Merry Christmas from the Long’s!
What a year it has been!
It feels like just yesterday that I was writing our last holiday
letter. Actually, that’s a lie. I barely remember what actually happened yesterday let alone a year from now. Kids kill brain cells you know….
Speaking of kids, ours are great! Michael is in 6th grade and
handling middle school like a champ.
He’s in beginning band this year, playing percussion. On top of soccer and piano lessons that means
he makes a whole lot of noise and beats on stuff a bunch. His other favorite hobby is asking for a
phone. Our favorite hobby is saying
no.
Blake is in 5th grade and ready to move out of
elementary school. We can tell because
of how often he refers to everyone around him as “idiots”. He enjoys guitar lessons and also playing
soccer. His first love is hunting,
though, and if we’d just let him move to the deer lease like he’s asked he
could do it all the time. And be around
less idiots.
Zachary is in 3rd grade, is teaching himself the
ukulele (seriously) and still loves playing, well, anything with a ball. Or without a ball. Did you know you can even compete at
blinking? It’s true. I bet you’re losing right now. Zachary is smart and bright and funny and caring. And currently beating you at blinking.
Parker is in 1st grade. He loves reading and not following directions
at home. This fall he played on a flag
football team and did not love it. We
can’t blame him. Have you seen some of
those flag football parents? They are
crazy. Lots of talent out there, but
also lots that can’t tie their own shoes.
Kevin (still bearded) is still with his firm, Oldenettel
& Long. He says and does lots of
important lawyer-y stuff. In his free time
he scoops leaves and small snakes from the pool. We celebrate 15 years of marriage this
month! The magic is still there,
folks. I mean, when I hear him argue
with people on the internet he may or may not even know, well….. I’ll just stop there. This is a family letter after all.
I am still on staff at our church, Foundry UMC. In my free time I’ve really committed to
Netflix. I don’t mean just watching an occasional
show, but really connecting with several fictional and non-fictional characters
I will never meet. It’s a whole
different kind of rewarding to lose yourself in the drama of Britain’s royal
family when you’ve been listening to the sideline commentary of 1st
and 2nd grade flag football parents for several weekends in a row.
And so in the middle of all this madness and joy we come to
Christmas! I love what my devotional
said this morning….”Advent is an invitation to perceive. Christmas calls us to
look again” (Matt LeRoy). We look again
at the year behind us—remembering the good with the bad!—and see Christ at work
in so many ways. And we look again to
the future—always hoping & sometimes questioning—and are assured He will be
there. May you and your family rest in
this same peace now, and in the New Year ahead!
XOXO….Kevin, Kelly, Michael, Blake, Zachary and Parker
Pictured from left to right:
Zachary (currently winning at picture-taking)
Parker (tied his own shoes...JK...they're velcro)
Michael (so much 6th grade swagger we don't even know where to begin)
Blake (solely responsible for the 15 shots it took us to get one decent picture together)
Kevin & Kelly (making a list of cocktails to try when the boys move out one day)
