Another year has gone by, and here we are, in the middle of the holiday season. I have decided that our annual update will be a New Year’s greeting, and that’s OK. We have actually had a fairly restful December, spending meaningful time celebrating advent as a family most evenings, doing just enough fun Christmas-related stuff, but not so much as to feel stressed, and completing most of our shopping online! Ultimately, for us, the most important thing is always to focus on celebrating the Reason for this season–the baby born to die to save the world, and I’m so happy that this year, our family was really able to do this. Things felt simpler, even with such a big, busy family. We pray that all of you have been able to enjoy special times this holiday season.

Now, it’s time for the update! So, sit back, relax and read on… (We always list the kids in the order in which they joined the family, which is why Eden, Daniel and Haddie are listed at the end :))

Abby is 22 and a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center. She has been working night shift there for almost 1 1/2 years. Abby seems to be in a really good place in life now. She has settled into that crazy night shift schedule, and has made many friends there whom she really enjoys. She continues to be active in The Branch, which is a ministry for young adults in north Austin. She lives in Pflugerville, just north of Austin in a nice apartment with a fellow nurse she met in nursing school. It’s still hard for me to believe that our oldest child is now all grown up and on her own. Even though she lives kind of far (north Austin is *so* far from where we are in SW Austin :)), we still see her often. It warms my heart that Abby loves coming home whenever she can. She loves all of her younger brothers and sisters so much and wants to be with them. It is such a blessing to Todd and me to see our children enjoying one another so much. Abby has enjoyed some traveling in the last year, now that she has her own income. She went to Israel in May with a group led by our former pastor. Abby also got to travel to London with Todd, David, Todd’s brother, Jeff and his son, Jack. Abby organized a trip for the older 5 kids (plus David’s best friend, Braydon, who is officially our 14th child :)) to go to Nashville a couple of weeks ago. They had a blast. This beautiful young woman is a delight to us, and we are so proud and blessed to be her parents.

Datiya is 21 and will enter her final semester of classes at Texas State this spring. After that, she will have one semester of field work, graduating in December 2020! Datiya has excelled in her major at Texas State as an honors student, earning outstanding grades, and consistently making the Dean’s List. Datiya has impressed her professors with her work ethic, intellect, and confidence. One of my favorite stories about Datiya came from a professor who wrote her a recommendation for a scholarship (which she won!). The professor took a group to the Texas State Capitol to lobby for programs in their field (recreation therapy), and Datiya met the group there, even though she wasn’t part of the class. She then proceeded to get up and speak boldly and confidently for their cause in front of the legislators. The professor said that she has been taking groups to the capitol for years, and she has never had one student before, not even a graduate student, get up to speak. This past summer, she was able to travel to New Zealand and Australia to complete 2 classes for her major. Sounds like a great deal to me, even though from all her pictures it doesn’t look like she did much studying! Datiya is also active in a service sorority, works as an RA, and even joined the water ski team. She had the opportunity to travel to California with the team in October for Nationals! Datiya has many friends, and is a loyal and wonderful person. You definitely want Dot on your side if you ever need anything. Datiya also considers her sisters and brothers to be her best friends, and she will often bring friends home to meet our crazy crew. We are blessed to have this spunky, strong young lady in our family. Watch out, world, here she comes!!

David is 19 and still the “loudest, proudest member of the fighting Texas Aggies.” He has successfully brainwashed every younger brother to be a future Aggie. David works very hard, and gets excellent grades, but he balances this by staying very involved in other activities such as Cru, Breakaway (“Tuesday nights at 9pm, Reed Arena”), intramural soccer, and ping pong. He bought himself an electric keyboard so he could continue to play the piano–he can pick up new music easily by ear, and is very talented. I love having him home and hearing the piano music drift through the house. David made us very proud this fall by being selected through a very competitive process to be in the prestigious Zachry Leadership Program for engineering students. They only selected 32 out of several hundred applicants, so we wanted to brag on him a little bit. David traveled to London this past summer with Todd and Abby to see his favorite team, Arsenal, play. It was a very special time for them. David is just a wonderful young man, and we are so thankful our younger boys have a guy like him to look up to. He is so good and loving with all of the younger kids, and it is a blessing to see him interact with them. They all adore him so much. All of his sisters say they want to marry someone like David, which says a lot, I think. David is a blessing to have in our family, and I’m so happy that now he’s old enough to not mind hugs and kisses from mom so much anymore. 🙂

