It was a lot of fun to spend time with friends and family while we were away from home near other places we have called home. We weren't wildly adventurous and didn't try to see the whole world, but we did enjoy who we were with while we were with them. Thanks Clay and Tam for letting us stay at your place for one night instead of two like we had joked about. Your church seems lovely and I'm sure that God has given you everything you need for His work in this place. Thanks for the birthday gift and the chocolate bar pie too (mmmmm!). The Uno Extreme has been put to good use already. Have you got a recipie for those peanut butter balls? Do you have any solution (other than working out with Bill) to lose the pounds I have put on since I came to Caronport?
It was great to spend time with family too. Mom and Dad Siebert, we are so grateful that there is always a place for us to stay and get taken care of so well while we are home. Not to mention all of the game playing amidst your working schedules and preparations for everything else that is going on. Thanks for spending time with us when the weather was nice outside or simply frightful. And the Ski-doo is always a fun addition. It's too bad no-one got a picture of our snowball fight, Mom. Do you have any permanent bruising? Micah and Judah have recovered quite nicely.
Carmen and Luke, we're so glad we got to see you while we were up. Our kids really love your boys, and yes, Aslynn does love Titus even more now that he gave her the gift. Did he pick it out or did you? Thanks for putting up with Uncle Mark playing Lego with you, Caleb and Ethan. Anyway, it wasn't the same without you there the rest of the time. Luke, I looked old and fat on the ice this time around (besides less coordinated), and almost all of the Sieberts ended up on the same hockey team!
Luke and Lindy and Benj, I'm glad we got to spend some extra time together. It is amazing how quickly the kids grow up and change, isn't it? Maybe I should qualify that by saying I was referring to Benj, not you Luke. You didn't ruin Christmas, Luke. It's kinda hard to do. Thanks for enduring the antics of our kids, especially Judah who wanted to play with whatever Benjamin had (poor guy).
Eric and Jana, your boys have grown so much! They have stellar personalities that remind me of you guys. We really enjoy our visits with you. Thanks for the goodies that you made as well, Jana. They were awesome. Faith understands how hard it can be when the kids want to help her in the kitchen - how can you say no to that? Our kids polished off the gingerbread men in a hurry.
And to all you Janzens (whether in name or not) - Merry Christmas. Thanks for the cards and gifts and everything. Thanks Grandpa and Grandma for all the work you have done and love you have given in making this family what it is. (And sorry for stealing your gift at the gift exchange Grandma - someone took mine and I liked that picture frame a lot!). Thanks Von and Steve for making all the arrangements and doing all the work this year.
All the rest of you Sieberts out there, God bless you in this new year. Time sure flies, and we don't see each other nearly often enough. Grandma, we hope to see you in the near future, though we have no clue when that will be. Next time we're in La Glace, we need to pop in and see you Len and Bernice and Clinton. We're due for a good visit. I felt like I saw Stephen as much up there as we do here at school! Dan and Carol, how wild is it that we have to end up eating at DQ randomly the same night to run into each other when we only live an hour apart!
Brett & Andrea, thanks for getting together with us. Sorry for not making arrangements sooner. Zack is sure a little sweetie. Thanks Auntie Joan for covering our meal at Tony Romas too. Chad & Chris, thanks for letting us crash your place the day before leaving for Little Smokey. We hope you had a good time there. Jim & Heather, always a pleasure to let the kids run free together and make mischief. We're putting a lefse rolling pin and grill on our list of things to buy when we're done school, and we're going to need some lessons! Hopefully we'll be somewhere nearby when that all happens. Who knows what God has in store?
Jocelyn, it was great to see you, your mom, and Peyton. What crazy red hair Peyton has! We hope you have a great New Year and that school goes well for you once you've applied. I know you would do well at anything you put your heart into. Keep us posted on how Grandma Jackie is doing as well. Let her know that we're thinking about her when you see her again.
Mom and Dad Nation, thanks for all of the things you do for us. It will be weird if March comes around and none of us boys have any solid job leads, won't it? We're praying that doesn't happen. Thanks for the meals, the fun, the games, and the beds. Are you up for trying boxing with Micah again any time soon? He has hockey games on Tuesday the 19th, a tournament on the 23rd in Central Butte, and another game on the 26th. And I brought Judah's birthday present with us. He hasn't seen it since we've come back, but I'm hoping he can use it soon. My driveway needs some shovelling, and someone else broke mine!
Brian and Joy, it was fun to see you and your kids - and that elaborate kitchen centre you built Brian. Wow. Looks like you had fun! Thanks for laughing with us and making us laugh. I was glad that Shayla and Noah enjoyed being outside last Sunday building snow jumps, zipping down the hill on bale sleds, and taking turns on the quad and skidoo (even if Grandpa did lose it a couple of times and bailed off with Judah and Shayla). I mean, I had fun. 
Hey Guynups! Merry Christmas to you too. Thanks for the use of your Ski-doo James, and everything else Robert and Debbie. It was good to get together again - I've missed our family get-togethers. I sure wish we were all together somehow. I miss eating turkey downstairs on that long table and watching Brett pile the corn into his volcano of mashed potatoes shortly before we would go diving across the table during a game of speed Uno.
Sheldon and Kathie, we were so glad to watch Noah play hockey and just hang out with you guys. It's great to have friends who are so encouraging and real. Sheldon - go get a job. I think it's crazy that I know so many people without steady work at the moment. Give me some hope, okay?
We love you all and hope that we didn't impose too much while eating your food and breathing your air. When we got back home, we needed a vacation from our vacation. So we all snoozed and did nothing for one more day before heading to school. It was all worthwhile. How 'bout those Canadian Juniors? Micah and I watched every heart-breaking second. You can't really complain with a silver medal - that and the knowledge that Jordan Eberle is going to be an Edmonton Oiler. Have a good week this week and the next. I'll just update you with a few stories here and there in the meantime. Nothing this elaborate I hope! And of course, life is crazy as usual!
- Mark
No comments:
Post a Comment