thankful thursday

Today I'm thankful for :: grace.

I have been gifted with grace many times. By my family {daily . . . often even hourly, or more}. By my friends. By my God!

Today I'm thankful for grace from you. I got about 80% of my Christmas cards out of my house and in the mail about 2 weeks ago. The other 20% are still on my dining room table. Well, honestly, I didn't really check my list when ordering {OOPS!}, so I ran out. But then I made some more {since the minimum order for the picture cards we got the first time around was 50 and I didn't need 50 more -- but then again I didn't count the second time around either, so maybe I did need 50! -- I just decided to make the remainder, with a re-do of my 2008 card adding Sara's name to the list and calling it good!, instead of re-ordering the picture cards}, but I haven't gotten around to actually addressing and mailing them . . . and Christmas eve is tomorrow!

So, here is the Stoll Christmas letter 2010 and our 12th annual bed picture. Enjoy! {and if you are one of the 80% that did get yours you can skip this all together or read it again. It's up to you.}::

A is for Anna: Anna will be 3 soon and is (mostly) delightful. She is funny and pretty cute and we love her lots!

B is for Blessings: Our lives are so full of blessings. We have much to be thankful for!

C is for CBC: We worship at Central Baptist Church in St. Paul, and love our church family there!

D is for Dad: Kirby, the dad of the house, better enjoy the coming year as it marks his last full year in his 30’s!

E is for ER: 2 ER visits in 2 weeks this summer. Staples in the top of Jacob’s head and stitches in Anna’s forehead. Both are healed up just fine!

F is for Falcon: 4 of our kiddos are attending Falcon Heights Elementary this year. By the time Sara heads to middle school, one of our kids (if not 2 or 3 or 4) will have been there each year for just shy of two decades!

G is for Grade 6: That’s what grade Jacob is in this year. (I can’t believe next year he’ll go to middle school.) He is a bus patrol, plays trumpet in the band and loves all things football!

H is for Home: We still live in the same place. We love our house, our neighborhood and our community. Stop over and see us anytime; you’re always welcome here!

I is for Internet: I continue to enjoy updating the world on the life of our family through our family blog. Come visit there too, if you want!

J is for Jesus: We are so thankful for our Lord and Savior, and celebrate His birth this Christmas.

K is for Kindergarten: Ready or not, Falcon now has Joey bursting through its doors each day. It’s a struggle to get him to head off to school most days, but once he arrives he LOVES it. He’s doing great, continues to be the family “ham” and necessitates earplug use for the other 7 of us much of the time!

L is for Library: Our neighborhood library was closed for a year while they remodeled. It re-opened this summer (twice as big) and we’re so glad to have it back! I LOVE to read and am, I imagine, one of their better customers. The “littles” and I enjoy storytime there each week.

M is for Mom: That’s me, the mom. I keep plenty busy and most days (though not all) enjoy the crazy life we lead! Card-making, MOPS, Target trips, friends, reading, Caribou, church, a date here and there, the Y, PTA, ECFE: that’s my life!

N is for Nephew: Our newest little nephew, Schaeffer, was born to my brother Luke and his wife, Jenn, in August. He joins Haddon to round out their extra-good-looking family. We are glad they live close and the kids have nearby cousins to play with, grow up with and love!

O is for October 9th: The very best day of our year, without rival, was 10.9.10 when we welcomed our new little bundle. (more on her under “S”).

P is for Parents: We both have wonderful parents and continue to enjoy the time we spend with them, and our families in general. As always, we wish we were able to spend more time with Kirby’s parents (and extended family), but no one seems to be moving, so I guess we’ll have to make due. We continue to be thankful to have my parents (and my grandma!) so close, and for the fact that they are such a HUGE part of our lives!

Q is for Quotes: We hope you enjoy the annual Stoll Quotes from 2010 (they’re on the back)!

R is for Rebekah: Rebekah is in 4th grade and will soon turn double-digits. She continues to be the mom of the family — I’m pretty sure she is more nurturing than I am. (It’s good she doesn’t lactate or I’d be completely out of a job!)

S is for Sara: Sara Evelyn is a delight! Everyone is head over heels in love with her and we are thrilled God saw fit to bless us with this little doll!

T is for Third: Lydia is in 3rd grade this year and continues to love life more than most . . . except, that is, when she’s mad and then, watch out world!

U is for Ugly: Ok, so it’s not really ugly, but it sure does stand out in a “crowd”. We traded in our mini van for a 12-passenger Chevy Express last spring and now the whole world knows when I’m at Target, since you can spot our big van from most anywhere in Roseville!

V is for Vince: I continue to do daycare for a fabulous little man every other week while his mom goes to work. We love Vince and he has become a regular member of the family!

W is for Work: Kirb just started his 9th year of work at Northwestern College. We are thankful for his job and all it means to our family.

X is for X-tra great: We have been blessed with an extra fabulous circle of family and friends who love and support us through life. If you are reading this, then you are a part of that circle and we are thankful for you!

Y is for YMCA: We continue to enjoy being part of our local Y. We enjoy the free childcare, the activities and the opportunity to keep our bodies in some semblance of “fit”. We love spending the summer at the outdoor pool with friends and watching Rebekah swim on the swim team.

Z is for zzzz: Hopefully reading the Stoll ABC’s hasn’t put you to sleep, but sleep is something each of us at the Stoll house could benefit from a little (or a lot) more of, but such is the life of a big family with little kids, right? There will always be opportunities for more sleep at some point in the future, I’m hoping!

The Stoll kid quotes that are on the back of our Christmas letter are, conveniently, located right over there ------------------------> on the sidebar, so I won't list them here again.

Merry, Merry Christmas from our family!