I am finding out many of your Christmas letters didn't quite make it through the mail. I had plans to resend them, but somehow sending Christmas letters after Christmas isn't high on my list of things to do.
Instead, I will post the text and picture from the letter here. We love you all and are sorry I chose cheap envelopes this year. Next year you'll get something more sturdy, and hopefully with everything intact.
Here's what the letter said:
December 12, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
I almost didn’t send out Christmas cards this year because I couldn’t think of a creative way to share what we have been up to lately. Normally, I try to invent some sort of rhyme or song, but I guess it’s not so awful if you just get a boring letter. I’ll try to keep it short and simple, and maybe by next year I’ll send out something a little more entertaining.
We have officially survived our first year in Iowa and this place is slowly becoming more like “home” to us. However, in many ways, we feel like Washington is still our home.
Rick enjoys work at the University of Iowa. He has great colleagues, and it is a blessing that he gets to work in such a good, positive environment. Outside of work, Rick is involved in several other activities including coaching Emily’s (and hopefully Makayla’s) basketball team and serving as a Boy Scout leader. As far as coaching is concerned, he loves to coach and he is great at it. The bonus for us is that he is directly involved in something that all of our children love. This summer, he was busy going on campouts and bike rides with the Boy Scouts. This is also something he likes to do, but is really looking forward when he can participate in these activities with our boys. Ricky, especially, is looking forward to when he can be a Boy Scout and go camping with Daddy.
I have been busy as always. Over the years, the things that occupy my time don’t change much—I just do the same things for more people as our family grows. During the school year, I am busy in the afternoons helping with homework and taking the kids to piano lessons, soccer or basketball practice, or any other activity we are involved in. During the summer we spend our time at swimming lessons, playing with friends, or just playing in the backyard in the sprinklers. Most evenings in the summer, we play basketball for about an hour after dinner. In addition to the usual chores, I have been preparing for the new baby boy who will join our family at the end of January. We are all excited to meet him.
Emily, 10, is a big 5th grader this year. She is doing well in school and loves to learn. She continues to make progress in piano lessons, and we like to hear the new songs she learns. She also started playing the clarinet this year. Of all of her extra-curricular activities, playing basketball is her favorite.
Makayla, 7 ½, is in 2nd grade. She recently lost her two front teeth and looks so cute! Makayla loves to play outside in the summer—especially if water is involved. She will literally spend hours playing outside in the sprinklers, spraying the hose, or swimming in our little pool. She is a very good helper at our house. Her expertise, as far as chores are concerned, is making beds. She might be the best bed-maker in our family. She is also a wonderful big sister and likes to help the boys choose their outfits and get “handsome” in the mornings.
Ricky, 5 ½, started Kindergarten this year and he loves it. He is a very happy, busy boy. He makes friends easily and loves to be busy doing just about anything. He is rarely bored because he finds joy and fun in just about any activity.
Andrew is 2 ½. Like Ricky, he is easy to please and can be happy in just about any situation. In September, he jumped off the top bunk of the bunk bed and broke his femur. This one senseless act resulted in an overnight stay in the hospital and 5 ½ weeks in a Spica cast. A Spica cast is essentially a body cast going from the belly button to the toe on the broken leg and down to the knee on the unbroken leg. The two legs are connected with a bar. A cast like this prevents all kind of movement in the legs. Andrew could not sit up, roll over, or get around by himself during his containment in the cast. We borrowed a wagon from a friend and that is where he spent much of his time. He ate and played in that wagon. During his confinement, he was very cheerful and patient. I was amazed at his ability to entertain himself and to have a positive attitude. Once his cast was off, it took a couple of weeks before he could walk again, but now (6 weeks later) you can hardly tell he has a limp. He is such a good boy and we are happy to have him in our family.
We wish you all Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing some of you when we visit Washington very soon. Know that we love you and love to hear from you!
Love,
The Mergenthaler Family: Rick, Bonni, Emily, Makayla, Ricky, Andrew, and Baby Boy (his name is still under debate with only a few weeks left!)
