Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Christmas Letter

So our printer isn't working, and things seem to be crazy around here. Here is our Christmas letter, although many of you will be getting a paper copy too- unless you let me know that you don't want us to send you a paper copy!! :)

Merry Christmas! 2009 has definitely been a year of challenges, rewards, learning and growing for our family! God has been faithful and continues to bless us more than we deserve, especially with our amazing friends and family!

BJ has been an amazing addition to our family. He is now 13-14 months old (depending when you get my letter!!), and is very active and independent. He is walking everywhere and loves to make his own decisions. We are anxiously awaiting his speech to take off as that would help us know what he wants instead of pointing and whining. He started a large center daycare in Feb. and has had a myriad of illnesses. He has been diagnosed with asthma, eczema, and allergies to peanut, dairy, egg (and dog), so keeps us on our toes with his health. Due to his dog allergy, we made the heartbreaking decision to give Pedro, our dog, to Cassi’s aunt in Nebraska, but think Pedro likes his new life better than ours here. In November, BJ was hospitalized overnight and spent a week with nightly oxygen. However, given all his health concerns and our concerns for his care, we chose to take him out of the large center daycare and were blessed to find an amazing friend from church who is watching him at her home with her daughter who is 6 days older than BJ. Already he loves the change, playing with his new friends, and is finally healthy- praise God. And although he has struggled with many illnesses this year, continues to be a happy boy (even when sick) and such a joy to be with.

Cassi has adjusted (somedays well, other days not so well) to being a working mom. She is finishing her residency at Swedish Family Medicine and will be done in July. She has interviewed with 2 clinics and has happily accepted an offer at Aspen Family Care in Highlands Ranch, CO (a suburb of Denver). She is looking forward to having a better balance of mom and doctor time as she will have a day off a week (and a set schedule!!). Cassi still loves to read, run, work out, and spend time with her boys and tries to find to do so amidst her other responsibilities.

Brandon has become quite the amazing superdad! BJ and he have a great time running around the house, building towers (or knocking them down), and playing with whatever toy or object is available. He is a great dad, such that Cassi never worries when her boys are hanging out together when she is working (even overnight)! Brandon continues to work for CH Robinson and has spent time in all divisions, allowing him to step in to any and help out when needed. Brandon keeps busy with his projects at home (he likes to say he only has 2, the cars and the house, but Cassi knows better!). He has been working on a beautiful entertainment center for our almost finished basement and just recently traded the Supra for a Lexus Aristo. He laments it is the first time since 16 he hasn’t had a sports car, but has learned to make “sacrifices” for the family he loves!!

When we’ve had time for fun, we vacationed in Minnesota this year with Cassi’s family for a week, attended the Nebraska vs. Colorado game in Boulder, skied with friends, had countless movie and game nights, and continue to be active in the married couples group at church.

As always, we love Colorado, but miss seeing so many of you!! Feel free to visit anytime- we have plenty of space for those who want to enjoy beautiful Rocky Mountains. But most of all, we hope you know how important you all are to us, and thank God for the blessing of your support and love! We hope Christmas finds you contemplating the real reason for the season, God’s most precious gift to us, his son.



Brandon, Cassi, and BJ

Sunday, December 6, 2009

BJ's thoughts

Since turning one, BJ has had quite the streak of independence, although I suspect that it will last more than a streak!
So in the true sense of his independence, I've decided to let him blog for you what has been happenening lately at our house.

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(I'll have to help him with some spelling here).

So my mommy says since I'm one, I can help blog some too now. I'm really big you know! I can walk all over by myself, take only one nap a day, and can climb up and down the stairs myself!! Obviously, I'm a great typer and love to help mom and dad on the computer. Pretty soon I'm going to need my own email (and maybe a cell phone!!) I've been pretty busy since turning one. I went to the doctor a while ago and they said I couldn't eat some things- milk, cheese (which I love, bummer), eggs, and peanuts. They got this shot thing that they will give me if I mess up and eat what I'm not supposed to. Mommy is learning how to bake without eggs, and I really like what she has found! A few weeks ago I started coughing a lot and it was hard to breathe. My mom took me to my favorite doctor and PA and they said my oxygen was low. So my mommy and I got to go to this cool place- I thought it was a hotel cuz they had these people who parked our car for us, but my mommy said it was a hospital- like the one my mommy works in. They made me stay in a room without leaving for a long time without many toys and these funny people with masks and gowns kept coming in to check my oxygen. I guess it was low cuz they made me sleep in this metal cage overnight there and put these things in my nose. Now I really want to know how that helps- if I can't breath- why stick things up my nose? But the next day we got to go home as long as mommy put those things in my nose to help me breathe (Cassi's note: oxygen) at night at home. I guess it was kind of scary cuz mom spent a lot of time at home with me and had a sleepover with me in my room for almost a week! She said the doctors at the hospital called it adeno and rhino virus- how did I get rhino virus? I've never met one!?! But now, Mommy and Daddy decided with all my sicknesses that I should go to a different daycare. So now, I go to play with my friend Kirina (who is 6 days older than me, but she's not really bigger than me) and her mommy helps take care of us. I really like it- Mommy and Daddy say it is a blessing from God. Mommy and Daddy have been making my house even prettier with decorations for Christmas- which I haven't broken yet, but they are really sparkle-y. They say we get to go to visit Grammy and Papa and Grandpa and Grandma soon- and I really like them. Plus they live close to my cousin Anson, who I think is pretty cool- I hear he is working on crawling, so hopefully he is moving around by Christmas so we can play together. Anyway, Mommy said it is time for a nap-so I better go, just don't tell her I'm going to stay up and read in my crib instead!!
Love you guys,
Beej

Mommy and Me for Halloween, I was a lion, she was my trainer
Daddy and Me playing football, I catch good!

Mommy and Daddy at the Nebraska vs. Colorado game, GO BIG RED!

My favorite- cheerios!!

Talking to Elmo on my cell phone!