Letter to My Kids

Dear Charlie, Esme, and Henry,

     It's been a pretty normal week for us so far.  You have finally settled back into the routine of being back home after our two week southern Illinois visit.  Sometimes you have a rough time coming back around, but it seems that this transition was much easier than before.  Thanks for that. :o) 

     This is the second week of advent, and you are loving it!  We started a new tradition this year: the advent wreath.  Every night we light a candle or candles representing the week of advent we are in; so, currently, we light two every evening until the next week of advent starts.  We read relevant scripture for that week, a story from our advent book, and sing a carol.  I'm also creating a unit study for the advent season that we are using as "school."

     Charlie, you get so excited that you ask every morning how many candles we light, and the closer to suppertime it gets, you ask when we will do advent. You adore the advent book we are using because it has a mama bear and a little bear - just like Little Bear.  The concepts you are grasping about the advent season are astounding.  It's precious.  Esme, you don't get it yet.  You mostly make it your mission to blow out the candles.  It's pretty cute because your attempts are adorably futile.  Also, you tend to only play with the Little People Nativity set while we do advent, which is eerily appropriate.

    Henry, we found out you are a Henry Daniel and not an Olivia Mae. Everyone is so excited!  I think Esme will cope more easily with a baby boy than a a girl.  Charlie is thrilled about being a big brother again, especially since he told us weeks ago that he hoped you would be a brother.  Henry, you have been kicked and flipping more often lately, but you have been pretty still during the night.  Hopefully that means you will sleep through the night.

     The weather was warm enough for me to feel up to taking you to the Discovery Center.  You always have such a good time there.  I hope that where ever the army sends us that there is something comparable - or that it's warm year round so we can go to parks and do hikes. 

    You are looking forward to spending time with Great-Uncle Steve tonight.  Supper will be pizza, and you will watch a movie. 

Love you forever,
     Mama