2010 Christmas Letter

Dear friends and family,

I hesitated to even write a letter this year, since I felt like it could be a depressing tale. Since last November, when James’ dad died, we have lost both of my grandfathers, an uncle, and then last week, James’ sweet mom (our children’s Granny) died. Two families we love dearly also lost young children this past year, and others have lost parents and teenagers. James and I have repeatedly said we have never faced such a difficult 13 months in our entire lives, and we are not exaggerating. We keep reminding ourselves we will see our loved ones again, whom have trusted in Christ.

God is good to have continually brightened the long days and sad moments with amazingly beautiful reminders of His goodness. Our most special blessing this year was the arrival of our fourth child, Owen Thomas, on February 13. He was a surprise from the moment we learned we were expecting him, and he continued to surprise us by going over a week and a half past his due date. Since Abigail and Elijah were each a month early, this 41 ½ week pregnancy seemed never-ending at times. Thankfully, labor and delivery were not bad at all, considering it was my first experience delivering without medication, and especially since Owen weighed 10 pounds, 8 ounces! He is precious, joyful, and loves people. He likes to try and keep up with his siblings, so crawled and sat up early, and then started toddling around at 9 months. He is now 10 months old and is walking more than crawling, and brings delight to every day.

Little/big brother Elijah turned 3 on December 15, and enjoyed a John Deere tractor for the weekend prior. This boy is crazy about the outdoors and heavy machinery, so his gift was having fun with his own, temporary tractor. He thoroughly enjoyed every moment on it, too. E began Mother’s Day Out two days a week this fall, and has thrived in that environment with sweet Mrs. Kathy, his precious teacher. He plays and learns there with some new friends, while Mama tries to get more done in school with the big kids at home on those two days. We are so grateful for Elijah’s ability to make us laugh and for his sweet nature.

Abigail continues to relish her role as only daughter/sister, and other Mama to the little brothers. She has excelled in Irish dance, a girls’ camp where she cooked, crocheted, and sewed this summer, and thrives in school as well. The highlight of Abi’s year was the long-awaited sister she had prayed for who arrived just in time for her June birthday. Rose, a beagle we adopted from the humane shelter, is beautiful and has adapted well to our home. She is a few years old, but petite in size, and adores Abigail as much as Abi loves her. We are so thankful for our Abigail Rose and her nurturing, willing heart.

Isaac enjoyed his best season yet in flag football this year, and made many great plays in practice and games. Cub Scout Camp was another great week of learning and fun. It has been so exciting to see his maturity and confidence grow through these experiences. Our 11 year old boy is really growing up. He has been a great helper to James lately on various projects around the house, and also volunteered to stay with James and Granny her last few days at home. He was eager to assist James in caring for her, and says he wants to be able to work as a nurse like his Daddy someday. We are very proud of how Isaac is eager to follow the example of those he trusts.

We are part of a new home school co-operative that started this fall, and each Tuesday we enjoy classes there. Studying the Medieval time period as it applies to history, science, art, music, and drama, has been educational, and a wonderful opportunity for Isaac and Abi to have other teachers besides just me, and to be with friends in their age groups. I help teach the drama classes to 4 year olds through 4^th graders and love it so much.

James still enjoys his job as a flight nurse with Children’s Hospital on their Critical Care Transport Team. He started back to school this fall, taking classes at UAB to work toward his Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. He may continue on to get his Nurse Practitioner License eventually, but we are just taking it one degree at a time. With all the stress of the fall, with moving his Mom to an apartment closer to us, from her home of ~50 years, and then her sudden declining health, he still managed to end up with As in both of his classes this semester. I cannot explain how proud I am of my husband, who juggles so much and does his best, despite numerous obstacles. He spoke from the heart at Granny’s funeral this week, sharing about her life well-lived, and challenging us all to follow her example of loving and worshipping God daily.

The lessons we are learning through the losses we’ve experienced this year are numerous. Mainly, we realize over and over that not one day is promised to us. Life can be gone so quickly, and we will not all live to see even 75 years of age, like Granny. We can still live FULL lives, though. Our friends whose two year old died in April have been an amazing encouragement to others by their testimony that we are to all live and get the most out of every moment, like their sweet daughter did. They often remind us that we are to mourn as we need to, but to not allow sorrow to cause bitterness or taint those joyful memories.

We want to leave a legacy like that, filled with Hope and Joy – so all who encounter us know that God was honored by our actions, that we did the most we could to impact people’s lives in the time we were given, and that our children will know the Savior’s birth we celebrate on Christmas is a real, loving Father desiring to have relationship with us. Many of you have been such a blessing and comfort to us during the hard times, and have steadfastly pointed our focus toward Christ, which we gratefully acknowledge. Without Him, we would struggle facing the holiday season. Remembering His birth and His presence in our lives enables us to joyfully face each day, realizing we are not facing it without His help and those in our faith family who support us. I pray that you have that same support in your life, and that we can be part of those who lift you up when you may need it. We find that there is so much healing that comes from giving to others - whether that gift is our time or resources. I don’t believe we will ever regret that and say we gave too much. Please let us know if you need our encouragement!

