The Christmas Letter

Dear Friends & Family,

Three reasons why we're not sending out a Christmas letter:

#3 Postage is expensive

#2 I don't have anyone's address anymore

#1 I'm lazy

Instead, you get to enjoy this super-modern digital Christmas letter! I know it's not as exciting as getting a legitimate card in the mail, but it's the best I can do (see reason #1 above).

2009 has been a good year for us. We've been here in Maryland now for two years and feel so blessed to call it home. We love it here. We've been in our own home for a year and a half and still feel so lucky to be here. With so much uncertainty in the world right now, we've been incredibly blessed to be where we are.

Now for the good stuff:Seth is almost 17 months old now, which means almost old enough to go to Nursery (our church's childcare for kids 18 months to 3 years old). Two months ago I couldn't believe my baby would be in Nursery. Now I'm ready to drop him off and leave him there until Sunday night. Is it possible for him to be going through the Terrible Two's already? Those temper tantrums look pretty legitimate to me...

It's been a big year for Seth. He's gone from being a immobile blob (but a very cute blob) to full-on running. From single syllable exclamations he's progressed to sentences ("Bear, please"). And from "Serious Seth" he's evolved into a world-class flirt. If you are a girl or woman over the age of 11, watch out. Girls his own age just terrify him. Every day he's learning something new (this week it's been climbing onto the kitchen table). It's amazing how much he's changed in just one year. That old saying about raising children--"The days are long but the weeks are short"--is so absolutely true.

I (Megan) am managing to keep myself just busy enough to have an excuse for not cleaning my house. I'm 2nd Counselor in our church's Young Women's Presidency, which means I get to help out with the 12 and 13 year old girls. All thirteen of them. Between Tuesday activities, Sunday lessons, firesides, presidency meetings and stake activities, some weeks I feel like I should just pack up my room and sleep at the church. But I really love working with these girls, even if I do have to suffer through Twilight discussions over and over and over again...

When I'm not at church I'm teaching piano lessons. At the moment I have 15 students and a waiting list of 7. Any piano teachers feel like moving here and helping me out? Teaching has been a great way to earn a little extra money, plus let Seth (and me) interact with lots of different people. That flirting I was talking about earlier? It's directed mostly at my students' mothers.

The rest of my time is occupied by my wifely and motherly duties. Some days it's overwhelming, some days its mind-numbing, but mostly it's the best job I've ever had. And, of course, I still manage to sneak in some reading when I should be cooking/cleaning. My house hasn't been mopped in weeks, but I made it through Vanity Fair and Bleak House!

Jon is in his final year of the AMC Fellows Program. He's currently "interning" with JPM NBC CA (10 extra credit points if you have any idea what that stands for) on the Edgewood side of APG, but will head back to AMSAA on the Aberdeen side in January where he will transition to a permanent position. He seems to be enjoying his work. Occasionally he tries to explain to me what he's working on, but it usually involves math and/or chemistry--my two weakest subjects. Something to do with detecting chemical agents, Google Earth, and a trip to Dugway, Utah.

The highlight of Seth's day is when Jon comes home from work. Jon is a fabulous dad--he knows all the right ways to entertain the Monster Man. From the moment he walks in the door, Seth is his shadow until bedtime. I love it (and not just because that leaves me free to actually cook dinner). When he's not being Daddy (and sometimes when he is), you'll find him downstairs on his computer. "Doing our finances" usually ends up turning into Diablo II or Civilization IV. Sometimes he'll read a book instead, but only ones that his sister Mary recommends. He doesn't like my books.

And that's 2009 for us! Now if both of our cars will just make it one more year and stop breaking down before every temple trip, we'll be perfectly content. We love you all and hope that next year will find you all happy and well.

Love, The Bloods~ Jonathan, Megan & Seth

"For unto us a child is born..."