a year in review

Life is so much more than the quick highlights and events that take place, and yet I do love remembering the highlights and events because they trigger thoughts of what God has been doing in us and how incredibly faithful He has been to us. I suppose I'm the only reader who gets the full picture of it all, but hopefully you'll enjoy remembering with me anyway!

 
January

- We celebrated Jackson's fifth birthday. (Unbelievable!)

- The Make-A-Wish Foundation sent our family to Disney World for the week so Aubrey could see a castle and meet princesses. It was memorable, special, wonderful, and luxurious!

 

February

- Our church closed on a building in Potsdam that we had been hoping/looking to buy for almost 2 years. Daniel was instrumental in the closing process and subsequently to the remodeling and planning processes.

- Gabriel turned eight!

- We got lots of snow! The kids had so much fun building snowmen, sledding in our yard and at The Big Hill in town, having snowball fights, and making snow angels.

 

March

- We wrapped up another Upward Basketball season with a great deal of competitive fun that extended to the sidelines at times! Both Gabriel and Jackson played this year, and Daniel coached.

- Our three school-age children participated in another CFA Grandparents' Day celebrations. They all sang in choirs and participated in the talent show with a dance routine.

 

April

- Gabriel participated in a wedding as a ring bearer for some good friends in Pittsburgh. He looked handsome and was tremendously blessed to play a part.

- We had a lovely, mild Easter!

 

May

- Daniel and I traveled quite a bit, attending three out-of-town weddings in one month.

- Gabriel began his 2nd year of baseball in our town's league, which included being given the opportunity to march in the annual Memorial Day parade.

- The kids all participated in CFA's end-of-the-year Academy Night. I wrapped up the year as the 2nd-4th grade choir teacher and 1st-2nd grade story time teacher, and Daniel finished his year as assistant director, K-12 phys ed teacher, and 3-4th grade character class teacher.

 

June

- We planted our vegetable garden, something we've done for the past three years now. It is one of the highlights of summer for us all at this point.

- Bronwyn finished her first year of ballet study with a dance showcase.

- Jackson graduated from kindergarten!

- We began a major home remodeling project, expanding our upstairs by about 330 square feet. That project is on track to be finished sometime this coming summer/fall, as anticipated.

- Daniel ran his first 10k!

 

July

- The whole Sinclair family traveled to Long Island to celebrate Independence Day with Aunt Judy, Uncle Huck, and girls-- and also to celebrate my sister Louissa's engagement! We visited NYC and FAO Schwartz while in the area.

- Work on the building in Potsdam continued and Daniel began logging more and more hours there. He is turning into quite the remodeler!

- I ran a 5k, despite poor running habits this year overall, and the 3 big kids ran a 1-mile race. We all had a great time.

- I spent a whole week of my life painting the kids' bedrooms, many pieces of bedroom furniture, and the stairway. A whole week, pretty much day and night, I tell you.

 

August

- Daniel, Gabriel, and I headed out with a team of musicians for a youth conference in Michigan that Daniel was asked to lead worship and speak at. Bronwyn and Jackson stayed with some good friends while Aubrey and Claire stayed with my parents. It was the longest we've ever been away from any of our kids, excepting our time in Syracuse following Aubrey's birth.

- Daniel's parents came for a visit and to return Gabriel home after the week he spent having the time of his life with them in Pittsburgh.

- Bronwyn turned seven!

- We announced that Paladin #6 is on his/her way and due late March.

- I attended the first birth I've been to since Julia was born (unless you count my own children's, but those weren't exactly optional) and saw my niece Beatrice make her grand entrance into the world.

- Daniel poured countless hours into the building Potsdam, preparing it for the first service on September 4th.

 

September

- Our church launched its Potsdam location, which is where Daniel leads worship and oversees the service that we attend each week as a family.

- We started another school year: Gabriel in 3rd grade, Bronwyn in 2nd, and Jackson in 1st.

- Bronwyn began another semester of studying ballet with a new teacher and dance studio since her old teacher is no longer giving classes in Potsdam. She loves the art and is a lovely little dancer who has every hope of continuing with her studies for quite some time.

- Aubrey, our miracle baby, celebrated her fourth birthday. God is good!

- Carina and Julia put together an amazing Hoe-down/Engagement Party/Bridal Shower for Louissa and Josiah. It was one of the most fun parties I've ever been to.

