12/13/13
Dear friends and family,
Another year. Sometimes it feels a little shocking. Today
when Emma looked at photos of me and Kip and our first apartment together, I
couldn’t help but realize that that was 3 states, 4 kids, and 5 houses ago.
Gah. Now I have a tween. And no toddler. Which is a point you never think
you’ll reach when it seems like you have all babies. Which is a point your reach
and think, “In another 12-year stretch I will have real bona-fide grown-ups for
children.” And that’s just crazy talk.
Mark has grown up. Well, sort of (has anybody noticed that
boys play with about the same things from age 4-40?). Oh sure, he’s gotten
bigger, but that’s not what I mean. He’s just changed. He thinks of others
sometimes. He holds his tongue sometimes. How did this happen? All I’d heard
about the tweens was badness (and I’m still bracing for the girls), but with
Mark it’s been a wonderful combo of heightened maturity (less arguing,
tantrums, back talk, more empathy and even a few loving expressions—whaaat?!)
combined with a childlike cuddling and game-playing that is still so kid-like.
I can’t tell you how great it has been to have a child who hugs me and says,
“Who’s an adorable Mama” (in a goofy voice, but still a compliment in my book)
while also being capable of picking up socks and playing a board game I don’t
have to purposefully lose. Don’t worry folks, he’s still the pickiest kid
alive, but at least his manners have (usually) improved.
Elizabeth has grown up too. Her growing up has been a little
more adult womanly (she plays a little less; she reads a lot more; she scolds
like a boss), but still usually sweet. More than anything this August she
wanted dress shoes with heels. She got them, plus a red glittery dress from a
second-hand store. She has worn this ensemble every week to church since. Don’t
worry—she’s still Elizabeth. Last week she accessorized this outfit with a
headband, a Christmas bow, her blue jacket knitted by Grandma, Christmas
earrings with bells, her huge kitten fairy locket from her birthday and—last
but not least—blue rhinestone decals that you stick on your face (a birthday
gift from Savannah, which Elizabeth wore about the eyes). So she’s still artsy
and zazzy and creative and (usually) blissfully unconcerned or unaware of what
others think. Which is one of my favorite things about that girl. She still
plays cats a lot and helps me out a lot. She still always sees the beauty in
others and in herself.
Savannah is sweet as sugar candy. Except when she tattles,
which—for a while—was every 2.5 seconds. She’s reigned it in a little—not quite
to the is-there-blood level I kept asking for, but significantly nonetheless.
And otherwise she is so intensely kind and thoughtful. She loves to cuddle and
play—just like a kitten, that one. She also love love loves to learn. She is
just learning to (and getting the concept of) sounding out letters, but she persistently
tries to write (she wrote her first story the other day; she wanted me to read
it; I had to go back to my 6-year-old phonetics—‘pla’ equals ‘play’; ‘muthr’
equals ‘mother’; ‘krdgams’ equals ‘card games’, but it worked out okay). She
loves baking and sharing. She started kindergarten this year and to see her
standing at the bus stop with the big kids—well, it’s both heart-breaking and
heart-warming all at once.
Emma is little and big wrapped into a ball of energy. She’s
tiny and cute and has a sweet high voice when she sings (which she does a LOT).
She loves to sing, dance, play with her siblings, and cuddle. But being the
youngest of four makes her seem a little older sometimes too. She can certainly
hold her own in a fight and she can watch cartoons that would have terrified
Mark (note: most cartoons terrified Mark at that age). Yet she loves dresses
and unicorns. When she hears music she runs to change into a dress because we
all know you can’t dance without a twirly dress. I love to listen to her
play—it’s full of talk and song and imagination.
I’ve been feeling more grown up too. Since school started
I’ve only had Emma at home. It’s been nine years since I had only one child at
home. Sometimes this makes life easier. I realized I can exercise every day and
for longer than 20 minutes. But sometimes Emma gets bored with just me around
(I am not very entertaining; it’s true).
I’ve been working very hard on my (and my co-writer Jake’s) YA
novel. I finished it up and I think it’s pretty good. The last 2 months I’ve
sent it to a few agents and one has expressed some interest so I’m keeping my
fingers super crossed.
Kip is his usual studly self—working, fixing things, and
chopping wood. He’s also taken up running, which is one of those things I just
didn’t see coming. He started in February or so and ran his first race in March
and then in October he did a half-marathon. It kind of blows me away. Also, he
looks awesome. When I asked him what he wanted me to say about him in this
letter, he said he wanted me to say that he is the BEST. And he is. I’m not
sure what I would do without him, though I’m pretty confident I’d have to start
calling everyone from a land line since I cannot make my cell phone do things
without him (ditto the computer or any other gadget of any kind). Kip’s
usefulness, however, is not confined to electronic devices. I just don’t know
what I’d do if he wasn’t here. It’d be lonely, hard, and just less full and
connected than life now is. Also he does an awesome Daddy Express (“train” to
take the kids to bed).
I hope the holidays and the coming year (and forever) is
full of joy for all of you. I wish I had something more profound to say about
Christ and the season. I wish this every year. All I can say is that He has
brought me all the good things in my life and given beauty from the ashes of
the bad. I am grateful for this and hope I always remember to be.
Love,
The Paces (Jean, Kip, Mark—11, Elizabeth—9, Savannah—6,
Emma—almost 4)
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