Chattahoochee Mama

I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas, celebrating our Savior's birth and sharing precious moments with your friends and family. Here's my take on what's been going on with us the past year... I'm sure Ben could come up with a whole other version, but that's the beauty of our family. =)

WYATT is no longer a toddler, but a REAL BOY. He has totally amazed us this year by taking on tremendous care and responsibility for his little brother. He always makes sure Dylan has something to play with, and will rarely participate in an activity without including Dyl, too. He started preschool this fall, and is beloved by his teacher and classmates. It's so fun to see how the other kids greet him when he enters the classroom, especially after being out sick. He almost has to push off all the hugs and greetings in order to get through the door. One of Wyatt's greatest gifts is his ability to read people. He knows my thoughts just by looking at my face, and if you know me, that's not an easy feat. One of my biggest joys in life will be seeing what he does with this gift as he matures in time. What made this year especially big for Wyatt was finding a specialist in Richmond that deals with some of the biochemical disorders that Wyatt has. We've seen changes in his health and speech just in the past couple of months - so drastic that even his teacher has noticed a big difference. One of his favorite parts of the day is bedtime - reading books and listening to his Daddy's creative bedtime stories. He also loves "recapping the day" and remembering all the great things he did, sometimes the smallest thing makes him giddy. Nighttime is special for me too, mostly when he clasps my face between his hands and tells me he loves me. That's a feeling that I never want to forget.

DYLAN has managed to leave his baby days behind and enter into full-on adulthood (I mean toddlerhood), except for those daily bottles and frequent nightly wake-up calls. He's as big as most 2-year-olds, so some nights I feel like I am rocking a grown man to sleep. He's got his Daddy's good looks, so he is often mesmerizing the womenfolk with his sparkling blue eyes. He, of course, is oblivious, and focuses mainly on keeping up with Wyatt, dancing and getting piggy-back rides from his Dad. This time last year, I had no idea that he'd be jumping off whatever structure he could manage to climb - which by the way is just about everything. Finding him on top of the computer desk listening to iTunes is not uncommon, nor is discovering him sitting on the dining room table eating Wyatt's leftover breakfast. There's something about Dylan that just makes us smile, so I find myself doing that a lot. He can snuggle like nobody's business, and with all his baby rolls still covering his man-body, this is one of my favorite activities as of late. He loves to touch, so even when he's playing he periodically comes over to lay his head on our laps or just hurl himself into our faces for full-on hugs and kisses. He also relishes in all the attention he receives, especially from his brother, who is constantly hugging and kissing him. He's a loved kid.

BEN stays extremely busy pastoring Reston Community Church, assessing church planters for the SBCV and, as of late, planning an incredibly innovative conference for pastors and planters alike. He truly amazes me with his creativity and leadership, and I know I've only seen the beginning. Even when going through struggles, Ben is an incredible encourager to just about everyone he knows. Yet another one of his gifts. He's an incredible father to our boys - the best they could ever have. He loves them each in their own unique way and understands the intricacies of their personalities.

AINSLEY: This past year has probably been the toughest year of my life, but also one of the greatest. Wyatt and Dylan have given me more gray hairs than I thought I would have at 29, but also more laugh lines than I could have hoped for. Both I will take for what I get in exchange: the chance to stay at home with my boys, and see every milestone that they both joyfully and courageously conquer, as well as the abundant love they give generously, even when I have failed them miserably. Despite some tough times that Ben and I have faced together, I love him more than when we first said, "I do," and my respect for him grows every day. After 7 1/2 years of marriage, Ben is still my best friend.

Well, I guess that wraps up our year in a cyber nutshell. I hope 2008 brings each of you joy but most of all, I hope you can experience the awe of God's love. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!