Nina became an official adult, turning 18 just a few days ago. We let her graduate in May (a year early), and she has been taking more classes at Austin Community College this fall as she applied to schools. She was accepted at Texas Tech and University of Texas at Austin among others, and has decided to attend Texas Tech. Nina was accepted into the honors program there, and she plans to major in kinesiology with an emphasis on pre-med. She plans to be a doctor, and as of now wants to be a trauma surgeon. Nina certainly has the drive and brains to get her there or wherever else life may take her. She is beautiful, funny, strong, and confident. Nina and I are very close, and often do things together or just hang out. I will really miss her when she’s at school. I’ve been a little spoiled as my oldest three kids all went to schools within 2 hours of home, and Lubbock is closer to 7 hours away. At least I will still be able to hop in the car and drive there when I want to see her. And there’s always FaceTime and SnapChat. Nina is a lively, helpful, capable, and fun young lady, and it is such a blessing to have her in our family. As much as we will miss her, I can’t wait to see her very bright future unfold.

Enoch is 16 and now a very cool driving dude. Still the most people-oriented person I’ve ever known in my life, this kid thrives on being with others. He started working at TCBY, and he does such a wonderful job there. Enoch’s friendly nature and strong work ethic has made him a valuable employee, and he often volunteers to help out even when he’s not scheduled. That is because Enoch really is thoughtful and wants to be helpful. Enoch is also very generous. He finds joy in doing things like bringing a favorite teacher at One Day Academy a Starbucks coffee every week. He will always share what he’s eating, even the sausage from the first deer he got while hunting this fall. Enoch plays select soccer, drums, and is working on getting his black belt in Kuk Sool Won. We are happy that he can now drive himself to these activities! He is also very willing to help drive when we need him to run an errand or take a sibling somewhere. Enoch is very fashion conscious, and he can usually be found looking pretty sharp (or “pretty dope” as he would say). Enoch and I have started watching a show together, and I really enjoy this time with him, as we don’t get as much time together in the car anymore. He is a sophomore, so I know the time will speed by, and soon it will be his turn to leave the nest. He is a kid who will go places in life, with his likeable personality, confidence, brains, and good looks, too! We’re so blessed to have Enoch’s big personality in our family.

Lillah is 14, and will be 15 in April. She is very eager to get her learner’s permit, but I don’t know if I’m ready! Lillah is still sweet, sweet, sweet. She is thoughtful and fair, always thinking of others and making sure everyone gets food or dessert or whatever treat (she saves some aside for whoever isn’t home). As sweet as she is, Lillah is also very confident and poised. She is a leader through and through. This year, she, along with Simeon and Enoch, is participating in a discipleship group/school every Wednesday, where they do history, Bible, government, and literature. She is the only girl in the program now. We thought about whether she should do it, being the only young lady, but after some thought and prayer, we went ahead and put her in the program. She said, truthfully, she is used to being surrounded by boys, so it really isn’t a big deal. Recently, Simeon invited the guys from the group to our house for a semester’s-end party/sleepover. Lillah stepped up to get those boys in line for pizza and activities. She would stand up, clap her hands, speak in a loud voice, and order everyone around. They pretty much did whatever she said! 🙂 There is a reason her Uncle Steve calls her “Captain.” Lillah is dancing again this year and played soccer in the fall. Her true passion, however, is horses and riding. She is very responsible, caring for our animals and also handling multiple pet-sitting jobs. She has a little calendar on which she keeps track of all her jobs. She has saved up quite a bit of money from pet-sitting and reffing. The highlight of Lillah’s year (as well as Simeon’s and Enoch’s) was going on a cruise with their discipleship group. The trip was amazing, and all expenses were covered by a donor, which made it possible for them to go! Lillah is a precious girl, and we love her sweet, strong spirit. She is stepping up as one of the older kids left at home, and we are so blessed to have this sweet daughter in our family.

