Merry Christmas!
Dear Friends and Family,
We hope this holiday email finds you happy and healthy! It has been a wonderful and challenging year for our family but we are grateful for our friendship with each of you. We love you and hope that you have a wonderful holiday season surrounded by those you love. We are grateful for the Christmas season that reminds us of all that we are grateful for, especially to know that we can be a forever family because of Jesus Christ.
The Belt Family “Highs and Lows” of 2015:
Dustin’s highs: Got a new job at the University of Missouri at Columbia, aka MIZZOU, learning to play the ukulele, and visiting family and friends for the summer.
Dustin’s Low: Crashed our van— had to get a new one.
Tracy’s highs: Summer trip to CA, NV, and UT and having lots of quality time with family and friends, fun (but wet) camping trips, finding a home in Missouri that includes a dishwasher, garbage disposal, washer/dryer, and more than one bathroom (3 in fact)! (#firstworldproblems), and Bennett finally sleeping through the night in his own space.
Tracy’s Lows: Saying goodbye and leaving behind wonderful friends in Illinois.
Adelynne’s Highs: Spending her summer with cousins, family reunion camping trip, turning 10, getting her ears pierced, and watching Star Wars Series for the first time.
Adelynne’s Low: Saying goodbye to friends in Illinois.
Amy’s Highs: Big summer trip to CA, NV, and UT, turning 8 and getting baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, getting her long-awaited-for American Girl Doll Kit Kittridge, and playing laser tag for Adelynne’s birthday.
Amy’s Lows: watching the 3rd Star Wars movie (episode III— she sobbed at the end because she was terrified), moving away from her friends in Illinois, and her summer ending and having to go back to school.
Aurora’s Highs: Home preschool with her friends, getting her hair cut short, doing the zip line at the family reunion, being with Grandma in California, while mom and dad were finding a house in Missouri, and turning 5.
Aurora’s Low: Bennett and sisters taking away the toys she wants to play with.
Bennett’s Highs: Learning to sit up, stand up, and crawl, learning to walk at 11 months old, turning ONE, playing with a balloon, climbing on chairs and tables, emptying cupboards and drawers, learning to go down stairs—freedom from baby gates, playing peek-a-boo and tag with sisters, walks with daddy, and snuggles from mommy.
Bennett’s Lows: Growing teeth, being sick, sleeping all night and alone in the basement, (see above Tracy’s Highs), and being away from mommy.
As you can tell, 2015 was a good year for us, with big points towards our summer road trip and spending time with all of our loved ones. And of course, many tears were lost over our big move from Illinois to Missouri. We lived three years in Evanston, IL, just north of Chicago and it was an adventure. We were very sad leaving behind our beloved friends and we miss them every day. But we are settling in very well here in Columbia, Missouri and are all making new friends quickly.
We would love to hear from you!
Our new mailing address:
Belt Family
3612 Madera Dr
Columbia, MO 65203
All our love to you and a Happy New Year!
Dustin, Tracy, Adelynne, Amy, Aurora, and Bennett
