December
2011
Dear
Family & Friends,
Welcome
to our inaugural Christmas letter.
Many milestones, trials and triumphs have marked our first full year of
marriage. As we draw to the close of 2011, we are able to look back and see the
blessings we’ve been given and feel compelled to share them with you!
In
this recession, we’d be ungrateful if we didn’t recognize the blessing of
full-time employment for both of us through out the year. Eric continued
working as a Supported Living Staff for the Horizon Project up until August.
While his work blessed our little family, and he was so good at working with
the two elderly gentlemen he cared for, he wasn’t all that sad to bid them
adieu and start his new adventure at the Morrow County Alternative School as an
ESL Assistant. And by adventure, we mean his daily explorations into gang
violence, drug busts, teen moms and kids that “haven’t taken a bath in a year.”
His ‘adventures’ leave this wife with scary gang dreams and daily gratitude for
our simple life. I’ve continued working at the Pendleton Chamber of Commerce
where my title was upgraded to Communications Director (formerly Coordinator),
but my job description and perks remained unchanged. Two publications I worked
on were recently given statewide recognition – both our Chamber newsletter and
member directory received General Excellence awards in the state of Oregon for
mid-sized Chambers. It was pretty validating.
We’ve
also, sometimes grudgingly, been blessed to continue our respective collegiate
educations. Eric continues to hammer away finishing his Associate’s degree at
Blue Mountain Community College – taking classes full-time while working
full-time. He’s pretty much my hero, even conquering Shakespeare. Magically
(after an appeal letter, some charm and some help from above), I was
re-admitted to Brigham Young University in the fall. I’ve been wrapping up
internship credits that were conveniently fulfilled by my current job as well
as taking an online Statistics class, also referred to as water boarding. With
only two classes left to take, I can almost feel those graduation tassles
shifting from left to right. Yes, I’m on the seven-year plan. No, I won’t be
graduating with my Doctorate. Or my Master’s. After Eric completes his
Associate’s, we’ll be relocating so he can continue his pursuit of teaching
high school Spanish.
Family
has been a great blessing to us. Shortly after a massive Easter egg hunt meltdown by yours
truly in April, we learned we were expecting our first baby. I think we were
both surprised at how quickly it happened! But, we also felt so lucky and
humbled to be given such a responsibility and opportunity. In July, we were
able to take a short trip down to California to visit Grandpa Lee. This was
also during the tail-end of my morning sickness (that lasted all day) period
and poor Grandpa had to endure what Eric had been enduring for months, my green
face and easily provoked gag reflexes. Despite the nausea, we thoroughly
enjoyed our time in California and hope to go back soon. We headed up north to
join in on the Lougee Family Reunion in Prineville. We went white-water rafting
on the Deschutes and possibly caused fetal hearing loss during an afternoon of
shooting guns with cousins and uncles. It was wonderful. We’ve also just been
humbled by the amount of support and love shown to us from both sides of the
family – we feel so lucky to be so loved.
Our
church callings have given us the blessings of service. Eric has been serving
as an assistant to the 11 year-old Scouts and was recently handed over full
reign as THE 11 year-old Scout leader. I love when he comes home from Scouts,
he’s always energized and smiling, and has entertaining stories to share. I’ve
been serving as the Sunbeam (3 & 4 year-olds) teacher since January. It can
be a battle, and typically it’s an exhausting job, but I’ve really grown to
love these kids. And have learned a lot about myself, too. I was also recently
asked to serve on the Enrichment Committee and have been blessed to build
sanity-saving camaraderie with the women who serve with me.
The
blessing of a stronger marriage has also been felt this year. We were able to
witness three other marriage ceremonies over the last year, two of them
performed in the Portland Temple where we were married and by the same man.
What a tender mercy it was to be able to hear much of our ceremony repeated
when we weren’t in a “oh my gosh I’m getting married” haze. We’ve also made
regular temple attendance a priority, and luckily we live less than 30 minutes
from the closest temple. We’ve also learned A LOT about one another this year –
like that we both need to be fed before we can interact with one another
sanely. Through the trials and triumphs, our partnership has shown it’s
strengths and our friendship and love has increased.
And
these are just a few of the reasons 2011 has us feeling thankful. Add among
those the blessings of a warm home, good health, friendships - both new and
old, as well as our knowledge of a loving Heavenly Father and his guidance in
our lives.
We
are looking forward, maybe naively, to the arrival of our first baby (which as
of this writing has not happened yet) and continuing down this exciting journey
together. As a character in one of our favorite shows often says, it’s going to
be legend … wait for it … ary!
Merry
Christmas!
The
(young) Lougees
1 comment:
I love reading your blog! Thank you for always posting a link on facebook lady!!!
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