Instead, I will post the text and picture from the letter here. We love you all and are sorry I chose cheap envelopes this year. Next year you'll get something more sturdy, and hopefully with everything intact.
Here's what the letter said:
December 12, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
I almost didn’t send out Christmas cards this year because I couldn’t think of a creative way to share what we have been up to lately. Normally, I try to invent some sort of rhyme or song, but I guess it’s not so awful if you just get a boring letter. I’ll try to keep it short and simple, and maybe by next year I’ll send out something a little more entertaining.
We have officially survived our first year in Iowa and this place is slowly becoming more like “home” to us. However, in many ways, we feel like Washington is still our home.
Rick enjoys work at the University of Iowa. He has great colleagues, and it is a blessing that he gets to work in such a good, positive environment. Outside of work, Rick is involved in several other activities including coaching Emily’s (and hopefully Makayla’s) basketball team and serving as a Boy Scout leader. As far as coaching is concerned, he loves to coach and he is great at it. The bonus for us is that he is directly involved in something that all of our children love. This summer, he was busy going on campouts and bike rides with the Boy Scouts. This is also something he likes to do, but is really looking forward when he can participate in these activities with our boys. Ricky, especially, is looking forward to when he can be a Boy Scout and go camping with Daddy.
I have been busy as always. Over the years, the things that occupy my time don’t change much—I just do the same things for more people as our family grows. During the school year, I am busy in the afternoons helping with homework and taking the kids to piano lessons, soccer or basketball practice, or any other activity we are involved in. During the summer we spend our time at swimming lessons, playing with friends, or just playing in the backyard in the sprinklers. Most evenings in the summer, we play basketball for about an hour after dinner. In addition to the usual chores, I have been preparing for the new baby boy who will join our family at the end of January. We are all excited to meet him.
Emily, 10, is a big 5th grader this year. She is doing well in school and loves to learn. She continues to make progress in piano lessons, and we like to hear the new songs she learns. She also started playing the clarinet this year. Of all of her extra-curricular activities, playing basketball is her favorite.
Makayla, 7 ½, is in 2nd grade. She recently lost her two front teeth and looks so cute! Makayla loves to play outside in the summer—especially if water is involved. She will literally spend hours playing outside in the sprinklers, spraying the hose, or swimming in our little pool. She is a very good helper at our house. Her expertise, as far as chores are concerned, is making beds. She might be the best bed-maker in our family. She is also a wonderful big sister and likes to help the boys choose their outfits and get “handsome” in the mornings.
Ricky, 5 ½, started Kindergarten this year and he loves it. He is a very happy, busy boy. He makes friends easily and loves to be busy doing just about anything. He is rarely bored because he finds joy and fun in just about any activity.
Andrew is 2 ½. Like Ricky, he is easy to please and can be happy in just about any situation. In September, he jumped off the top bunk of the bunk bed and broke his femur. This one senseless act resulted in an overnight stay in the hospital and 5 ½ weeks in a Spica cast. A Spica cast is essentially a body cast going from the belly button to the toe on the broken leg and down to the knee on the unbroken leg. The two legs are connected with a bar. A cast like this prevents all kind of movement in the legs. Andrew could not sit up, roll over, or get around by himself during his containment in the cast. We borrowed a wagon from a friend and that is where he spent much of his time. He ate and played in that wagon. During his confinement, he was very cheerful and patient. I was amazed at his ability to entertain himself and to have a positive attitude. Once his cast was off, it took a couple of weeks before he could walk again, but now (6 weeks later) you can hardly tell he has a limp. He is such a good boy and we are happy to have him in our family.
We wish you all Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing some of you when we visit Washington very soon. Know that we love you and love to hear from you!
Love,
The Mergenthaler Family: Rick, Bonni, Emily, Makayla, Ricky, Andrew, and Baby Boy (his name is still under debate with only a few weeks left!)
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