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| Jeremiah and Cat, 2011 |
We hope this newsletter
finds you well. We usually write a family newsletter each Christmas
season detailing our past year and how much has changed. This year ended
with a bittersweet note of the passing of a dear young friend. Through our
grief we had decided not to do a newsletter this year. However, after
getting various cards from people with notes about how much you all love our
newsletter, we decided to put a quick one together.
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| Finn and Little Jeremiah, 2011 |
Kids are growing like
crazy. Our daughter Finn is in kindergarten this year...we know:
crazy! We have all officially entered the world of elementary
school...wow! She loves it and her teacher is an amazing man with
the patience of Job. Finn is already losing her baby teeth and has enjoyed
waiting for the tooth fairy, though she informed us the tooth fairy doesn't
bring money but a new toothbrush and toothpaste...which we thought was
great. She still loves horses and rides at a friend’s farm every week. She
can't get enough of singing and dancing to her "country music" as she
calls it, and is the tallest kid in her class (as well as the youngest)...I
fear she is going to be taller than her tall mummy.
Our son Jeremiah is two and half and all boy. We
used to say that there is no difference between boys and girls...then we had a
son...wow there is a big difference between boy and girl hormones. We
think he came out grunting like a cave man and throwing a ball around the house
an pumping his fists in the air. We so have enjoyed watching him grow and
develop his likes and dislikes. He loves nature, being outside as much as
possible, trains, cars, and most of all, his sissy. He and his sister have
developed a close relationship...which often involves a lot of fighting. J
We have had a lot of positive changes this past year. For
the first half of the year, Jeremiah worked a large amount of hours and was
asked to do more than any person should...he was working six to seven days a
week 12 to 16 hours a day...too much. He was getting no time with the kids
and his sweetie...which he treasures so much. Finally, one day we
were sitting down to dinner and our daughter put a picture of Papa at the table
and said "see it's almost like he's here"...he had to work late again
and wasn't able to get home for supper. Cat took a picture of it and sent
it to Jeremiah at work and said “I think we have a problem.” Shortly after
that a blessing came to us...with the tight financial times the world is in, his
company realized they needed to downsize and he was laid off. It sounds
strange but it was such a relief for us...he took with him a few of the
projects he was working and started working for himself. We've always
lived simply so our finances are small and we don't have a lot to worry
about. With his work and Cat’s working off and on for the tribe, we do
okay...and Cat’s still able to work from home so the kids have mummy and not a
daycare. The Lord provides...just not always how we think He will.
Cat’s work for the tribe has really picked up. Perfect
timing too...previously Jeremiah was working so much she never would have had
the time to put into my work like she does now. The tribe has had some changes
in the business committee and Cat’s finally getting a lot more support. Five
years ago she wrote a grant to start a family violence prevention program...the
grant was awarded but many in the business committee were not so happy. She
wrote a second grant last year and it was awarded as well, and, coupled with
the changes to the business committee, the doors are opening and amazing things
are happening. Her program is seeing great progress and they've been able
to help quite a few women and their children leave abusive situations.
We have had our sadness this year at the passing of our dear
friend Deanna Kingston (and here, here and here)...but we have had many blessings as well. Our lives
are full and rich, we have two amazing children, jobs that we feel really
contribute to bettering our world, and we have a safe and loving home...really
what else could we ask for!?
We
hope this next year finds you safe and well and filled with God’s blessings.
Love,
The
Osborne-Goweys