Simeon is 12, and is a very sweet, sensitive boy. He excels in school, and has now officially entered the speech and debate competitive world as a senior competitor. He will be debating in Team Policy debate this upcoming season, as well as doing a Duo Interpretation with Lillah, impromptu, and informative speeches. Simeon plays select soccer, and is a dedicated and skilled player. He is extremely athletic, and continues to amaze us with his acrobatics. He can scale things like Spidey, back/front flip like a ninja warrior, and even walks on his hands. All of these amazing skills aside, Simeon has a heart of gold. He is constantly looking for ways to connect with and include Daniel. He asked for a study Bible for Christmas so that he could read and study his own Bible every day, and he is a boy who is committed to praying for people. A highlight for Simeon was going to the Matthew West concert in early December. After the show, as we were leaving, we happened to go out the back door to where our car was parked, and we saw Matthew West coming in another back door. Jed yelled his name and he came over, talked to us and even took a couple of pictures with the boys. Cool moment for Sim, especially, as he is a huge fan of Matthew West. Simeon has the most precious smile, newly donned with braces as of March. He is the adored leader of our little “son run” (a term I affectionately use to refer to our 4 youngest), and he is gentle and kind with all of them *most* of the time, even when it would be easy to lose his temper with them. Simeon was overjoyed to be able to go on the cruise with Enoch and Lillah with the discipleship group they attend. He now says he thinks he wants to live on a cruise ship. Simeon is always quick with a hug and kiss for each parent and sibling, and he says “I love you” to everyone before bed each night. I really can’t wait to see how God will use this young man as he grows and further matures. He’s pretty special. We are so blessed to call him our son.

Jedidiah (Jed) is our 10-year-old “wild man.” He is quick-witted and hilarious, and basically keeps me on my toes at all times. Jed is a great kid, full of energy and curiosity, which means if I turn my back on him during school time, I will generally turn back to find him gone. Thankfully, he is smart as a whip, and when I can catch him, excels at school, especially math, which he can do in his head with no problem (no pun intended). I have to make him write things down first so that as things get harder he is used to that. He really can do it all in his head at this point. Jed is reading really well, and is finally at the point where he can get lost in a book, which I always love to see any kid do. Jed is also a force to be dealt with on the soccer field. I mean, of course he is, with as much energy as he has. Last spring, he did a few vlog posts for our YouTube channel (which is currently on hold right now till we get a new video camera), which were some of my favorites that we posted, simply because he is a riot. If you haven’t watched Jed’s vlog posts, they are worth a looksee. 🙂 Jed’s personality is larger than life, vibrant, intelligent and witty. Whenever we can get him to slow down for a few minutes and hear what is going on in his head, we are amazed at what comes out of his mouth. One of my favorites from this last year: one day, I was running at the speed of life, as usual, and they boys were particularly rowdy as we were driving around town. Jed was riding near the front, and being relatively quiet (unusual for him). I looked at him and said, gesturing at the chaos in the back of the van, “Can you see why I might sometimes lose my cool?” Without skipping a beat, he looked up at me with his mischievous green eyes, put his hand on my shoulder, and said, very seriously, “Mom, sometimes at times like these, chocolate helps.” Haha, yes, son, very wise and true words. Jed could grow up to be anything from an engineer to a standup comedian, and it is fun being along for the ride. We are blessed to have this little spark plug as our son.

Hezekiah (Hezi) is now 8 and in 2nd grade! He still has sandy blond curls whenever he lets his hair grow long enough to see them. He has sweet, big brown eyes, dimples, and the cutest little smile. Besides his adorableness, he has a sweet and sensitive heart as well. He loves to snuggle up with us to read or watch a movie, and he wants to be tucked in at night. Hezi requested a real Bible with all the verses for his birthday, and he can be found reading it on his bed every morning before he comes down for breakfast and every evening before bed. Hezi also plays soccer, with his older brothers training him to be a goalie at home, so he actually is a pretty decent goalie. Hezi will play basketball this winter, and then he has decided to go back to baseball for the spring. He was so cute playing baseball a couple of seasons ago, and there was something relaxing about the games, so we’re all for it! Hezi is doing well in school, and is enjoying reading chapter books now that he is able to read more fluently. Math is also easy for him so far, although he doesn’t claim to like it much. His favorite subject is reading and vocabulary. Hezi loves playing with his brothers, but he can also often be found playing by himself with Legos or in the sandbox. Hezi is a very affectionate boy who is a blessing to our family.

