blessing of your friendship with us. For those of you who are far away, we always delight in visits from you as you pass through our beautiful state, and for those of you who live close, we are thankful for the regular contact that we are able to have with you. Have a wonderful, blessed Christmas.

In Christ,
Paige
(& on behalf of Ben, Mary, Bradlee, Whitney, Truett, Emmett & Wyatt)

Sneak Peek: Christmas 2008

While the ever popular Roberts Family Christmas photo is not yet finalized, here is a contender...taken at our mini trip to Disney.

Christmas 2007

It's hard to believe that this was a year ago! Since this photo two have gotten braces off, and one has gotten braces on! Stay tuned for this year's photo coming soon!

Christmas Is Coming!

Gracious! I cannot believe it has already been 2 weeks since I added to our blog. Life moves at a frantic pace, it seems.

The house is decorated for Christmas. I'm so thankful I started early, because now it is done, and I can enjoy it. Otherwise, I would be dreading it.

I got my hair cut today (and colored...but we're not going there). I love my cut but I am ever so practical about my hair. The usual rule is that the shortest piece of my hair MUST, truly MUST go behind my ear when I need it to. Today I threw caution to the wind and now I have short pieces of hair that nicely frame my face but DO NOT fit behind my ear. Ah, the sacrifice for "beauty." Julie has been cutting my hair bi-annually (she is always shocked to see me) for at least 12 years. She never gives me a bad haircut. Just that one piece of hair that needs to go behind my ear that will have me saying "JULIE" 20 times a day when it won't go there. Anyway, I'd go see her more often if my practicality wouldn't get in the way. WHY IS GETTING YOUR HAIR DONE SO EXPENSIVE???

Wyatt said Mama yesterday. I mean, he's said it before, but never to call me, or when I walked into the room, like he did yesterday. He said Daddy, too, when Ben came home. Guess we are finally on our way to him yelling at someone who needs to go to the bathroom. (See previous blog post to figure that one out.)

I joined a group on Facebook for my former high school. It's so weird to hear from people you haven't seen in so many years! I mean, I guess there were a couple of people I really never cared if I saw again, but most were amiable, and a few were precious. I was so delighted to hear from my friend Susan, who really allowed me to survive high school with her humor. I haven't seen her since I was pregnant with Whitney, who is now 12. So it was a great delight to touch base with the one who coined the phrase "Have some fun, stomp some gum" to which my husband still rolls his eyes, as he's heard the weird story so many times. She probably doesn't even remember it, but that's part of the charm. Do we know the little things that we do that can touch someone's life FOREVER? Good or bad? Something silly that can bring a great smile, or something we hopefully regret that causes someone pain? We should all guard our words and actions carefully. The book of James tells us to "take every thought captive" and I think that the impact of our life on others truly depends on this.

Give someone a little blessing that they will fondly remember from this day on! The days are precious, and apparently FLYING BY!

Mondays...

Why is it that everything feels so out of control on a Monday? It would seem half the day slips by without accomplishment and the only ones out of bed with energy are those under 5. Wouldn't it be nice to begin the week with a fresh burst and determination to conquer the day? Apparently I need to work on this :)

Bradlee is studying the US Constitution and reviewing whether or not some fictitious actions are constitutional or not. How thankful I am that our country's foundation is a solid one. Even though there is much corruption in politics, as I read over our constitution, I am amazed at the foresight of our founding fathers. Truly guided by the hand of God.

Wyatt speaks so little. I would worry except that his brother Emmett spoke very little before he was 2 also. Then he began conversing in complete sentences. His vocabulary consisted of so few words. Then we were out to eat with friends when their son got up to go to the restroom. Emmett clearly (and loudly I might add) spoke "Hey Peter, where are you going?" like he'd known all the words all along. From then on it was "Emmett, can you please be quiet?" His unusual word is "kringle." We don't know what it is, what it means, or where it came from, but Emmett uses it for everything when he's talking. "I'd like some kringle milk." "I was kringle coming in from outside." "Is that your kringle watch?" Of course, if you ask him to repeat whatever he said, he removes the kringle. We figure it is his every adjective, every verb, every noun, when he doesn't know what to say. Either way, it's pretty funny.

The kids are busy making their lists of what to buy others for Christmas. They've earned a bit of job money this year and we've put them in charge of their own budgets. They're pretty hyped about it. Christmas will be here before we know it!

It's definitely Monday, and I definitely need to go accomplish SOMETHING before even more of my day slips away unaccounted for.

