December 24, 2008

Christmas Salutations from the cold north. Well, the deed has been done with Sam's willing consent...on Sunday morning, after a week full of shedding, he experienced his first NO HAIR DAY! It really looks a lot better than the patchy, see through look he had been sporting for a week prior. He looks great, but I am like so totally like, biased.

Last Thursday night I saw in our local paper a writing contest entitled, "My Favorite Christmas Memory." As Sam's new home schooling mommy-teacher I thought this would be a great writing assignment for him to do. After some discussion, he wrote it, we edited it, and then Sam emailed it to the Free Press by the Friday deadline. On Tuesday morning while I was making some Christmas cards, he came flying into my room, shouting and whooping it up. He had just received an email that he won second prize! They asked Sam and Lucy to go Free Press Office and get their picture taken. He also received a stocking with some gift certificates and small gifts inside. They even had some special prizes for Lucy and she received a gift certificate as well from a new pet store called Pawsitively Gifted. What a great highlight for Sam...he was pretty psyched!

Katelyn and Karly have had a few basketball and volleyball practices, been hanging out with friends, and enjoying some unscheduled time. Sam loves it that Katelyn, Karly and Ger are home now and he can do stuff with them as well.

We are hoping the airlines will be running back on schedule after Christmas so Sam and Ger can make it to Sam's appointments at Children's Hospital in Vancouver. We know of friends and family who have missed their flights, connections, have had to either cancel their flights completely or are stranded in an airport part way to their destination. The storms on both sides of the country are causing havoc with many Christmas plans and holidays. This is the first time since 1971 that ALL of Canada will enjoy a White Christmas.

Matthew 1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." In this advent season we are so thankful for Jesus' birth, his life, death, and his resurrection and how that has impacted our everyday and eternal lives. We have experienced "God with us" in unfathomable ways this past 6 months since Sam's diagnosis. The outpouring of prayers, love, care, support, encouragement, has so profoundly impacted our family. We have learned so much, sought God more desperately, been humbled by family and friends generosity, and have been challenged to be faithful and trusting in ALL circumstances. We are so glad that God has been with us in our past, is present with us now and has promised to be in our future forever! What a fantastic God we have.

May you all have a very blessed Christmas as you celebrate Jesus' Birthday. I wonder if and how heaven celebrates Jesus' life events at special times or if it is an ongoing, ever present worship celebration. I can't wait to find out!

From our family to yours, a very Merry Christmas!

Love from Goertzen Gang