The day I got married, one of my closest friends looked me in the eye and said "God has many wild and wonderful things ahead for you and Jeremy."

Being called mom by 7 kids is definitely wild. Each day I look for the wonder in it all...and give thanks.

Partnering with my husband in life, parenting, work and serving is definitely wonderful. He is my favorite.



Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Christmas 2022

 


For my Christmas letter this year I adapted a previous post....it was a different kind of Christmas, so I decided to do a different kind of card:

In celebration of the Astros winning the World Series, here’s what it would look like if our family was a professional baseball team…

Top of the line up...

CF: Jeremy! There are days when this guy probably feels like he's batting .230, but from my view in the dugout, he is an all-star. One of the highlights of this year has been cheering him on and joining him (somewhat) in getting healthier. When Jeremy makes up his mind and sets a goal, he is undeterred. His self-discipline and dedication to losing weight and exercise has been fun, rewarding, challenging, and admirable. I am super proud of him for making some healthy changes! But what I appreciate more, and what I too often take for granted, is how he always chooses me. We have had our share of foul balls and strike outs, but that's not the end of the story. By God's grace, we come back together and work it out….even if it takes extra innings. He's definitely the MVP on this team.

Next up...

2B: Me -- yes mom gets a spot on the team too. I am the author of this Christmas letter and manager of this team so I get to be 2nd in the line up. Often times, the 2nd batter is a good bat handler and needs to be one who can take pitches to allow the leadoff hitter to steal. I don't know about handling the bat, but I do know how to take some pitches. And I often sacrifice bunt so that makes me good for batting in the 2 hole.

3B: Marian can throw across the diamond with strength and accuracy, and she can quickly react given her close proximity to home plate. She is not surprised by bunt attempts that come her way either. Marian demonstrated her strength (and courage) on a recent, memorable trip to Colombia.

LF: Saimon -- this kid is our power hitter so he's 4th in the lineup to drive us home. He’s also a switch-hitter—he’s able to hit the ball hard from either side of the plate. I do not know anyone who works out more than this guy. He lifts weights up to 5-6 hours a day. He is one strong dude.

1B: We have another power hitter, Omar! Omar often has to scoop one-hop throws from an infielder or pick low throws out of the dirt, but you will never hear him complain. He does look forward to being granted free agency in May 2024 upon his high school graduation.

SS: Wesley - Wes is one of two left-handed batters on the team (mom being the other). He has leadoff-type skills so he gets 6th in the lineup, and he makes a good shortstop because he takes charge on balls hit in the air as well as communication among infielders. Wesley is fast approaching graduation at College of the Ozarks with just 2 more semesters.

RF: Emily! When asked what position she wanted on the team, without hesitation Emily said, "OH, I want to be way out in right field, out where the dandelions grow." Emily is enjoying College Station with her friends, church, job and cat.

Catcher: Crouched behind home plate, Savannah primarily is responsible for receiving all the pitches thrown at her, but she also has a lot of duties on defense. Preventing stolen bases, suggesting pitch selections, and framing the strike zone make for a lot on her plate. Savannah is 8th in the lineup because she is also a patient hitter. Savannah shows her patience and stamina as she manages responsibilities in AP classes and Athletic Training.

And last but not least....

P: Katerin is batting 9th in the lineup because of her leadoff-type skills. And as pitcher, Katerin is a swingman because she may be used as a starter or a reliever. Katerin has lived in Waco for nearly two years but is now looking for a job elsewhere. We have enjoyed having her visit more this past month as she is starting her job search.

With every great baseball team, there are even greater fans. We have the best support around us with our family and friends! Even when we are the losing team, they are cheering us on. We could not take the field without them.

And of course, what’s a team without ballboys? Cocoa and Hiccup make the best ballgirl and ballboy!

Whether you cheered for the Astros or all the other teams they beat, we hope this Christmas your family experiences the joy of being on God’s team…always the winning team.

Merry Christmas from the Evermons


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