Family Christmas Letter 2012

I have never really typed up a family letter before. This year I got one put together, but I know myself well enough to know I may not get it in the mail. So I am sharing it here with the few who still check in to my blog. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Dear Friends & Family,

    With another year gone sooner than we expected, we thought we would draft a Christmas letter and try to get it sent out before Valentine’s Day. There have been a lot of changes this year that we wanted to share with you.

    Matt has set a family record by both graduating from high school and attending college. We really miss him, especially when it is time to split wood, but we are incredibly proud of him.

    Chet is still ignoring his diagnosis, and is rebelling against the list of “don’ts” by keeping busy in band, chess club, and texting his lovely girlfriend. If you text Jennifer and get a funky reply, you should know it is Chet on the other end. If you don’t get a reply at all, it is because Chet is on the other end.

    For some reason, the National Guard and Marines are actively recruiting Faith. We aren’t sure if it is her
propensity to sing everywhere she goes or her insane ability to peel potatoes that makes her such an attractive prospective recruit for them.

    Kyle is playing football, baseball, and basketball. He has also discovered a passion for hunting. We never
expected to have a fully-armed child, but it is what it is. We encourage him in all his activites, as long as he doesn’t shoot his teammates or tackle a deer.

    Todd spends the majority of his free time reading, and uses his brilliant mind to come up with zingers. Most recently he quipped, “Mom, you stuck?” when he walked in and found Jennifer stretching. He wants you to know that you should keep the Christmas card he signed so you won’t have to track him down for an autograph when he is famous.

    Beth is still wildly obsessed with frogs. This works out great for us in the spring and summer, when she can catch all the pet frogs she wants and we don’t have to feed them.

    Speaking of feeding the animals, all of the kids are growing very tall and have bigger feet than their mother. At last she can seek revenge by borrowing their shoes and then “forgetting” them in her room, the car, or a friend’s house.

    Jennifer started a full time job at a boys’ ranch a few months ago. With this new schedule, we tend to have a lot of Hamburger Helper or PBJ sandwiches for dinner. We have both on feast nights.

    Jack is following in his dad’s footsteps, which means his hair has turned almost all white. We plan to dress
him up as a grinchy Santa Claus sometime in a future Christmas season and rent him out to the malls to earn some extra cash.

    It has been another great year where we can thankfully say that disease, fire, and pestulance haven’t done us in. We still combat the stress with as much laughter as possible, blanket everything in prayer, and trust that God has us in His hands and is our great provider. We love you and miss you all, and hope and pray that the new year brings you all peace and prosperity.

With much love and a touch of insanity,

The Wellborn Family
December 2011 (or January 2012, depending on when we get this mailed.)