Merry Greetings to all who logged on to read about our family! I love to brag on my babies, so please bear with me.....

We moved to our new home in April, and have been settling in for the last months. I'm still painting and sewing and making it ours, but it's a great house. It was built the year I was born, so I figure if I'm holding up, it will too.

C.Ray scored amazingly well on his SATs and decided to forgo his senior year. He'll start in January at Taylor University Fort Wayne. He is still leading worship at church, works at his uncle's game store ("More Than Games, this is C.Ray") and has a beautiful girlfriend named Andrea who we all adore. C. Ray moved out this fall, but just down the street to Chris' folks' house. We miss him!

Madeline started her freshman year at Northside High School, which was quite a change after 7 years of homeschooling. She's doing wonderfully academically in her honors classes, is enjoying Speech Team (Dramatic Interpretation, Prose, and Poetry), and just made the Jazz Choir. She's a busy bee these days, and we're so proud of her!

Kristen is the only one homeschooled this year, and she brings joy to my day...she's such a help with the little guys, and is becoming a full-fledged teenager (turned 13 in Sept). She's been enjoying Youth Group and making lots of new friends. Her newest goal is to learn to play drums! Now why doesn't that suprise me?

Gracie started the year at the local elementary in 5th grade, but we moved her to a private cottage school a month or so ago. She's doing great and loves school! She's already into makeup, and her favorite pasttime is perusing the current Avon catalogues (like mama like daughter). She's quite a beauty.

Benjamin and Samuel are in a preschool and loving it (and I love the break!) They are going to be the next dymanic duo and spend about 3/4 of the day in costume. I'm just hoping they don't kill each other before they find the bad guys. So raise your hand if you know boys are VERY different than girls? Anyone? Anyone.......Bueller?

Chris is still at Brotherhood Mutual Insurance manning the computer systems. He's the best dad in the world, and the best husband ever. He built an awesome tree fort for the boys in our new back yard and hangs wallpaper, outlets and switchplates, pictures and light fixtures for me! What a sport! We're coming up on 19 years of marriage, and I know I'm the most blessed woman in the world to have him.

As for me, I'm back to doing worship at our new church, decorating, and breathing. Taking the year off from homeschooling has presented some new and strange challenges, but we're transitioning well. I hit the wall when in one day I was attempting (and mostly failing) to potty train Samuel AND discuss college and courting with C.Ray! We are S-T-R-E-T-C-H-E-D to our emotional and physical limits as parents these days, but God is good. I'll begin my official Doula Certification process in February, and I'm so excited to be able to support women in their birthing endeavors!

Our family hopes everyone in your sphere of love is prospering and finding peace this season. We think of you all throughout the year and would love to hear from you anytime. I'll even read YOUR brag letters! Happy Christmas, and may the Father who loves us give us all strength and courage in the coming year to live from our true hearts.

The Harveys