Bronson turns 4

December 28th

Bronson's desire to have our house all decorated for Christmas

Eating his 2nd cupcake

Playing with the girls

Olivia and Parker

Bronson and Mia

December is a very busy month for us. Bronson turned 4 on the 28th and had a HUGE birthday party complete with lots of family, friends, food, and a pinata. The pinata turned out to be a huge melt down as Bronson didn't want anyone to break his motorcycle, but I think that overall it was lots of fun. Bronson was beyond spoiled and enjoyed having several friends over to run around the house and have gun wars. I didn't realize how many toy guns he owned until I realized that he had enough to outfit each and every friend and their dads. I am so thankful that we have so many people in our lives that love Bronson and enjoy spending time with him. He has made so many leaps and bounds to become such a strong and healthy little boy. I took him to the doctor's on the 29th and he is the 47% for weight (weighing just over 35 lbs) and 75% for height. He is such a smart boy and continues to amaze everyone including his doctor by some of the funny things that he has to say. His most recent conversation at the doctor's office was that he kept making himself throw up because Mommy's dog lady friend had gotten dog hair in his mouth and he just couldn't get it out. This cracked us up. I look forward to what this year has to offer Bronson. Four just seems so much older than 3. I can't believe that my little tiny miracle baby is now so big!

8 years of marriage

Standing in front of our 2011 Christmas tree (I look forward to cleaning after Christmas every year)

We have made it 8 years and sometimes it doesn't even feel like a year has passed. This year was definitely one of our most relaxed anniversaries, but I wouldn't have changed a piece of it. Kyle and I woke up early and went to lunch, purchased some more fiesta ware, and then headed home to just hang out before picking up Bronson. We decided to swap out our old BBQ so that we had room for the one that my Mom purchased for us and then headed back down to Blodgett to pick up our little boy. It was his last day of being 3 after all and we wanted to celebrate. We allowed him to pick the restaurant and the three of us headed out to Izzy's to have some pizza. I know that it doesn't sound that romantic, but to me there is nothing better in this world than being with my two favorite guys. After dinner Kyle and I went home with Bronson and they built the BBQ while Bronson used power tools and Styrofoam to create a castle. I stayed inside the house and took down all of the Christmas decorations so that our house would have more room for Bronson's party the next day. In honor of our 8 years of marriage I will list the top 8 things I love about Kyle:

Bronson's last day of being 3

I want to be this many

1. His smile
2. His heart. He is one of the sweetest people I know
3. His love for his son. I have never known anyone in my life that devotes themselves so completely to their children.
4. His integrity. If you know Kyle you know that he always had your back and will always provide you with honest feedback.
5. The fact that he works so hard for Bronson and I so that we have a stable and loving home to raise our family.
6. His sense of humor. Yes, it does sometimes go overboard, but no one (other than Bronson) can make me laugh so hard.
7. His ability to get along with anybody. He might not be the social butterfly that I am, but when he becomes your friend he will be a friend for life.
8. The fact that he is my best friend and that we can talk about anything. I enjoy our late night conversations about life, cars, and even sometimes decorating.

Christmas 2011

I recently told someone that once they have children Christmas will become magical again. I firmly believe that having children makes everything more magical, but this year was one of the most magical holiday seasons of all. Bronson was sooo into pretending to be an elf and enjoying all the Christmas stories that we talked about. He also had some very deep questions to ask me about Christmas being Jesus' birthday and why we receive gifts if it is not our birthday. I think that these questions come because of his birthday's close proximity to Christmas. The cutest thing that he came up with on his own is that Jesus doesn't ask for presents because all He wants is to love us. He then began to sing, "Jesus loves me." I love my little boy and his desire to know all about Jesus and how come God can see us all the time. He definitely has a funny side, but his desire to love God is amazing.

John, Kyle and their boys

Santa and his elves

Santa

Auntie Lex and Oaklen

Two miracles of 2011

Deets Family Christmas Eve 2011

Christmas this year was VERY busy! My sister Ashley's husband bought their first home right before Christmas so we had the anticipation of going over the mountain (to Redmond) after our holiday festivities. We spent the night before Christmas Eve at Kyle's parents and then woke up the morning of Christmas Eve and went to visit the Mortenson's out in Kings Valley. After our quick visit with John and Heather and their boys we went to my sister Alexis's  house and enjoyed wonderful food and gifts with my sisters and mom. It was lots of fun and we enjoyed dressing up baby Oaklen and laughing at his giant belly in his Santa suit.