Tovi is 5 and began Kindergarten this fall. He is adored by everyone in the family and also has the ability to charm anyone else for that matter. Tovi is very bright, and is already reading tons of words on his own. He is very easy to teach and extremely independent. Tovi played soccer again this fall, and he was definitely very into it, running his little heart out, sliding to score, and waiting eagerly on the sideline for his turn to go in. Tovi is a mama’s boy in that he really loves his mama, but he’s also super rough and tough. I really like the fact that he wants me to be there for him, to come upstairs and read to him every night and to snuggle for a few minutes. We have a special bond, and it’s really sweet. Tovi wanted to play basketball this winter, so it will be fun to get to watch his and Hezi’s games. I can’t believe our “baby” is so grown up and capable of so many things. Tovi definitely milks his position in the family for all it’s worth, getting his older siblings to let him play on their phones or tablets. They give him lots of treats, too. Tovi has everyone wrapped around his finger, and he knows it. He’s coordinated, skilled at many things, and if he isn’t skilled at it yet, he will be with a little practice and determination (which he has in endless supply). Tovi is an amazing little boy, and such a blessing to us all. This little dynamo brings so much fun and joy to our family.

Eden is 16 and is doing really well. She has really come into her own, pretty much fluent in English and comfortable and confident as a member of the family. Eden has a bold personality when it comes to people she is comfortable with. She doesn’t hesitate to tell people what to do or to give information about things. The only problem is that sometimes she just makes things up to tell people, like, “Dad said…” or “Mom said…” when we didn’t say. It’s kind of funny, but I think she likes to take charge, and that’s just one of the ways in which she does that. Eden is steadily working through her curriculum and progressing with math and reading, at about a 1st grade level. She is definitely learning to read, slowly and steadily. Academics don’t come super easily for her, but she works really hard and enjoys doing her school, which we have chosen to keep doing at home. I’m so excited that we found a Special Olympics team for her and Haddie to join, and they will be playing basketball this winter. They are so happy about it, and I’m glad that they will be in a place where they can grow and learn in a setting that is appropriate for them and in which they can be successful. Eden can’t wait for their practices to resume after the holidays. She still loves to be on the go, and will always say yes if you ask her if she wants to go somewhere. The life skills she and Haddie are learning at home as part of their school is preparing them for jobs they will be able to do in the future, and I’m beginning to look into options for them as they will both be turning 17 in the next few months. Eden is very sweet, and a helpful daughter who is a blessing to us.

Daniel is 12, which he now enjoys telling us several times a day. He also writes his name and age in his notebook all the time, “Daniel 12″ and points to it and says, ‘Daniel, 12.” I’m teaching him to say, “I’m twelve,” which he can say, but he still wants to say, “Daniel, 12” instead. Daniel knows a lot and is very crafty. Academics are not necessarily his thing, but he is very street smart. He has learned a lot in school and enjoys being there. He can write his first name, most of “Erdner,” and he loves to write numbers. The neurologist prescribed a medication for him that has been really helpful in helping him to be more successful at school and more manageable at home. He will still have mood swings often, but his impulsiveness is reduced when he’s on his medicine. It also helps him sleep better at night, which allows him to be happier during the day as well. Daniel has grown a LOT this last year. His appetite has improved, and he eats really well, which has helped him grow and look stronger. He is healthy and rarely gets sick. Daniel loves riding the bus to school, and even though he isn’t really verbal, he manages to tell the bus drivers lots of stories using a few words and lots of miming and facial expressions. For his birthday, his teachers gave him a t-shirt that says “Mayor of SSES (Sycamore Springs Elementary School),” because he is loved by all there. Every day, he walks around the school greeting everyone, smiling and waving “hi” to whomever he encounters. He certainly is charming, despite remaining quite challenging. It is a blessing to have Daniel as our son, watching him grow and thrive in our family.

