Christmas letter

Well, its the third week of advent and Matt's and my 7th anniversary today and as usual I am way behind in getting Christmas out the door to our friends and family.   This year we decided to just send out the cards and put the address of my website on them to save paper and, mostly, because I am so behind.  We leave for Orlando and Mickey Mouse at the end of the week and I know that I will be pushing it to the wire to get everything out the door!

We have been blessed in many ways this year.  The boys are big and growing every day.  We have even added another boy into the mix with the arrival of Theodore Isaac in June.  They are sometimes the three musketeers together and sometimes the three stooges, it just depends on the day.  Orson is on his final year of pre-school and turns 5 at the beginning of the year, he is becoming such an amazing big brother.  Both his little brothers love playing with him and he is almost always willing to stop and play with them.  He also loves to help, he is my best cleaner and assistant chef.  Ferdinand just turned two and has become very, very verbal.  He learns new words and ideas everyday.  He has the run of the house, bossing everyone around and keeping Orson in check.  He also loves to cuddle and hug still, which is wonderful.  Theodore is 6 months and fits right in with his brothers.  He lights up with joy when either of them stop to play with him and if they get too rough he is quick to reach out and grab some hair....seems to get the big boys right back in line :)  He is, unfortunately, our worse sleeper so far.  He doesn't nap well during the day and wakes up many times throughout the night.  Which means I am a walking zombi many days, which also means I am not getting as much done or created as I like to.  

That being said I have really enjoyed learning the art of canning produce from the garden and still love to bake.  Most of my sewing projects have gone undone but I did manage to finish up Theodore's stocking in time for Christmas.  I am also still teaching religious education at our church, 3rd graders this year, and  attending the Mom's Bible Study as well.  Matt is busy, busy, busy at work.  He earned a promotion this last round of reviews and now it looks as if he will be adding to his workload with a move to the new Colorado team. Yes, this does mean that we are also moving to CO in the new year.  The office is just outside of Boulder, Co.....it should be a good move for our family in the long run but it will be hard to start over once again.  For those of you keeping track, this move will be the one counted towards the birth of Theodore :) Thats one move for the birth of each of our boys.

We pray that all of you are enjoying the festivities at the end of the year and that the Peace of Christ go with you into the New Year.  As always we are thankful for our family and friends near and far and for the joy they bring us daily.  If anyone plans on being in the Denver area next year, let us know, we will be looking for friendly faces :)

With love and heartfelt prayers

The Ewalts

Musings during advent

 As I try to truly prepare for the coming of God made man, as I try to carry Christ in me just as Mary did

Lately, somewhat inspired by the Pope, somewhat inspired by my past work and upbringing, somewhat inspired by articles and books of faith and saints and stories of despair in the news and maybe greatly inspired by motherhood, I look around and see such excess in our life. I feel neglectful and dismayed at the abundance and lack of true gratefulness. How can I redirect the want of things (in myself, in my children, in my husband) to a spirit of giving, a want of time together. A joy in what is here and now. How can we as a family of little ones (so often overwhelmed in daily life by small things) help others next door, around the corner, across the ocean have want they need and maybe a little of what they want, while accepting a little less of what we want.

I sit up at night and think of the horror of taking the place of other mothers,

Of watching my children grow up or die in war torn places. Never feeling safe in our own home.

Of being unable to provide a house to my children like many homeless in our own country.

Of being looked down upon by those with enough because "I just haven't tried hard enough to get a good enough education or a well thought of job" so therefore my family just doesn't deserve our dreams.

Of being displaced from my country or having recently moved to find opportunity and not speaking the language of my new country that I don't deserve respect and that my children must be criminals.

Why have we become complacent in our good fortune (no matter how small or large)? Why do we complain that what we have doesn't spread far enough?
How do I present Jesus to the world if I cannot share in these struggles with compassion? How do I help my children to see past the surface to Christ underneath?


I saw this picture on a blog while looking for other information.  Mary pregnant and preparing for Jesus.

Thanksgiving, family and growing boys

What a great Thanksgiving, Dad and Sophie came for a visit, I cooked my first turkey, we went on a trip into the city and enjoyed good food and good company.

Orson's school had a feast the week before Thanksgiving, watching Orson sing his silly turkey and pie song was a lot of fun.

Dad and Sophie's visit was awesome

 Theodore with his Godmother

 Dad playing with the boys (I think they spend more time flying and hanging upside down the right side up!)

 Theodore wanted in on the Grandpa action

 Grandpa Bob (or Pots as Ferdinand says) also stayed for dinner

Dinner went well, we grilled the turkey, ate all the fixings and enjoyed good wine (It was Sophie's first American style Thanksgiving Feast)

 and ended with Apple pie and homemade cinnamon ice cream (which Dad and I polished off later in the evening with two forks and wine during a game of cards with Sophie)

Then we tried to take family pictures...

 I finally found a way to get all three boys to hold still for a picture

 Unfortunately it took  smooshing Grandpa Jones (Ferdinand decided Beepop was a good name for him)

 More upside down

 T didn't want to be left out

 Baby Loves!

 Walking the Mall in DC was a lot of fun in the cold

 Ferdinand kept asking if all the statues were Jesus and then switched to calling them all Daddies at the Korean Monument....

 What a great week.

Theodore went in for his 6 month check up the following week.  He is our biggest guy. 18.6lbs and 29 inches.  He didn't like his vaccines very much and actually took his first trip to the ER because he was having trouble keeping food down.  He seemed to enjoy all the individual attention, heres hoping he doesn't make a habit of it :)

Theodore loves playing trains with Orson and really anything to do with O.  Orson was the first one to make him laugh and still gets a smile as soon as T spots him.

 He is sitting well and fully mobile when on the floor (he slides, rolls and schooches)

 He is full of fun faces 

 and has perfected looking pathetic when sick 

He lights up whenever Matt is in the room or he even thinks Matt might be coming in the room

He loves to cuddle (especially in the middle of the night)

And looks shockingly like me at this age

And when he nurses he always wants to hold my hand.  He also look so much like Orson did at this age that sometimes in the middle of the night when we are nursing I look down and I get a glimpse of O as a baby and get the double joy of holding my newest son close and my oldest son (so hard to hold on to these days) again.

T and F have a very interesting relationship.  They love each other but fight over Dad time and F doesn't like to be in pictures with T. Ferdinand calls him Baby Tie and has taken to putting all of his animals and toy to sleep while saying "Go to sleep Baby Tie." Ha!

Here is what picture taking with F usually looks like

and here is maybe the only picture of him and Baby Tie

F had his two year check up on the same day as T's 6 month.  He is 2 ft 11 inches and 30lbs.  He talks up a storm and everyday adds new words and sentences to his repertoire. Favorite phrases are "I did it" "walk in the mall?" "Idea?" "No, no, yes, no, yes" "I eat"

He is also super silly, picks on Orson, loves music and just plain full of it.  He is at the completely adorable stage and loves it.