Dear Family and Friends,
This Christmas has been especially poignant as we reflect on the life of Christ and His Gift of the Atonement. We have felt His love and light directing us and are so grateful to know that He lives and loves us.
2010 has been an interesting and exciting year for our family! We started the year off in January with a job change for Jason that brought him up to the Tri-Cities in WA. The kids and I joined him in April! We moved in with our friends, Jacob and Annette Rose and their 3 kids, until our apt came available in June. We had a lot of fun hanging out with them and getting to know them during that 2 months. We got the opportunity to travel back to Utah several times this year so that has eased the transition of the move. We have been very blessed to meet many new people and start great lasting friendships. We've grown closer together in our marriage and as a family. Here's a little update on each of us to catch you up on some of the happenings this year.
Joshua turned 6 in February and was sad that his Daddy couldn't be there for his birthday, but he got to have his very first friend/family birthday party. It was a little cold but we did a mock Olympics, and handed out medals for doing 3 legged, animal, and balloon races etc. Josh was sad to leave his friends in Provo, but in his words "I don't care where I live, as long as its with my Daddy". :D He thought it was great to have "live in" friends and seemed to go through withdrawals when we moved into our apt but it wasn't long before the kids in the apts were coming around and asking him to play. He started the 1st Grade @ Edison Elementary. His favorite subjects are recess and P.E.. No surprise there! He's also excelling in reading and math. Among all the sports that he likes to play, his favorite past time is Hip Hop dancing. He loves to come home after school and turn the music on and we dance together in our living room. He's told me that he wants to be a professional dancer when he grows up. My favorite thing to do with him is dance and listen to him read. He has progressed so quickly, its amazing to watch. He's so great to do his chores and help around the house. We are so grateful to have this wonderful boy in our lives!
Aliya turned 1 in May. She's been a handful and a half from the time she was mobile. She knows what she wants and when she wants it! Which is almost always NOW! :D She is a very inquisitive and curious one. She loves to figure out how things work, but especially how things feel or taste...like soap, lotion, sugar, powdered milk and lipstick. I think we have an artist on our hands because she constantly finger paints with anything she can get her hands on...like lipstick on my bathroom walls and mirrors, soap on the mirrors in the kid's bathroom and just the other day she did a beautiful "hand" painted mural with butter all over my kitchen cupboards. She has the agility of a monkey. There doesn't seem to be a place high enough that I can keep things out of her reach without her figuring out a way to climb up to get it. Though she's into everything, she just melts our hearts with her hugs and kisses. She will go to practically anyone and give them "loves". Anyone that I greet and give a hug to, she has to get one too. Its fun to have her in the grocery store because any time someone passes us, she says, "Hi" to them. It usually catches them off guard but always gets them to smile. She loves to dance with her brother, and especially slow dance with me or Daddy by putting her head on our shoulders. We love our sweet girl!
Jason worked with Jacob selling Alarm systems door to door for Nationwide Security until December. He grew a great deal and learned that if he can do that, he can do anything! It has given him a lot of confidence to be able to do hard things. December 1st he started working for McCurley's Auto Dealership in sales at the Chevy/Cadillac Dept. He's always loved cars and is loving it there. Jason is serving as an Assistant Executive Secretary to the Bishop in our church. He basically is given names of people to call and invite to speak in church. His favorite things have been hangin with the kiddos. He's been getting up in the mornings to be able to spend time with them before Josh goes to school, since they are usually in bed before he gets home from work. They are both very enamored with their daddy! I love it! A new development is that Jason has decided to go back to school and will be attending WSU in the Fall. He's going into Nursing to be a Nurse Anesthetist.
Me: This year I have been blessed with a new perspective that I NEVER want to be a single parent! I got to experience it, or at least in part, while we were in different states for 2 months. It really made me appreciate all that Jason does for me and what a great support he is. I loved moving...for the mere point of getting rid of so much stuff! We still have too much, but its really been great to downsize and simplify. I miss all of my friends and family in Utah! Being so far away has made my heart grow fonder of them. I have been blessed with wonderful friends through out my life and being here is no exception! I'm grateful to be surrounded by wonderful women! -One thing I am excited for here is that people seem to be in a more permanent position, so they are not as likely to move! I get to have a girls night once a month where we chat and eat and laugh and sometimes cry! Its a great group of women and I feel blessed to be included in their circle. I've also gone and played volleyball a couple of times with women in our stake, that has been very enjoyable to get out and do :D I've had the opportunity to serve in the Young Women as a personal progress leader. I got to go to Girls Camp which was an amazing experience. The girls in our ward are just so amazing! This lasts Sunday I was called to be work in the Primary. I'm sad that I'm not working with the YW anymore, but I'm excited to teach the 5 year olds!
We want to thank each of you for the contribution that you have been to us. We are so blessed to know you and pray that the Lord will continue to bless you in whatever endeavors you are pursuing. May you each allow the dear Christ to enter into your hearts and homes and be open to the peace He offers. We love you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love,
Jason, Melanie, Joshua & Aliya Crane
So a little gift from me to you....just copy and paste the URL in your browser: or click on the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
This Christmas has been especially poignant as we reflect on the life of Christ and His Gift of the Atonement. We have felt His love and light directing us and are so grateful to know that He lives and loves us.
