Better late than never... right?
We hope this finds you all doing well and enjoying the spirit of this wonderful season. More than ever, I feel the need to reflect on the blessings of this amazing, chaotic year of 2013 and share with you, the people who have impacted our lives more than you'll ever know, some of our family doings.
In case you were wondering... Ben graduated and is a dentist! He accepted a position in Enid, Oklahoma as Managing Clinical Director for Aspen Dental and is hopping busy! Thankfully, he loves it and finds great reward everyday in helping others. Enid is a town of 60,000 and has been just as welcoming as I remember the Midwest being. Oklahoma has been a wonderful change, but we are settling in to our first purchased home, which was built over 100 years ago, and loving it. As you can imagine it has lots of character, but the kids' favorite part is the tree house in the backyard!
Our sweet Isaac started full day school this year as a first grader. He turned 7 in October and is much like his parents... interested in everything! He and Zachary informed me that most kids their age like Spiderman and Batman, bu tthey don't because they are "totally fake." They really like REAL soldiers! Ike loves reading chapter books, especially the Magic Tree House series. he is a huge helper big brother and has instituted speical forces in our Pieper Family including chanting "baby alert, baby alert!" when Reese is doing something dangerous! He has made the transition well, though he is quite concerned about tornadoes, but I think the tree house has won him over!
Zachary turned 4 in May and has brought me so much joy this year. He and I are doing Pre-K at home this year everyday. We treat it like a real school day, accompanied by a certain mischievous baby! I never realized until Ike was at school all day, how much Z has to say! We chat All. Day. Long! As I jog in the morning with the kids, he tells me all about everything. Our poor babysitters, daddy and his big brother may never have a secret again! Zach loves everything his big brother loves: real soldiers, money, make believe everything! They are terrific playmates. Zach is a budding reader now too, so as not to have his brother "one-up" him! Zachary is also part of the Pieper Family Special Forces to keep Reese out of trouble and is very good about chanting "baby alert, baby alert!" He can often be found holding Reese's hand through stores and errands, as she most definitely prefers his hand to mine!
Little Reese (or Reesie as she calls herself) is 21 months old and the apple of all our eyes. Reese keeps us on our toes from sun up to sun down with her sweet mischievousness. She loves a good challenge and is quick to pick up on everything her brothers do or say, especially if it includes sweets! Reese talks all the time and says everything we say. She even tattles on herself chanting "baby-lert, baby-lert!" when she starts being dangerous. She has also gotten good at the phrase "Beeee Cay-ful (careful)." Can you tell safety is a primary concern?! She is a little beauty and brings so much joy to us.
And as for me, I still don't know what to say when someone asks what I do all day! I still love running, teaching preschool and painting little girl fingernails! I am so enjoying a little girlie playmate and learning all about dollies, and of course from the boys, dinosaurs, as well as battles from Ike's favorite new book he purchased for himself... An Atlas of Military History! I am trying my best to enjoy every minute of this frantic life. I recognize the gift it is to be a mother to these sweet little ones Heavenly Father has given us and the responsibility we have to nurture and love them and help them find their special gifts and talents. We feel fortunate to add a little one to our family this May. I feel so blessed to have another baby on the way, recognizing of course, the craziness that will ensue!
We hope that this little glimpse into our year helps you to know us a little better. Most importantly, we are grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We would be nothing without it and with it, our lives have clarity and we feel direction, even in the midst of the crazy world around us. We know this is the only source of lasting peace and pray that it may be in our hearts and yours.
With All Our Love and Blessings for 2014,
Ben, Jamie, Isaac, Zachary, Reese and Baby #4
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