We pray that 2011 is a blessed year, filled with many more joys than trials, and that throughout the coming months, you know the special place you hold in our hearts. Follow us on our blog (http://jvinesfamily.blogspot.com) that I intend to keep updated more often in the days to come. With lots of love,

Jennifer, for James, Isaac, Abigail, Elijah, and Owen Vines

A Labor of Love

The first time I heard this song, it brought me to tears. Jill Phillips sings it on Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God album, and we saw them in concert on Elijah's birthday a few weeks ago. I cried again, hearing her sing it live, as I held my one year old baby boy. This is a more accurate portrayal of the difficulty Mary faced than the sweet, but unrealistic, lyrics of "Away in a Manger." They remind me that we Protestants many times minimize the awesome role Mary played in God's sovereign plan. I think we try so hard to be careful to not give her more credit than is due, but God did choose this young girl to be the mother of His Child. So, I think she was fully human, but also exceptionally brave and worthy of a lot of respect. And, as a mother myself, it makes my heart just squeeze, imagining all she faced that night on the hard floor of a cave, giving birth for the first time while surrounded by animals and manure, and probably just her new husband with her. What a life she lived, and what a willing servant she was, facing so much unknown.

Labor of Love

It was not a silent night
There was blood on the ground
You could hear a woman cry
In the alleyways that night
On the streets of David's town

And the stable was not clean
And the cobblestones were cold
And little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
Had no mother's hand to hold

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love

Noble Joseph at her side
Calloused hands and weary eyes
There were no midwives to be found
In the streets of David's town
In the middle of the night

So he held her and he prayed
Shafts of moonlight on his face
But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love
For little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
It was a labor of love

Hilarity ensuing...

Christmas Tips:

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes.. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Just a plug

This is completely a plug for an album/band you need to hear if you at all enjoy music. Here is an article about Red Mountain Music's Christmas CD, and a concert to come, for those of you in the Birmingham area. Brian T. Murphy, who is the interviewee, was a roommate of my brother's at Auburn, and is a gifted person in many ways. I have two of the Red Mtn. albums, and am currently wearing them out on frequent rotation on my stereo at home. You can listen to clips from Silent Night, the Christmas album, and all of the others, here. The simple beauty of their versions of Christmas carols is haunting.

I love Brian's explanation on their website of the philosophy of why they are passionately re-introducing hymns to a generation that has never heard many of these songs. It is also so encouraging to hear hymns being valued for the poetry and depth they contain. The truth in them, and the faith they were built upon, is inspiring, and transcends hundreds of years.

Gingerbread Improv

This was our first year to do a gingerbread house, and with great enthusiasm, Abigail and I completed this one last week, while James was at work. Isaac was not too interested in the detail work, and Elijah was sleeping while we did it.













Of course, in my tired state of mind, and clumsiness of fingers, I quickly dropped one of the walls of the house. It broke, into lots of pieces. Being the "Oh, don't panic - it's all right," kind of person I am, I started pondering how it was going to really work. We kinda needed that 4th wall....





I thought for a moment, and then it came to me! I reassured Abi and we got to work. I'm happy to present to you the Vines Gingerbread House 2008, complete with a stained glass window!!!

All those squished, rolled flat colorful little gumdrops are covering up an icing-glued, fragmented wall. Such a sweet metaphor for life, huh? I'm so glad that God continually puts my clumsy attempts at life that end up a mess back together in a beautiful way.

Advent Conspiracy

I'm pondering how to be better at this giving thing. How do you plan to give this Christmas? I'd love your ideas.

Random Monday

listening to Twilight soundtrack

finishing Christmas decorating

reflecting on yesterday's message - am I reflecting Christ's light to others?

enjoying a caffe' mocha in support of the (RED) initiative by Starbucks

seeing the delight in my baby's eyes as he takes in the sparkly, twinkly lights

thankful for the season of joy we're entering

missing my husband as he works long hours to support us, but so glad he does

God is good. I'm so grateful.

