Tuesday, December 23, 2003

Very Merry Christmas! [ARCHIVE]

Yes, we know it's a few days early, but between baby care and the various versions of holiday revelry that are sure to ensue the next few days... well, let's just say it was a "probably-now-or-never" kind of thing. SO... to all our friends and family who actually check this, may we present for your reading pleasure (?) our Family Christmas Letter. Most of you are / will be in receipt of a hard copy with your Christmas card.


Dear Family and Friends,

We seriously debated whether or not we should write a holiday letter this year. Not, mind you, because we had nothing to say; on the contrary, so much has happened in 2003, we weren't sure we could sum it all up on a single sheet of paper. The letter that follows is our best effort to do just that.

Rather than recap our year as it unfolded, we'll stick to the hilights. The first half of the year was spent looking for employment for T while Mel worked 12-day weeks. It was a difficult time for us, but one that brough us even closer together and gave us a more profound appreciation for the love and support of the amazing people in our lives.

T found a new job just in time for us to welcome our son into the world. Jack Thomas was born on July 24, 2003, at 5:44pm. He weighed in at a very respectable 10 pounds, and has continued to be a busy over-achiever ever since. Parenthood has changed our lives in every conceivable way, and our beautiful son is a constant source of joy.

We welcomed several other new members into our ever-widening famliy circle this past year. We got a new brother-in-law, 2 new nieces, and a new nephew. It was, apparently, the summer for babies!! We think Jack is lucky to have so many cousins so close in age, and at least when we hit those terrible two's we will know there are others feeling our pain.

The biggest thing we want to share with all of our loved ones this year is our deep and lasting gratitude for every kindness. Whether it was sending us job leads, forwarding T's resume out, gifts of furniture, clothing and toys for Jack, meals for the family in the first days after we brought the baby home, or just a kind word or a listening ear at a critical time - we truly could not have survived the last year without you. Let it be known in no uncertain terms that we owe a debt to our loved ones that can never be fully repaid - but we certainly intend to try.

The best we can offer you this Christmas is our sincerest wishes that you all have a very Merry Christmas, enjoy the holiday season to the fullest, and as 2003 reaches its inevitable conclusion, we wish for all of you that the new year bring you ten times the joy and a fraction of the sorrow of the last.

Warmest Wishes, Thanks, and Love,

Merry Christmas!

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