Putting a fork in 2016!

2016 been’s a good year but we’re ready to close the door and continue moving forward!  Although we probably shouldn’t be too focused on Eli’s end of treatment, we tend to long for November 18, 2018.  So, we look ahead;-)  We ended this year with a few big accomplishments!  Eli graduated from speech therapy after four years!  We’ll miss Mrs. King immensely as she’s been an amazing teacher to Eli and friend to our family;-)

And we celebrated Eli’s FIVE year Gotcha Day on December 5th!  Time sure does fly!  We honestly often forget that he’s not been with us since birth; God did such a work when He knitted Eli into our family;-)  We celebrated with Thai food…close to Chinese, right?!?!….a favorite cake and family time.  We always recount the day through pictures and sweet memories;-)

 

Gotcha Day December 5, 2011… the first time I held Eli;-)

We had the privilege of having dinner after one of Emily’s soccer games with my sister, Andrea, and her husband, Paul.  They drove all the way over to cheer the Warriors on!

We had our annual cookie-fest!  This year I helped Eli choose a rather basic ‘cookie’ as last year he went a lil’ Pinterest-y on me and it caused me great anxiety when his cookie didn’t look exactly like the photo!  This year he all but did his recipe on his own;-)

We were also able to attend a tour at the Detroit Parade Company.  It was AWESOME!  We’re not a huge parade family but I’ve heard such great things about this tour that I figured it’d be worth checking out.  It’s downtown in a huge, old car factory.  It lasted about an hour and our docent was spectacular!  She’s been a clown as well as an admin for the company for many years so she really had the scoop on everything.  So… all you local fams, it really is worthwhile!

Thank you to the Youngs!  We borrowed your idea of turning our gingerbread making evening into a contest: boys vs girls.  There were just too many hands working to make one gingerbread home enjoyable!  So Jody and Eli constructed one and the girls and I whipped out the other one and then we asked a handful of trusted, unbiased souls to vote.  I may have to rethink this next year as this brought out some competitive spirits around here (Jody!!!)!  Girls won by a major landslide!!!  Not really, but we did win;-)

Also enjoyed our tradition of a day in Frankenmuth with Jody’s parents. The kids pick out an ornament at Bronner’s, we have lunch, pig out on a donut as big as our heads at Zehnders and partake in some Christmas shopping.  It’s always a good time!

We snuck in a quick trip to CUBA!!!  It’s literally been one of Jody’s dream destinations; he mentioned it on one of our first dates!  I remember thinking he was nuts!  So he’s just been waiting patiently;-)  Some of the major airlines began flying there recently so we snagged some tickets and went down to check it out….. and it’s AMAZING!  Untouched, lovely, pure, beautiful are just a few of the adjectives we’d use to describe this country and its people.  What made our trip even more exciting was the fact that Fidel Castro passed away two days before we arrived so it made getting around in a communist country all the more adventurous!  Most businesses, including their banks, were closed!  Argh.  We stayed in a residential area with the most awesome family!  They loved the kids!!!  They value family and friendship!

We had Roberto as our driver in his 1952 Chevy!  The kids got to experience first hand how to manually roll down a window;-)  Hysterical.

Their beaches are pristine; some of the best we’ve ever had the honor to enjoy!

and ate…

We snorkeled…

and ate…

 

and swam in a cenote that was ICE cold and breathtaking…

and ate…

Do you see a theme?!?!  The food was YUMMY!  If you love to travel, head to Cuba!  It’s safe, family friendly, very reasonably priced and just flat out fun!  In fact, Eli asked if we could “move there for 10 years”!  Jody said yes.

Christmas was celebrated with some special people we love and cherish… like the Coes:)

and Ms. Lisa…

and the Hughes’ that came home from China for a few;-)  Boy do we miss you guys!!  They were reminiscing how most Chinese people pose with the peace sign around their face while taking pictures so Eli decided to show us what it looked like;-)

Eli participated in the Christmas Eve service and then enjoyed his most favorite part of the night when everyone lights their candle and sings…although I have to admit that one eye is constantly on my youngest child during this time to make sure he doesn’t burn the church down while seeing how far he can tilt the lil’ plastic holder and watch the hot liquid wax run down at an angle, all the while the large flame is ever-nearing the seat in front of him!  We keep it exciting around here;-)  Look at that precious face!!

Many memories were made this Christmas season, which we’re thankful for;-)  Eli continues his chemo treatment according to protocol.  He’s gained another pound so hanging tight at 39 lbs!  His nausea has been very manageable so THANK YOU for your continued prayers on that.  He struggled with a major mouth sore for almost a month before Christmas but now that’s gone so another thing to be appreciative of!  Overall, no complaining here!  Everyone’s in a good place right now.  Prayers over Eli’s health during the winter season are appreciated.  His immune system is compromised and although we don’t want to live in fear of living life, this does require us to be wise as we go about our days;-)  THANK YOU;-)!

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!  xo~ Team Medford

Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny- C.S. Lewis