Pre-Christmas Rock

Abigail is like her mom in many ways, and one is her love of music. She decided last week that we need to crank out the Christmas tunes, though we aren't even decorating our house till after Thanksgiving. Her request was for the "Christmas Rock CD" and though I knew what she meant, it still made me laugh. We adore Trans-Siberian Orchestra and love listening to their music, and though it's been 11 months since we have heard it, Abigail hadn't forgotten her favorite, "the electric guitar song." It's actually called Wizards in Winter, and is commonly known as 'the song that guy programmed his outdoor Christmas lights to' and was all over the news a few years back. They are an amazing, non-traditional orchestra, with a lot of rock concert elements thrown in, like pyrotechnics and laser lighting. The musicians are so talented, and their shows are unique, powerful, and moving. We've seen them in concert twice. If you haven't, please watch a clip later on YouTube (maybe this one) to get an idea of what they are like.

Meanwhile, you can enjoy Abigail's appreciation in a video clip here, as well as a few photos. And, yes, Elijah was a little scared, and no, I'm not nearly as uninhibited in my enjoyment of them.

Christmas recap

What a lovely Christmas!! Thanks to pain medication and God's goodness, I was able to really enjoy the holiday with our family, despite still being on the mend from Elijah's delivery. We were so grateful that Elijah was born in time for our friends, the Shewmakes, from VA to be able to meet him while they were here for a few days. They came by for two brief visits on Thursday and Friday. Our families haven't all been together in 2 1/2 years, so this was a really momentous occasion. We had specifically prayed that I would have Elijah before they came and we're so glad God answered that prayer.

Then, we kicked things off with family celebrations on Saturday night with a Christmas get-together at my cousin's home, and Elijah and the other 2 new babies were so cute together. We kept it brief that night, since it was my first outing and I was still moving slowly. My aunt and cousin came over on Sunday night, we had a great Christmas Eve visit with James' parents, and then on Christmas morning, my parents and brother came over for breakfast and gifts. We visited at Jacob's that afternoon for dinner, and then James' sister and brother-in-law came to our house that night. It was a very full few days, but we thoroughly enjoyed it, and I really didn't do much but visit, and everyone was helpful with the big kids so I could still take it easy. Here are some photos of some of the fun. Click on photo for caption!

Merry Christmas!

We hope your Christmas was as meaningful and special as ours! We're so blessed to have such dear friends and family to celebrate life with. I am just filled to overflowing with thankfulness for you all!!

Joy to the World

How fun is it to see children praising Jesus? It's especially endearing when they're preschoolers, dressed as angels, and singing Christmas carols at the top of their lungs. Add in a precious calf, donkey, some sheep, goats, and a camel in a live nativity, and you've got yourself a couple of Kodak moments for sure. We enjoyed this event at our church Sunday night and it was so well-done and pointed us toward the celebration of Christ's birth.

Being nearly as heavy-laden as I'm sure Mary felt at the original nativity scene, I think I was extra sensitive that night. I kept pondering the whole giving-birth-in-a-stable-as-a-virgin-teenage-girl-with-your
-brand-new-husband-without-even-a-doula-or-nurse-or
-running-water-or-a-bed-or-option-of-pain-relief scenario.

Can you imagine? I mean--try to. It's unbelievably hard to even go there. Not only were there none of those comforts, (or necessities, as we'd think of them) there were additional factors thrown in, like lots of darkness in a cave-like structure, animal sounds, animal smells, who knows what kind of weather and elements involved...I am so awed that God chose that way to bring his baby boy into the world, and it was o.k. with Him. He wasn't shocked, or trying to punish Mary. He loved her and chose her to be His Son's mother, but still allowed her to begin motherhood in a really difficult way, even in that time and region of the world. Yes, she got a birth announcement like no other mom, as angels sang about her baby's entrance to the world, and sure, men traveled for months from across the world for a really awesome baby shower, but still... I am sure the journey to Bethlehem had already exhausted her, and I'm sure she hurt through that labor and delivery, but can you imagine the emotions and thoughts going through her mind as she birthed God's Son? What joy and awe she had to have felt! And, what kind of questions did she already have about how she'd help to raise Jesus? Did she know his life would be threatened by King Herod so soon? That she and Joseph would have to pack up and move to Egypt to escape his death threat?

The birth of one's first baby changes everything. Life isn't ever the same. For Mary, the changes were so dramatic and only foretold of the controversial life her Son would leave. His conception alone could've had her killed if Joseph hadn't been a godly, trusting man who paid attention to God's instructions. I guess I just realize in a different way how thankful I am for Mary's obedience and sacrifice. The fact that she'd want no honor or recognition just proves how God chose exactly the right person to be Jesus' mother. Just pondering these things in my heart...

It's Beginning to Sound and Look a Lot Like Christmas

I updated my LoudFusion player with some Christmas tunes, and also added some photos of our indoor and outdoor Christmas decorations. Thankfully, I had most of the inside of the house done last weekend, before this week's dr. advice to stay off my feet as much as possible. Today, James and the kids helped get the outside looking festive. We love this time of year, and are enjoying the sights and sounds of the season. Hope you are too!