Saturday, December 17, 2011

CHRISTmas Letter 2011

This is the letter I sent along with our Christmas card this year.  Enjoy!!


Hello Dear Friends and Family,
We hope this finds all of you well, happy & blessed!  I’m going to change it up a little so….this will not follow the typical Christmas letter format you’ve been used to.  Trust me when I say change is good! This year has been extraordinary in many ways.  Halle is growing by leaps and bounds and still the light of our lives. This silly little girl never ceases to amaze Aaron and I with her singing, dancing, quick wit and sweet spirit.  She is such a gift!  She started Pre-School/Day Care at the Gingerbread House this year two days a week and absolutely loves it!  She loves her teachers and is always talking about all her little friends there.  Not long ago, Halle had her first sleepover with her Grammie & Titi (April’s sister) and a few short weeks ago she stayed over at Papa & Nana’s, of course, she loved it so much she didn’t want to come home.

I know most of you know our struggles with infertility that led us to adoption and our sweet Halle girl.  In July, Aaron and I were ecstatic to find out I was pregnant and due in March.  We approached this new journey very cautiously, with lots and lots of prayer.  Having three previous miscarriages will do that to you.  As I neared the second trimester we felt like we could finally breathe and enjoy the precious life Jesus was knitting together in my womb.  I began to experience some complications at a few days shy of nineteen weeks that led to Doctor’s appointments, unexpected ultrasounds and a trip to the University of Washington Medical Center.  It was then we learned our precious gift was a little boy, who we chose to name Elliott Aamodt. We do not know why, but these complications, unfortunately, caused my cervix to open up early and Elliott was born on October 13, almost five months too soon. You may not think extraordinary is a word to describe what we have experienced.  I would ask you to re-think that.  Our Jesus gave us a precious, unforgettable gift in the form of our little, tiny 10.4 oz boy that was just 9 ½” long.  From the moment Elliott was conceived our Jesus knew the plans He had for him.  Plans for greatness.  Plans to teach others about His love.  As Aaron and I reflect on the days following Elliott’s birth, one word always comes to mind faithful. Our Jesus has been so, so faithful.  We have grown so much spiritually because of Elliott. I have become bold and courageous to share my faith, for it is the only reason I have made it through this trial. Without our Jesus we would not be able to live this life without our son.  We know without a shadow of a doubt where our son is.  We know we will see him one day.  We also know that Jesus does not promise us a world without trials and tribulations. “Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV 

This Christmas finds us loving our Jesus more and more everyday.  We are finding such joy in seeing Halle’s love for this season and trying to remind her daily that Jesus is truly the reason for the season. We pray you will experience Jesus this CHRISTmas as you never have before!

Blessings,
April for all three of us J


I have kept our blog updated through this time and would love for you all to follow our continued journey there.  You can find it here:  www.aaronandapril.blogspot.com

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