 

October

- Daniel and I celebrated 10 years of marriage with a 3 day/2 night get-away to Montreal, Canada. We did lots of fun things and ate [too much] delicious food and, most of all, enjoyed being together. I am so thankful for this man who leads me in the ways of the Lord, and I love him more today than I did 10 years ago!

- We began another year of CFA Friday Program. Daniel is officially overseeing this ministry of our local church to homeschooling families and doing a great job. I am teaching choir and story time again, and three of our children are attending as students.

- Our church hosted an alumni reunion and we got to reconnect with lots of alumni who grew incredibly near and dear to us in their time in the North Country.

- My sister Louissa got married to a great guy. Her wedding was beautiful!

- Gabriel and Bronwyn began another year of piano lessons with Aunt Camilla, and Gabriel began some drum lessons with Papa.

 

November

- Claire turned two years old on the 1st.

- We headed to Pittsburgh for Thanksgiving, stopping first in Syracuse for in-depth prenatal tests (all clear!) and a hotel stay on our way.

 

December

- December contained lots of Christmas parties, a concert or two, special meetings, holiday decorating, tree-getting, choir-practicing, and cookie-baking. We love this time of year!

- Bronwyn had her tonsils removed after dealing with severe tonsil infections and abscesses on and off since she was two years old. Her recovery was quick and relatively painless.

- We celebrated Christmas with our sixth year of Christmas Eve and Christmas morning traditions right here in our own home. It is a joy to celebrate the amazing kindness of our God; and it is wonderful to see our children growing to love celebrating with one another.

Daniel & Brietta
Gabriel (8), Bronwyn (7), Jackson (5), Aubrey (4), Claire (2) & baby #6 due at the end of March 

 

In all the ups and downs one year contains (and it does contain a lot!), we are so blessed. We have a warm and inviting home to live in, five (six!) beautiful and growing children, a job that is so much more than just a job working for a church that is truly family to us, friends and family that we love and can count on, and the infinite joy of walking with Jesus. I'm so thankful that as we begin another year, our rest is found in Christ and the faithful work He has begun in us.

Happy New Year!

 

10,000 Reasons

We are hunkered down for the day. Our North Country sky, which usually boasts bright sun at this time of year, is gray and overcast for multiple days in a row now. The wind is howling so that the much warmer than average temperature we are experiencing is almost nullified by its biting chill.

Bronwyn is on day 6 of feeling rather sick. What began on Saturday with a high fever and throwing up has turned into a full-fledged tonsil infection. She is pale, quiet, and tired. We do our best to cheer her with favorite movies, wii competitions, Edy's popsicles, books, gifts from a friend and an aunt, and lots of candles, while encouraging lots of fluids and rest and vitamins and probiotics. I am hopeful that the worst is behind us, but she seems to have a good road to full recovery ahead of her yet.

Of course, having one of my students missing school has meant that we've all adjusted our schooling slightly. The boys plug away at math, handwriting, and reading, but we are foregoing most history and science until all our members are once again fully able to participate . Things like reading The Best Christmas Pageant Ever aloud together, listening to Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, and baking lots of holiday cookies (the tally is well over 35 dozen at this point-- but don't worry, we've given most of them away!) take the place of normal school activities.

It is so good to be home. I am so thankful to spend each day with these beautiful five people that I call my own. There is no place I'd rather be.

I have to say, I always love this place I call home. I love the security and family and love and commitment and Christ that is in it. I love the uneven wood floors, the old doors, the big windows. I even love the noisy heat ducts and ongoing projects and toys on the floor.

I love that it is a refuge. I am thankful for God's design for us, to give us a place where we can laugh and cry and share and mess up and repent and grow and be. It's not about the house itself or the way it looks, but how we conduct ourselves in it and how He pours Himself out right here in our daily lives.

I'm often undone by how good God is to us, how thoughtful He is in His plan for our lives. Lately, I tear up regularly and at times downright cry about how above and beyond He goes for us. I don't always stop to consider His kindness the way I should; I am sure even now of how far short I fall in my attempts to consider and comprehend His love for me.

I want to try, though.

Each and every single day, I want to try to see a bit more.

I want to wake up each morning eager to better understand His heart toward us.