Happy Veteran's Day

It was a gloriously beautiful Veteran's Day here in Ocala. The kids and I walked this morning and it was so nice to enjoy our brisk but still warm weather. I wanted to take a moment to thank all of our veterans for the job that they have done for our country. Our freedom is because of their sacrifice, so please don't take it forgranted.

Today also brought a bit of Christmas shopping...shhhh...don't tell! Even a couple of new Christmas dresses for daughters Bradlee & Whitney. Bradlee was delighted that her dad approved her modest but still grown up dress and heels. She does look beautiful in them and I'm amazed at how she grows more beautiful every day. Whitney got a red sparkle dress that fits her well..she's so funny. I never have any idea what she will like, but just like when she was very small, if she likes it, she LIKES it. She loved this dress. It goes great with her new sparkly smile...her braces :)

Please pray for our former church, First Baptist Church of Ocala. We attended there for 14 years, and they are going through a huge crisis. They are in great turmoil at the moment, and we still have so many people there that we love. Satan is the one that is winning here, and we need to join together to pray against him.

Michael W Smith & Steven Curtis Chapman

Last night I took 2 of my daughters to their first concert. I certainly never thought that when I was in HIGH SCHOOL enjoying every song by MWS, that shortly after my 40th bday, I would accompany MY CHILDREN to see him in concert. But, there you go. And when SCC launched his career when I was in college at Liberty, I didn't think that, either. Still these two gentlemen, whose music has had a profound impact on my life, are truly dear friends to me.

I don't think there could have ever been a better time to see SCC in concert. Following the tragedy of the death of his daughter in May, which followed the release of an album all about living in the moment. He had no way of knowing when he wrote the precious songs of "This Moment" that the words of faith would be truly tested. And yet, last night, we saw the heart of a broken man, still singing glorious praises to the God who is in control even of this. I had to think that God must've shed tears as Steven wrote the songs for this album, knowing how much he would be tested. Truly a story of triumph.

Smitty was as amazing as ever. I marvel at this man and his incredible God given talent. So many songs of his that have touched my heart; and I am thankful for his sharing of his gift with us.

The girls had a good time. I hope that their experience was more "hip" and enjoyable than my first concert...THE BILL GAITHER TRIO. (And I saw them more than once...go figure.) I also got to see Kenny Rogers and the Righteous Brothers. When my concert choices became my own, my mom took me to see Amy Grant (thanks MOM!) and my sister also took me to see Amy. I've also seen Rick Springfield, Chicago, SCC in the early days, Carman (a couple of times), Phil Driscoll, The Imperials (in their cooler days), and Michael W Smith's Freedom tour. Now I need to find a good concert to take Mary to see...ZoeGirl or Rebecca St James perhaps.

All in all, a truly great experience, albeit sobering of my age to see so many "old" people in the crowd. I cannot possibly be in these people's generation?!!! SCC & MWS finished Steven's set with Live Out Loud and Dive, and they were plenty loud and rock n roll. Ben would've been under the seat with his ears plugged...the girls and I? We were dancing in the aisle :) Maybe I'm not so old after all!

The Day After the Election...

But we're not discussing that. We met some really cool people from California tonight. God is gracious and good; and we are so full of hope at this moment.

I also received a book signed by Rebecca St James (and signed to ME, I might add) that our new friends brought to me. They know her personally and I am so beyond impressed! So we are home late from our meeting, again, marvelling at the goodness of God for us. I will possibly go into more later, but at this moment, I am thankful for the possibilities.

October 8, 2008

I have no idea how to truly start blogging, but I'm going to do it anyway. This may be my first and LAST, but at least I can say I did it. Thankfully, I have 4 children who are computer literate, so they can take over the duties from time to time.

Today is a fairly quiet Wednesday. I just returned from a 2 day trip to Chicago; Ben promptly flew from Chicago to California, where he will remain until the 16th of this month. So we continue on with our "normalcy;" whatever that looks like. Actually today is fairly unusual as we had no piano, no baseball, no ballet, and no horseback riding. Just school. And laundry. Always the laundry.

Truett burned his hand really badly while I was on my trip. I'm sure there's some new safety policy in effect at the office now regarding coffee pots and children. He was just getting hot chocolate, and somehow missed. What can I say? He's my kid! (And the grandson of Nana, who got a severe burn on her leg when we were small...from a TOASTER. Go figure that one out.) He's doing fine, didn't cry (I would have) and is trying to figure out how he's going to play baseball tomorrow without further irritating his hand.

I guess that is all for today. I need to pace myself for this anyway, as life around here isn't very interesting.