Our Christmas Card/Letter '08

Dear friends and family,

We are insane(ly happy) parents of 20-mo-old twins, Chance and Grace. This year, we've revamped our ideas about . . .

*Nature/nuture. These babes showed their distinctive personalities IN THE WOMB--Chance, the T-storm who craves action (fumble drills anyone?) and fixates on vehicles with wheels (though he's also a tenderhearted cuddler); Grace, the contemplative nurturer who now uses her verbal skills to boss us . . . and to tell us frequently that she loves us (accompanied by wonderful, dainty hugs and kisses).

*The definition of "busy." Okay, "busy" began with twins, say this overworked former book editor and a current vice president (of performance improvement--a potentially ironic job title for a daddy of twins).

*The dangers of shopping carts. Chance is "all boy," so we learned this month after his first ER visit--and CT scan, thankfully showing nothing amiss, praise God.

*The importance of sleep (a.k.a. the torture of sleep deprivation). Not until one year did both sleep through the night (i.e., 8 hrs) at once or did their naptimes overlap for more than 30 min. It's impossible to know how many brain cells we lost.

And what a spectacle twins are! Whenever we're out . . . "Are those twins?" (sometimes followed by the astonishing "Are they identical?") and the hackneyed "You have your hands full!"

With the arrival of Chance and Grace, these parents also have been humbled. The everyday miracles of their lives amaze us. We're greedy with them. But we share them. Because we know they're gifts from God. In '08, we traveled 'round the U.S. to see loved ones, and some even entered the chaos of our home. (BTW, watching your family interact with your children is a surreal experience in unconditional love--and who doesn't want to thank their parents profusely once they learn just how much child-rearing really is?!) Keep in touch; we thank you for loving and praying for our twins.

Miracles abound this Christmas. Rejoice! Rejoice! . . . O come, O come Emmanuel . . . (Happy birthday, Jesus!)

Below: A few pics from the "photo shoot" for the photo card (taken at the Country Inn and Suites near our house--so, no, that's not our Xmas tree or fireplace. Our Xmas tree is on top of the tv hutch, out of the reach of tiny hands, and we don't have/need/want a fireplace.).