Saturday, August 29, 2020

Jason's 5th Birthday Letter


Dear Jason (favorite nicknames this year: JJ, JB, Jabes, Jabers, Jace, and J-Man)

You hug hard, hug often, and hug many. The pandemic has been hard for you as you often just want to hug those you love. But otherwise you have been happy to be home more often, and play in the puddles when it rains.

You love to play. Your favorite activities are running, making people laugh, wrestling, reading, breaking sticks, throwing things, looking at bugs, spotting airplanes and trains, swimming, and making rocket ships out of Magna-Tiles.

Your ability to speak more clearly has taken off and your teachers have loved you well. We are excited for another year of preschool for you.

You love repetition as you ask to watch the same scene of the underminer from the movie “The Incredibles 2” multiple times a day. When we say not now, you will make an underminer out of a water bottle or other objects within reach, and replay the scene on your own.

I think this past year your mother and I have read the story of David and Goliath about 365 times, both from the Veggie Tales Bible and other versions as well. You just can’t get enough. We pray that your love for action, justice, and a good story will only grow as you learn more about the Bible.

We have been thrilled to have you reconnect with your Mama Maria, and your two half-siblings this year.  We hope those relationships will continue and grow.

Your tender heart is quick to tell us when you think nature or a person is beautiful, and you have grown so much this year that you are doing your best to outrun or at least chase after Sophia with wild abandon when we encounter an open field, especially at the Adams Garden.

We are very grateful you are part of our family, and hope that this next year you continue to learn how much you are loved by many around you and by God your creator.

Love,

Dada

Sunday, August 16, 2020

Ocean Grove 2020


I have come to this beach every summer for as long as I can remember. 



This year there is a new set of siblings playing in the surf.


This summer has been different for all of us in a lot of ways. 
I am so thankful that this place and these people were still a part of it.

I was grateful for our girl who is old enough to do this:


But still young enough to do this:


For our boy who plays hard and then can sleep anywhere:



For a baby girl and baby boy who couldn't get enough of the sea and the sand:


For a dedicated husband who is constantly carrying people and things:



For a fun Aunt and Uncle:



And for grandparents who "dote" ( verb- be extremely and uncritically fond of):




We are grateful for this place and these people,


And looking forward to Ocean Grove 2021.

Sunday, August 2, 2020

Vermont 2020



Vermont is an important place to us.
It's where Joshua's Mom grew up, and where a large number of our family still lives.
We are thankful that our home state borders it. Particularly so, during a year when travel possibilities were very limited. 
Many months ago, we had chosen it for the location of this year's Archambault-Wegryzn vacation.


We didn't anticipate the value of 140 acres between us and the rest of the world when we reserved the house prior to March.


Or how much it would matter for the first time that we wouldn't need to venture out to find things to do.


Or how many children there would be in our families this year.


Yet, somehow, once again, it was our best one yet.

Christmas 2023

Christmas with Jason's Mama Maria. Christmas with Glen and Carolyn. Sophia's love for gift-giving. First visit to Grammy and Grandpa...