Sunday, January 12, 2014

Better Late than Never...


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Hello Friends and Family,
    This letter marks are 10th annual year reflection.  It is hard to believe that it was 10 years ago that Brandon and I began our life together, and it is amazing to reflect on all the wonderful adventures and additions God has blessed us with together.
            2013 has brought different adventures to each one of us; including moving into our first owned home in January.
            Brandon has truly embraced his pastoral role at Carson Oaks Community Church and leads a Celebrate recovery ministry for struggling addicts, continues to lead Youth group each Wednesday, and a college bible study on Thursdays.  He also leads sermons every fifth Sunday of the month and Call to worship weekly.  Outside of church ministry, he celebrates 2 years of sobriety, spends his days doing daddy daycare and taxing our family to and fro as needed.  He has recently picked up a new hobby playing Majic with friend Anthony and Brother Robbie.  IN November, while out on a Guy’s night, he punched a faulty punching bag and landed in the ER with a Boxer’s fracture which left him in a cast for 2 whole months.  On December 27th, he became an uncle to our newest family addition and we welcomed Robbie Andres Lake Jr. aka “Drew” into the family.  
            Shelley continues her career teaching 6th grade at Mable Barron School, and has recently picked up a 10-month program for 13 units towards her master’s degree and her single subject credential in Foundational Mathematics.  She leads CAN club ministries on Wednesday nights and a Women’s Bible Study on Thursday nights.  Outside of work, church and school, she tries to spend every precious min. at home with her three beautiful children.
            Hannah, 4, continues her infatuation with all things horse.  She has begun preschool half days at Village Oaks.  Her best friends are Kaylen and Ashelen (from church) and Emily, a neighborhood friend.  She embraces the older sister role with authority and love. In May, Hannah was invited to be the flower girl for my high school friend’s, Maggie’s, wedding, and so we made a family trip to San Diego for the first of three weddings for which she would be flower girl this year.
            Zechi, 3, has picked up some quite impressive Scooter skills, which began in our family vacation at Mammoth this summer. He can do several tricks and frequents the local skate park as often as mom and dad are wiling to chaperone. He is as rough and tumble as ever and gets in trouble often for jumping on and off of the furniture.  In June, his head met (and broke) his bed’s headboard and he got 4 staples in his head as a result.  His favorite things are dinosaurs, Iron Man, Power Rangers, and Jake and the Neverland pirates. 
            Tabitha, 1 ½, is walking, talking (a little), and runs the household.  She does a scary impersonation of Ursela from Ariel, and holds her own in wrestling matches with her siblings.  She is currently potty training.  Tabitha’s favorite things are Izzy, are newest pet edition, a 70 pound Bull Mastif mix, chasing Sassy, our other pet addition, a kitten mom brought home from work, and tagging along with her siblings when she is not insisting to be held by mom.  Despite mom’s multiple protest she refuses to give up her “bob” (bottle.)
            As a family we invited our newfound friend Ashia, a 24 year old missionary in waiting, to live with our family.  She is a blessing to us all as she often helps out with the house and kids, voluntarily. She is going back to school to finish her AA and was recently accepted to the KONA missions program through YWAM, whereupon she is now fundraising for her upcoming adventure.  AS sweet and innocent as she may seem beware, she is a Prankster with a capital P. Her personality blends in to our family perfectly!
            Outside of the day-to-day routine, our family has participated in several camping trips including a new family favorite to Wright’s beach, a trip to LA to watch my brother, Kevin, Graduate from Med School at USC, and spent many the days at 6 flags Vallejo with Family Season Passes. 
            We reflect fondly on the events of 2013 and look forward to the memories we will build as a family in 2014. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

                                                                                    With Love,
                                                                                                The Lake Family. 

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