Dear Friends and
Family,
Merry Christmas from
the Pruett Family! The joy of the season can be captured in Anna's
exclamation from the back seat of our mini-van, “Look! Lights! They
are getting ready for Christmas!” She loves that people all over
our little city are coming together to decorate for Christmas.
Our family in the light of the candle on the first Sunday of Advent |
Looking back over
2015, some of it was good and some of it was very difficult. We are
so thankful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that He was with us
through it all. We can see His hand at work in our lives in so many
ways. Among other things, we were able to travel to the San Antonio,
Texas, area in June for a family reunion with the descendants of
Elizabeth's great grandparents Lawrence and Marjorie Moore. The year
was also full of many other family get-together with extended family
on both Zachary and Elizabeth's sides of the family, and our
relationships in our church family have continued to deepen.
Zachary's work has
undergone several changes in the last twelve months. He was content
with his job and wasn't looking for another. Still, he was blessed to
receive a job offer from Mertz Manufacturing to work in their IT
department. He is now their Network Administrator. Mertz and the
people there have been such a blessing to us. It is exciting for
Zachary to be doing the computer work he loves all the time instead
of being divided in several directions. In his spare time, Zachary
takes the family to the zoo and has developed an interest in golf. He
can be found practicing his swing in all weather and during all hours
of the day. Anna and John have both picked up the sport with him and
have a blast with their miniature plastic clubs.
Elizabeth's year was
full of chasing after John, reading with Anna, and playing with them
both. John prefers peekaboo and can now find his nose. Anna enjoys
painting, pretending to be anything from a duck to a bear, and
baking. This was the gingerbread year. Two gingerbread homes and a
church with stained glass windows were decorated this Christmas
season, and the year isn't over yet! Elizabeth's involvement at
church and in several genealogy/lineage societies keeps her active in
the community. She is tweaking her family tree, discovering new
ancestors, and finding photographs of old ones. A whim and her desire
to be a lifelong learner led Elizabeth to begin studying Swedish –
the language spoken by her most recent immigrant, John Peterson
[1843-1907].
Anna Christine is 3
½ and growing into a little lady. She enjoys listening to her Mommy
(and others) read to her even more than her Mommy enjoys reading to
her – which is saying a lot! Anna began the new homeschool
preschool program from My Father's World in July, and the entire
family is blessed by it. We knew as a family that we wanted a gentle
academic beginning that encouraged a love of learning with a
foundation rooted in God's Word. “All Aboard the Animal Train” is
exactly that program. Each unit focuses on a color, animal and
biblical character trait and is full of great book suggestions,
activities, and games. Anna is learning to memorize Bible verses and,
more importantly, to treat others with God's love, kindness,
patience, etc. Anna brings us and her grandparents so much joy. We
are privileged to live near family, and Anna spends frequent quality
time with all four of her grandparents.
John William is our
climber. He started walking at 11 months, and now, at not quite 1 ½,
his mobility amazes and intimidates us. John tries to get into
everything. He is bold, determined, and fast. His almost fearless
approach to life has earned him many bumps and bruises, but he
bounces back amazingly well. Thankfully, he is a good sleeper because
getting anything done with him on the loose is a challenge. John is
sweet and affectionate. His hugs are long, his welcoming smile and
“Hi!” are enthusiastic, and his good-bye wave is endearing. It is
hard to say “no” to his outstretched arms. His favorite toy is
his set of golf clubs, and he practices his swing daily just like his
daddy. John uses a few choice words to great effect with some highly
communicative grunts and squeals and the occasional “what did he
just say?” phrase that makes our heads turn.
2016 promises to be
a big year with family milestones and travel, so please pray that our
steps would be ordered by the Lord and that we would be safe and sane
as we travel great distances with our little ones. Thank you all for
your friendship!
With Love,
Zachary, Elizabeth,
Anna, and John Pruett
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