Merry Christmas 2015

We write this letter yet again from Virginia.  Tim’s job is such that we should be here for the next THREE years!  Virginia has now overtaken West Virginia as the state we’ve lived in the longest.

We took a lot of little trips this year.  We returned to New England this spring for my cousin’s wedding and managed to sneak in a trip to Boston and Gillette Stadium too.  We went to Michigan in May to celebrate our niece’s graduation from medical school.  July came and with it Tim’s sister, Heidi and her daughter Jazzy.  We had fun going to Monticello and to D.C. for Independence Day. 

In August, we all went to WV to watch the Patriots in a pre-season practice against the New Orleans Saints…yes, the Saints practice in WV.  What fun!  We saw Brady, Belichick, the Gronk….SO much fun!  In September we celebrated Nana Mewes’ 80^th birthday and surprised her with two of her children coming in for the party.  We also went on a field trip to Ft. McHenry this year and really enjoyed that as well.

The three older kids are in youth group together and have had chances to serve the homeless by washing the transportation vans, doing laundry at a shelter, and helping kids with crafts at our church’s annual Advent party.

Peter has been asked to be a leader in both his youth group and the youth worship team.  Leading the worship team will also involve leading worship in front of the whole church once a month!  In July, he and Jonathan spent a week in WV for the National Guard camp.  Peter’s stay wasn’t your typical camp experience.  More like Marine boot camp. 

Jonathan has started a pottery class and is really enjoying both the class and meeting new people.  His pet rats, Francesca and Jennifer, are simply adorable and so sociable.  We all enjoy playing with them and feeding them their favorite – sunflower seeds!

Caroline continues riding horses once a week.  She learned to canter, which she said was not as hard as she had thought.  She’s trying to figure out how to spend even more time at the barn!

Victoria is in fourth grade this year.  She has always helped in the kitchen, but this year she made a batch of chocolate chip cookies ALL BY HERSELF, as well as the pecan pie for Thanksgiving (with only a little help).

This year has not been without its low points.  Every year has them and we’re certainly NOT immune.  This letter is meant to be a recap of the highlights, but I don’t want anyone to think our life is rosy all the time, or that yours should be either.  I know there are those who have suffered great loss this year, those who are struggling with health issues, those who are in dire financial straits.  I want you to know that there is someone who is always there for you.  Jesus, the babe in the manger, did more than come to make a cute nativity scene.  He came to live a perfect, sinless life to make atonement for our imperfect, sinful ones.  Won’t you trust in His sacrifice this year?  Make this a year in which the greatest gift of all, God’s love sent down to earth in the person of Jesus Christ, is accepted by you.  You’ll spend eternity in heaven and have the Holy Spirit living within you to guide you along this crazy road we call life.

We love you, we miss you, we love hearing from you.  Blessings to you this Christmas.

                                                                        Love,                                                                                            The Mewes family

Happy birthday, Peter

Peter is 17!  Crazy, right!!

Family pictures

It has been a few years since we had family pictures done by our family friend, Miss Mary.  We were blessed to have her take these pictures.  Enjoy!

Nana's birthday

Now, usually, we don't mention other people's birthdays on our webpage, but this year, we had a special one in the family - Nana Mewes turned 80!!  Her boys decided that we would have a birthday party at our house, and those who don't live here would drive in for the party!

They all got here the night before her birthday, and no one called her on her birthday, for fear of blowing the surprise.  My parents took them for lunch, then brought them over for the surprise party.  She was thrilled!  She said that she had been blue all day because no one had called her!!

Happy birthday, Victoria

Victoria decided she wanted chili for her birthday, so we turned it into a chili cook-off with the neighborhood (if they wanted to participate).  We had four different chilis and ten kids in the house.  The new neighbors across the street won the prize - a gold painted wooden spoon in a wooden block.  Very exciting!! 

Happy Anniversary to us

This year is a big milestone for us - twenty years.  Ten moves, nine pets, eight churches, seven states, six cars, five ranks, four kids, three house, two countries and one marriage.  Congratulations to us!

 

Summer!

Riding bikes together

What a summer!  Heidi (Tim's sister) and Jazzy (her daughter) came for three weeks!  They always visit Nana & Papa Mewes for the summer, but this year, Nana & Papa were in Virginia, so we got to enjoy them as well.
The kids enjoyed just playing and hanging out with each other, and the girls got to celebrate their birthdays together (they're just three weeks apart).  We took everyone to see the Minion movie as part of the celebration and had a small birthday party.

The three younger kids and their cousin were able to participate in our church's VBS.  They enjoyed learning about Jesus and His sacrifice for us.  Caroline went early one day to work at a homeless shelter, doing laundry, cleaning, and serving breakfast.

Girls on a train!

Another highlight was a trip to DC for Independence Day.  Usually we stay close to home, because who wants to drive back from DC so late?  This year, the Virginia Railway Express offered train rides to and from for only $10!!  SOLD!!  We had a great time!  We learned a few things for next year...one, food is not close.  I'm so glad I brought SOMETHING to eat.  It was meant to be a snack, but it ended up being the only thing we had until after the fireworks.

The boys went to West Virginia for a week for camp.  Jonathan's was more of a fun camp, playing games, swimming, etc.  Peter's - well, that was more like a boot camp.  We got there and he instantly had to drop and start doing push-ups.  He said it was awful for the first few days, but after that it was more fun.  Still lots of drilling, marching, discipline, but some fun things too.  He no longer complains about how hard WE are on him.  Ha!

While the boys were gone, we kept having fun with Heidi and Jazzy, going to Monticello, having meals, shopping, and just enjoying each other's company.  We were very sad to see them leave, but we are looking forward to this being a yearly event!!