Belated Christmas Card

I kept meaning to send out a Christmas Email (instead of a Christmas Card) this year, but even that didn't seem to be easy enough in the end. So instead here is a very late, Christmas Blog, wishing you the very best Christmas and hoping that you all have an outstanding 2010. I wish it could be a more personal letter including all the things we have learned from and admired about all our friends and family, but that will have to wait until next year. The email would have gone something like this (in rough draft form):


At Christmas time, as the year comes to a close, we are grateful for the experiences we've had in 2009. Some of the more notable experiences include the following:

• Andrew studied harder than he has ever studied in his life and took his Medical Board exams in June.

• Lauren was a successful single-parent Monday-Saturday while Andrew studied for his Board exams.

• Luke mastered sitting, crawling, walking, ascending the stairs, descending the stairs, laughing, smiling, babbling, MAMA, DADA, shape sorters, plugging in electrical appliances, matching lids with containers, stealing hearts, emptying all cupboards, sorting trash, stealing Mom's toothbrush, binkies, sleeping through the night, hugging, kissing (okay, maybe not mastered).

• Andrew, Lauren and Luke visited Niagara Falls, The Outer Banks, Washington DC, Williamsburg, Utah, Baltimore, Philidelphia, New York City, Atlantic City, and Connecticut.
  

• Lauren and her sister, Erin, went to Kirtland and Palmyra.
  

• The Staceys enjoyed visitors from all over including, Steve-o, Erin, Jessica & Doug, the Stacey Grandparents twice a month, and several interviewing med students. They really like visitors (hint hint).
  

• Andrew finished rotations in Pediatric Oncology, Family Medicine, General Pediatrics, Urology, Plastic Surgery and Bariatric Surgery.

• Andrew doesn't want to be a Surgeon (so far). Lauren is slightly relieved :)

• Andrew's ranked list of "what kind of doctor he wants to be" changes daily, but never decreases.
  

• Lauren was called as the Activity Days leader for the 8-12 year old girls at church and decided it is the best calling in the world.
  

• Andrew continued to work with the Young Men in our ward .... he would be the first to tell you that he fits in with them perfectly.
  

• Andrew and Lauren remembered over and over again that it doesn't take much to have a happy life. They narrowed it down to the Gospel, family, opportunities to serve, a sense of humor, obstacles to overcome, and of course, faith in our Savior Jesus Christ.

[insert family photo, yet to be taken, here]