Shetler Times 2010 Edition

Merry Christmas 2010!

Comings and Goings

• We hosted three different Exchange Students this year. Ayako stayed two weeks this summer. Kyoko and Mei stayed for a weekend in September. All three were very dear girls and we miss them!

• We said good-bye to our cow and hello to a full freezer. The timing coincided nicely with the purchase of our new little Traeger Grill at the Canyonview Auction.

• In the spring we acquired a beautiful husky mix. Her name is Bonte’. (Bawn-tee) She is a very good girl and so sweet. In the fall we got a new kitty. He came to us named “Screech”. After the first night we decided the name fit him perfectly. At first our other cat, Cheddar, only showed disdain. Soon he decided he would enjoy his own personal fluffy toy, and has since embraced unexpected motherhood. Screech was an attempt to replace Pam’s favorite kitty “George” who was found dead this fall.

• We are still waiting on the Lord for more children. Please join with us in prayer that we could add to our family. I would love to be able to add such a blessing to next year’s letter in the” comings” section.

JOEY:

Joined his cousins on a rafting trip down the Deschutes in August. 12 hours before he got home, Pam received reports of a scary near death experience involving a test run (and no report since the “real” run.) If you want details, ask Joey. Pam is just thankful to not be a widow. *He would like you to know that his cousins and the boat are fine, but there was a casualty among the paddles. Though work has been slow, Joey still gets at least 40 hours a week. It has been a blessing to have such a steady job. He celebrated his 7th year with Blazer Industries in March. He works so very hard every day.

***not in the mailed letter....Joey works in Aumsville and was about .5 miles away from the FE2 tornado! They lost power, but the chaos ended when the generator was turned on. Praise the Lord, he was not in any danger! http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/Aumsville-tornado-cuts-path-of-destruction/5d0_CQnXe0un6PT3c1Cy3Q.cspx

PAM:

P.a.M. Photography and More has kept her super busy…definitely a record breaking year. Many thanks to all who’ve supported this adventure! If you would like to see some pictures you can look on her facebook business page, or go to her website: www.pamphotographyandmore.webs.com.

She also enjoys singing in the church choir and is looking forward to their concert on the road Memorial Day Weekend 2011 to Enterprise, Oregon

.

EMMA:

Emma turns 5 yrs old on Dec 24th. Homeschooling will begin September 2011. She knows the alphabet and their basic sounds. She loves to count. She started “pretend play” this year. She is very entertaining to listen to… especially with the special voices she

uses. She enjoys Cubbies/ AWANA, Sunday School and her CBS class. She’s learning cute songs and memorizing simple verses. She is very shy in public, but don’t let that fool you. She is really a ham at home. She constantly cracks us up!

Emma-isms

Parentheses added for clarifications), “typos” are her original phrasing.

“Oh.” This can mean pretty much anything. It is said when she understands what you are saying. It is also what she says when she doesn’t want to admit that she doesn’t understand. She says it when she is excited. She says it when she is being chastised.

When the words, “I do not want to go to sleep,” are spoken in the van, I know that within 5 minutes she will be out cold and will remain so for the rest of the trip.

The following are excerpts from real conversations:

Pam: Emma tell Kyoko and Mei: “Sayonara”

Emma: See ya tomorrow.

Joey: Look outside Emma, there is a rainbow.

Emma: Oh (excitedly)! It’s a rainbow day!

Emma: (Whilst practicing her Christmas program song)

♫ “Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

the little Lord Jesus asleep on my head.”♫

Emma: Mommy, I’m happy.

Joey: “Little happy girls take naps

Emma: Uh-oh. I sad.

Emma: Mommy, where are Larry and Jerry?

Pam: Who are Larry and Jerry?

Emma: (with a hint of “duh” in her voice.) My unicorns.

Emma: Mommy, I don’t want to turn 6.

Pam: Emma, why not.

Emma: Because then I’ll be sick. I don’t want to be sick…

6 makes you sick.

Pam: What will you be after 5 then?

Emma: 7, 8, 9 and 10. 10 is the best. 10 is when I ride the boat.

On Gender Roles:

Emma: Daddy, you go! (to work). Emma stay with you! (Mommy). Daddy’s a boy. Emma’s a girl. Girls don’t work.

Mom: Emma, is Daddy is a girl?

Emma: No, Daddy is a boy…he cleans up the (chicken, cat etc.)

poo on the back porch ‘cause he’s a boy.

May this letter start your new year off with a smile! God’s blessing to you and yours!

With Much Love ~ Joey, Pam and Emma Shetler