Haddie will be 17 in a few days, and she is sweet and smiley. Learning continues to be a struggle for her, and we are just going along at the pace she needs. I looked back over last year’s letter and, taking that step back, I can see she has made progress. However, the day to day is very slow, and Haddie has to work really hard in school and with communicating. We received her communication device last spring, and she was so happy and proud of it. It definitely has opened up a lot of communication for her that we wouldn’t have without it She has learned to say many things on the device, and I do think it is helping her vocabulary to expand quite a bit, even though she still doesn’t initiate as much as I would like to see. We’re hoping that will change over time. Haddie’s counting has improved from last year, as now she can consistently count and write to 10 without help. I have to approach things with her in terms of what will be really practical for her life skill and navigating her world versus a typical academic course of study. She will most likely never learn to read, and math skills like adding and subtracting seem like an impossibility at this point for her, so we are adapting her education to give her the most potential to be as independent as possible. It has been extremely frustrating over the last few months, as I’ve been trying to find a neuropsychologist to evaluate her (IQ, memory, etc.), and no one seems to think they’ll be able to get accurate results given her limited ability to speak and communicate verbally. I have given up a couple of times, taken a break, and then tried again. So far, nothing. I think it would be helpful to get some idea of what exactly we are dealing with so we can better meet her needs and help her to learn as much as she can. Haddie is very helpful with sweeping and cleaning, and loves to be useful around the house. She adores babies and children, and they love her back. Tovi often plays with her and Eden, and he just loves them both. Haddie’s beautiful smile is enough for children, and no words are necessary. I think she will be able to work at a daycare or possibly be a mom’s helper someday. Haddie is a sweet daughter and a blessing to our family, and I’m so glad to see how happy she is to be part of our family as well.

It has now been over a year since Todd’s heart attack, and he is doing well. In the spring, we found out he will need to take medication to control the blood disease that he has, so he’s been on that for a few months now. Everything seems pretty stable, and he is feeling good, able to do everything he has always done. He remains super active, running, exercising, coaching kids, and being an elder at our church. His job at Intel has treated him well, and he enjoys the group he is in. Todd went on a business trip to New Zealand back in September, and I was able to join him for several days. It was a wonderful trip, and if it weren’t so far away, I would want to live there! What a beautiful country! This man is a wonderful and adored husband and father, and we are so thankful that God chose to spare him a year ago. He is wise, and the kids all seek out his advice often. The younger kids love playing with him and having tickle time, and Todd very diligently leads the family in devotions every morning. I attribute the little boys’ desire to have their own Bibles to learn from and read to the dedication Todd has had to teach them about the Lord and to disciple them. I admire him very much. Also, he is really patient with his little Cuban wife, and quick to forgive my many blunders. Not to mention, he spoils me a lot. For Christmas, he surprised me with an Alaskan Cruise with my favorite Christian artist, Steven Curtis Chapman! We will be sailing the week of my birthday this July 2020! I still can’t believe it. He’s too good to me.

As for me, I’m busy as ever, with adult children, college children, high school, middle school, elementary, and Kindergarten kids to teach, counsel, hang out with, etc. I’ve got little boys wanting tucking in and snuggles, teens wanting to talk at midnight, and adult kids who sometimes need me at any time of day or night as well, even if it’s just to chat and catch up. I love my busy life, so full of these amazing people who are my babies, growing up to be the best people I know! I am in the middle of it all, with many years behind me and many more years to come of raising this clan, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve discovered recently I can take a little time to explore my interests outside the family, now that we no longer have so many little ones. I have enjoyed teaching Les Mills Body Pump classes at the YMCA for over a year now, and as of this past April, I have my own classes Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:35am as well as every other Sunday at 4:15pm. (Come join me sometime if you’re local!) I love sharing my passion for health and fitness with other people. I run 3-4 mornings per week, and am training for my 5th half marathon coming in January. I think I may do one in February and one in April as well. Hopefully, I’m just a few months away from earning my Black Belt in Kuk Sool Won. It has been a long journey and tons or work, but I enjoy it a lot and have made many friends there.

It may sound crazy, but I have also been taking a few classes online to take care of some prerequisites to enroll in nursing school. I am working slowly through the classes, and I will hopefully be able to enroll in a mostly online program within a year or so. I do sleep occasionally.

Todd and I often reflect on all the blessings we have been given by God. We have sweet, loving children who are doing well. We have the blessing of a big, warm house to call home, with our little farm where the kids can run and ride horses and hug kitties and dogs. Todd has a great job that allows me to be home and do all the things that I do. We are so thankful. May your 2020 bring blessings, growth and encouragement to your lives, and if you’re ever in Texas, come on down to “Abundant Life Ranch” and hang out with us for a bit. Happy New Year!

Love,
Todd, Michelle, Abby, Datiya, David, Nina, Enoch, Lillah, Simeon, Jed, Hezi, Tovi, Eden, Daniel, and Haddie