You're rich in love and You're slow to anger
Your name is great and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
- matt redman 

Getting the tree!

I usually decorate the house for Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving (and we managed to pull this off even this year, despite not returning home from Pittsburgh until that Saturday night!), but we don't get our tree until a week or two later in an effort to keep it fresh through the holidays. I am not one who is eager to say good bye to the tree after Christmas, preferring to wait until a week or so after to take it down, so we can't get it too quickly or else it's just a pile of needles come January 1st. The only problem with this plan is that we can get oh so eager and impatient waiting for Tree Day!

This year was no exception. It may have, in fact, been one of the worst. The kids were not the only ones counting down the days; I was, too!

Yesterday finally came. Jackson was feverish so he and I stayed home (sadness), but the others braved the rain and mud and chill to bring home our beauty. We opted for another small tree, making it two years in a row now of down-sizing. I like the sweetness of small trees and the kids didn't seem to mind altogether too much, though they would prefer a big one (and I do think we'll oblige again one of these years!).
 

They found it!
(Claire was there, but not in the picture, apparently)

 

Stringing the lights

Frosting cookies while Daddy strings lights = tradition

 

Bronwyn crocheted all our garland this year

 

Claire tried to figure out the crocheting, too

 

Hanging ornaments

 

Daniel and I didn't really have to hang any, as Gabriel and Bronwyn were actually tall enough to reach most of the way up

 

The final touch and our first *real* tree topper!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Our first year with a *real* mantel!

Heaps and heaps of reading and re-reading these special books that only come out once a year

 

A favorite Christmas card framed

Our 1895 piano, decorated for the holidays

One of many nativities about the house. Jesus really is the reason for the season and we never want to forget Him!

Swimming In November

On November 21st I had a number of appointments scheduled in Syracuse: a level II ultrasound, a fetal echocardiogram, genetic counseling, and a meeting with MFM about delivery options at Crouse Hospital. We had already planned to head to Pittsburgh the next day for a Thanksgiving trip and it seemed silly to drive to Syracuse and back on Monday, only to drive that same 2-1/2 hour stretch the next day. The plan of taking all the kids in order to then spend the night in a hotel with a swimming pool was hatched and, boy, was it even better than we had anticipated.

We had so much fun!

The big indoor pool was the highlight (and we took advantage of it twice), but the giant atrium with lots of little paths to explore, the roomy suite, the hot [free!] breakfast the next morning, and the hours of family time were pretty awesome, too!
 

We had the whole pool area to ourselves both that first evening and the next morning

Sticking our feet in the hot tub

The kids were rather excited about not only having cable television but also WATCHING TV IN BED!!  

For those curious, the five hours of appointments did go well. This baby, unlike Claire, was not in a great position for ruling out all the heart abnormalities they like to rule out, but they feel confident that there are at least no major problems.

I had a long chat with a doctor who was absolutely enthusiastic about my VBAC'ing there and even said, "That's great!" when I told him that I would want midwife care with OB back-up. We've not settled entirely on where the delivery will take place, but we're definitely leaning more and more strongly toward an out-of-the-area birth. Though the drawbacks to that are plentiful, the drawbacks locally are at least as plentiful and-- right now, anyway-- much more daunting and exhausting to me.

Also for those curious, we did not find out what we're having! Daniel and I both prefer the surprise and neither of us felt a compelling reason to find out ahead of time. We're in this for the long-haul and loving every minute of Who Knows?! I lean toward boy myself, for what it's worth.

(Not much, I realize, since I'm generally wrong! Still, it is what I think!)

 

coming

Tonight we clasp hands around the table and begin. We light the first candle and read the first book in this 24-day countdown. The anticipation in my children's eyes is almost palpable. And-- oh!-- the excitement they ooze as the book is hung from the shelf, visibly marking the passing of time and reassuring them that, yes, Christmas is coming.
 

 

He has come, we tell each other, and that is what all this-- the decorations and parties and cookies and celebrations-- is about. With humble beginnings and heavenly declaration, He entered the world as a baby.

For us.

What a privilege we have to look back, to know with familiarity the story that the saints of old ached to hear.
 

 

We look back, and yet even in the midst of remembering, we look forward: He has come, and He is coming again.

And the looking back gives us faith for that which we have yet to see.

He is coming.