Christmas 2008

I can hardly believe another year has passed – as the old saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun! Life is good; we are very blessed.
We are approaching ten years of living in our home here in Utah, and we still enjoy very much our community and friends here. Hugh is still commuting to Salt Lake City for work, though he now has permission to work occasionally from home, so he is getting a little more sleep.
As for me, I love being a mom. Admittedly, I don’t enjoy every second of it – I could do without endless chores, stinky diapers, and squabbling – but I really do love being a mom and I am so grateful for every one of our children. My greatest challenges are having the wisdom to know what things are most important, and then having the time (and energy) to fit it all in! Our older five kids attend a charter school, and while it takes a considerable amount of time and commitment on my part, for the first time I feel at peace with the education our children are acquiring.
Our family adventures this year included a family reunion with all our Dosdall kin (all twelve of my siblings!) at Bear Lake, Utah in late June for one last hurrah before my dear parents left for Bangalore, India to serve an 18-month humanitarian mission at an orphanage supported by our church. We also were able to visit Disneyland for the first time as a family along with my sister, Kristen, and her family.
We entered a new era as Steven turned 13 in May this year. He is a pleasant, down-to-earth kid. We hope that he will keep that quiet confidence and goodness that are his with him all through his teenage years! He plays violin in the school orchestra and is still taking piano lessons. Much to his delight, Steven recently passed me up in height. Steven enjoys soccer, reading, playing with friends, and negotiating for as much time to play electronics as he possibly can.
Daniel turned 12 in October and became a deacon in our church, which has given him opportunities for more service and responsibility. Daniel has a great sense of humor and a tender heart. After faithfully saving his pennies for nine months, Daniel accomplished his goal of purchasing a Nintendo DS. He and Steven are enjoying the fruits of his labors. Despite dragging their feet when it comes time to practice, Steven and Daniel are becoming quite the pianists and it is fun to listen to the lively duets they play.
Julia turned 10 in July and is a very musical little person. She enjoys BYU sports, concerts with her dad on Temple Square, soccer, Sudoku, playing the piano, reading, and drawing. She has experimented in the kitchen enough that she can follow a recipe pretty much without my help from start to finish. (Cleaning up the mess in the kitchen, now that’s another matter entirely…)
Michael, who turned 8 in April, is all about school and sports. He played soccer and flag football this year and is just beginning the basketball season. Though he is young for a 4th grader, he is doing well and is enjoying school. He loves his cousin, Guts, and is so glad that the Wrights moved here to Spanish Fork this year. Michael is a talented writer and pianist, though he is very shy about showing off these talents.
Alyssa, who will be turning 7 in January, is our little home-body. It has been a rough few years since she started preschool as separation anxiety has been a major issue. To make a long story short: things are much improved after a few sessions with a pediatric therapist who helped me understand how I was contributing to her insecurity. (Lest I start thinking I know anything, my children are there to humble me!) She has been helped a lot by the teachers and administration as well as her fellow 1st graders. Alyssa is occasionally grumpy and obstinate, but more often very sweet, generous, and helpful. She is a pretty girl who likes pretty things and notices style and details (I don’t know yet if this is a good thing or a bad thing…)
Natalie, who just turned 5, is an interesting little person. Sometimes she is sweet as sugar, but then other times it shocks me to hear the mean, angry sounds that come out of such a pretty, innocent-looking face. She has unintentionally given her little brother an arsenal of mean names to call us when we displease him. She has a way with words, and recently came up with the ultimate insult by calling Matthew “Math-Ute” (the U of U Utes are BYU’s arch-rival.) She goes around the house showing off her new skills of whistling and snapping. She is a cute, spunky little person.
Matthew, who just turned 3, loves things that go. His favorite toys are Hot Wheels cars, a wooden train set, and puzzles, movies, and books about cars, trucks, tractors, machines, etc. He wears his beloved Speed Racer hat nearly 24 hours a day, allowing us to take it off only when he takes a bath, has his picture taken, or goes to church. He is becoming much more verbal, but sometimes we wish we had an interpreter to help us understand what he is trying to say, which I’m sure is frustrating to him. He can be difficult and demanding, but he is precious and has an adorably expressive face and voice.
Emily, our baby, is not really a baby anymore. Almost 17 months old now, she is constantly running, climbing, pulling chairs and stools around the house in order to reach all kinds of dangerous or messy things. Emily talks little but understands a lot. She loves her siblings and they love her. It is truly delightful to have a baby, especially with a house full of adoring siblings.
We are so grateful for you, our friends and family, and for the peace we have in our lives because of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and his wonderful Gospel. We pray that you are well and happy and can see the hand of the Lord in your lives through your good times as well as your challenges.