2010 has been an interesting and exciting year for our family! We started the year off in January with a job change for Jason that brought him up to the Tri-Cities in WA. The kids and I joined him in April! We moved in with our friends, Jacob and Annette Rose and their 3 kids, until our apt came available in June. We had a lot of fun hanging out with them and getting to know them during that 2 months. We got the opportunity to travel back to Utah several times this year so that has eased the transition of the move. We have been very blessed to meet many new people and start great lasting friendships. We've grown closer together in our marriage and as a family. Here's a little update on each of us to catch you up on some of the happenings this year.
Joshua turned 6 in February and was sad that his Daddy couldn't be there for his birthday, but he got to have his very first friend/family birthday party. It was a little cold but we did a mock Olympics, and handed out medals for doing 3 legged, animal, and balloon races etc. Josh was sad to leave his friends in Provo, but in his words "I don't care where I live, as long as its with my Daddy". :D He thought it was great to have "live in" friends and seemed to go through withdrawals when we moved into our apt but it wasn't long before the kids in the apts were coming around and asking him to play. He started the 1st Grade @ Edison Elementary. His favorite subjects are recess and P.E.. No surprise there! He's also excelling in reading and math. Among all the sports that he likes to play, his favorite past time is Hip Hop dancing. He loves to come home after school and turn the music on and we dance together in our living room. He's told me that he wants to be a professional dancer when he grows up. My favorite thing to do with him is dance and listen to him read. He has progressed so quickly, its amazing to watch. He's so great to do his chores and help around the house. We are so grateful to have this wonderful boy in our lives!
Aliya turned 1 in May. She's been a handful and a half from the time she was mobile. She knows what she wants and when she wants it! Which is almost always NOW! :D She is a very inquisitive and curious one. She loves to figure out how things work, but especially how things feel or taste...like soap, lotion, sugar, powdered milk and lipstick. I think we have an artist on our hands because she constantly finger paints with anything she can get her hands on...like lipstick on my bathroom walls and mirrors, soap on the mirrors in the kid's bathroom and just the other day she did a beautiful "hand" painted mural with butter all over my kitchen cupboards. She has the agility of a monkey. There doesn't seem to be a place high enough that I can keep things out of her reach without her figuring out a way to climb up to get it. Though she's into everything, she just melts our hearts with her hugs and kisses. She will go to practically anyone and give them "loves". Anyone that I greet and give a hug to, she has to get one too. Its fun to have her in the grocery store because any time someone passes us, she says, "Hi" to them. It usually catches them off guard but always gets them to smile. She loves to dance with her brother, and especially slow dance with me or Daddy by putting her head on our shoulders. We love our sweet girl!
Jason worked with Jacob selling Alarm systems door to door for Nationwide Security until December. He grew a great deal and learned that if he can do that, he can do anything! It has given him a lot of confidence to be able to do hard things. December 1st he started working for McCurley's Auto Dealership in sales at the Chevy/Cadillac Dept. He's always loved cars and is loving it there. Jason is serving as an Assistant Executive Secretary to the Bishop in our church. He basically is given names of people to call and invite to speak in church. His favorite things have been hangin with the kiddos. He's been getting up in the mornings to be able to spend time with them before Josh goes to school, since they are usually in bed before he gets home from work. They are both very enamored with their daddy! I love it! A new development is that Jason has decided to go back to school and will be attending WSU in the Fall. He's going into Nursing to be a Nurse Anesthetist.
Me: This year I have been blessed with a new perspective that I NEVER want to be a single parent! I got to experience it, or at least in part, while we were in different states for 2 months. It really made me appreciate all that Jason does for me and what a great support he is. I loved moving...for the mere point of getting rid of so much stuff! We still have too much, but its really been great to downsize and simplify. I miss all of my friends and family in Utah! Being so far away has made my heart grow fonder of them. I have been blessed with wonderful friends through out my life and being here is no exception! I'm grateful to be surrounded by wonderful women! -One thing I am excited for here is that people seem to be in a more permanent position, so they are not as likely to move! I get to have a girls night once a month where we chat and eat and laugh and sometimes cry! Its a great group of women and I feel blessed to be included in their circle. I've also gone and played volleyball a couple of times with women in our stake, that has been very enjoyable to get out and do :D I've had the opportunity to serve in the Young Women as a personal progress leader. I got to go to Girls Camp which was an amazing experience. The girls in our ward are just so amazing! This lasts Sunday I was called to be work in the Primary. I'm sad that I'm not working with the YW anymore, but I'm excited to teach the 5 year olds!
We want to thank each of you for the contribution that you have been to us. We are so blessed to know you and pray that the Lord will continue to bless you in whatever endeavors you are pursuing. May you each allow the dear Christ to enter into your hearts and homes and be open to the peace He offers. We love you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love,
Jason, Melanie, Joshua & Aliya Crane
So a little gift from me to you....just copy and paste the URL in your browser: or click on the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
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