Happy 2010!!! So, it has been two years since our last Christmas letter. We had decided last year with all the writing we did here on Jacob’s blog everyone had kept up with most of our 2008…if not, the blog is still here so grab some tissues and reminisce. Well, this year, we didn’t update the blog that much, not because there wasn’t much to blog about but because we spent a great deal less time on the computer and more time together. Although it is late to be a Christmas letter, we decided to do a “Merry New Year” letter to fill in the blanks a bit, so here are some Fahmer 2009 Highlights:
We began 2009 with the news that we were expecting our fourth beautiful child. Our excitement to love again was only fueled by our loss of Jacob. As a family, we did not fear to love again, yet in the corners of our minds we dreaded the thought of loss again and this emotion threaded its way through the pregnancy. It wasn’t uncommon for the boys to ask if we would be allowed to “keep this one” or pray to “help this one live.” Their reality is different from many big brothers so this was not overly concerning….it was their normal. Our pregnancy was uneventful! (yeah!) and we fully trusted in God’s wisdom to knit together in my womb who he had the fourth Fahmer child to be. True to form, we welcomed our fourth baby boy into this world on August 15th. The delivery was ridiculously quick (got the hospital at 4:30pm and he was born at 5:05pm!), the recovery went well, and Jason’s time off was more like a family “stay”-cation than paternity leave. We did battle pneumonia as a family (minus Jeremiah) right when we brought the baby home from the hospital but this made our home very calm since visitors stayed away and we just enjoyed our new addition. Jeremiah is such a blessing and true to the meaning of his name- the Lord will uplift. Oh how God has used this sweet baby boy to uplift our family to behold life and love yet again. He is such a sweet baby and good baby. I firmly believe that there are few big brothers as in love with their siblings as Joshua and Jonathan. They love freely without expecting anything in return….oh, the solid foundation they are building as they become young men…priceless. We are just so in love and overjoyed.
Jeremiah stayed the youngest in our family for only two months as my sister Nancy birthed their first sweet baby girl, Anna, in October. I was so blessed to witness her first breath of air! What a gift to mother together as sisters! The boys have enjoyed being big cousins to a sweet baby girl.
January 14th, 2009, we celebrated Jacob’s 1st birthday together and although it proved to be a difficult day at first, it turned out to be a beautiful celebration of the day God changed our lives forever. We will celebrate every year after as a family changed by a life lived to the fullest in 138 days. Throughout the year we were given the opportunity to share Jacob’s life to encourage many families. Jason delivered a message at a church in Rochester and I was given the opportunity to speak to 80+ public school sophomores about genetic disorders. I shared Jacob’s life and story to show how life is precious regardless of diagnosis, amount of time promised, or “defects”. We were also able to put every word of the blog into book form. We now have a 300+ page book that chronicles from Jacob’s birth to Jeremiah’s….it is treasured. We are so encouraged to share his life and blessed to see his legacy continue. We hope to create a ministry website that shares all the ideas of treasuring the days spent with loved ones…but that is to come.
We visited Walt Disney World this year! My parents gifted us a week’s stay…..what a fabulous time we all had. My sister Julianne was able to make the trip for a few days and we just had a blast. The boys were big enough to ride the big roller coasters yet young enough to enjoy the activities and characters (who isn’t young enough?!?). It was an exhausting trip (one day, we visited all 4 Kingdoms!!!...it was suicide by fun!) but we look back on the trip and just think about the special moments so fondly.
Joshua and Jonathan began school at home yet again as we fully enjoy schooling together. It has proven to be such a joy for everyone as we grow closer as a family learning not only life together but academics. Joshua is 7 and in 2nd grade and Jonathan is 5 and in Kindergarten. We participate in a few homeschooling groups which allow us many great learning opportunities. Both boys enjoy sports, board games, reading and anything their dad does! This past summer they both played baseball for a town league and did great! They also learned to ride two wheelers and really enjoyed our long driveway to ride all day! We had a little garden that we all attended to…Jonathan picked out 14 different vegetables and fruits to grow! Jason had a good year at Geico. He is working a “normal” schedule of Mon-Fri which we have adjusted to. He always busies himself with projects at home and the boys have been real helpers. The three of them really worked hard together…they painted and poured concrete…real hard work that Jason couldn’t have done with out them. What a great stage of team work and work ethic building we are in.
We are excited about our 2010 as we plan on traveling to Texas and Florida but mostly excited to witness a baby discovering all the simple things we overlook….like the chill of the snow, the tickle of the grass, the quickness of ants, the splashing of puddles and the freeness of flying high in a swing.
May your 2010 be filled with treating the normal as extraordinary and appreciating the miracle of another day.
God Bless!
Love,
~The Fahmer’s ~
Jason, Karen, Joshua, Jonathan, Jeremiah, remembering Jacob Ryan