Nana and her family

Grandpa George and his boys

We then left my sister's house and headed out to Scio to my Aunt Teresa's house to celebrate Christmas with my Dad's side of the family. This was my Dad's first Christmas home and it was so exciting to see how much his two grandsons love their Grandpa George. I am so thankful for all of the prayers for our relationship with Dad. He is doing so great and I know without a doubt that he is going to leave a legacy of his love for God to his family.
 

Elf Boy

We then left Aunt Teresa's house and drove back to Dallas so that Bronson could sleep in his own bed for Christmas. This was the first year that we experienced the excitement of Santa and Bronson had a hard time getting to sleep. He kept "hearing bells" and looking out the window to see if Santa was flying by. Prior to Christmas Eve night he had been wearing his elf ears and hat and dreaming about visiting the North Pole in his hand-made plane with a Corvette engine. Kyle had been reading him a book from when he was little and the story must have made it to his dreams.

Christmas on Bronson's patio

Cleaning guns with the guys

Table before the olive incident

Cutie Pie

Deets Family Christmas Day 2011

Bronson woke up around 7am on Christmas morning and came down the stairs to find that Santa had visited and left him a work bench and leaf blower. He is so sweet and took a quick break to go and get his BBQ that Auntie Lex had gotten him so that he could set up his patio and fix us a Christmas steak. I love the fact that I sleep the last few hours of the morning on the couch so that I can capture these expressions on my video camera. He is so adorable!

We took our time opening gifts with our family and then headed down to Kyle's parents. This year the majority of the gifts were for Bronson because Kyle and I were both spoiled by his parents prior to Christmas when they purchased us a sleep number bed. We had a great time with Kyle's parents and Uncle Chris. Ann made us an amazing dinner that was briefly interrupted by a choking incident and projectile vomiting all in front of the Christmas dinner by Bronson. As we later said it will be a dinner that we will never forget. The guys had lots of fun catching up and cleaning guns. It was a great quiet Christmas! It seems that with children each year of Christmas just gets better. The only thing that would have made this Christmas perfect is if we were able to attend church, but once again our little guy was a little under the weather on Christmas so we had to stay home. I will never forget Christmas 2011 as the year of firsts for many things!

Christmas through Bronson's eyes

I made the mistake opportunity to take Bronson Christmas shopping with me on Saturday and what would you know the following conversation happened when we got home.

Bronson: Daddy. we got you a brand new fresh tire for Christmas. You will love it! (I guess I forgot to mention that we don't tell Daddy what his presents are)

Bronson woke up on Sunday morning and came into our bedroom. Every morning he keeps asking if it is Christmas yet. This morning he told Kyle that he had the following dream. He flew to the North Pole in a plane that he had built, but it was a REALLY cool plan that had a Corvette engine and a choke that he had to pull to make it go. Apparently playing "Elf" all the time is making his dreams have a Christmas mission too. He is so excited for Christmas!

Yes, it sounds like our stories are mostly about presents and Santa, but without drilling it into my son's head he also is very aware of the meaning of Christmas. Some recent conversations that we have had in the car have solidified that we are bringing our son up with love in his heart for Jesus.

Bronson: Can God see us all the time?

Me: Yes, of course

Bronson: Where is he?

Me: Everywhere

Bronson: You are right mommy. I can see heaven right there as he points specifically to the sky. It is so beautiful.

I then heard him reciting the order of birthdays in our house and he says, first comes Olivia's, then baby Jesus, and then December 28th, my birthday. After he does this little countdown he says if it is baby Jesus' birthday does he need presents too? As he pauses he says no, all he wants is to love us and us to love Him.

Memory Snapshots

Ashley (Christmas 2010)

Yesterday I attended a funeral of a young woman that went to my church. It was a beautiful celebration of life that reminded me of what legacy we would like to live on beyond our short lives here on earth. This woman made such an impact on so many with her love and desire to live for Jesus Christ. After the funeral I packed my little boy up and went to spend the day with my baby sister who is doing quite well by the way. My sister is such a remarkably beautiful person inside and out. When I watch her with her little boy I find myself taking mental memory snapshots. I don't take nearly the amount of pictures that I did with Olivia and Bronson. I feel myself savoring each and every little moment with my sister Ash and her son.

This month she will be moving (only 3 hours away), but still far enough away that I can't just drop whatever I am doing and spend the afternoon with her. I am beyond happy for these days that we get to catch up and laugh together at our inside jokes. Cancer has taken away our ability to not be scared about the future. The two of us can openly talk about our inside fears and inabilities to go into the next CT-Scan without thinking about the what if's. Never for a moment will any of us take for granted the health of our family members. I will never forget August 10th as the day that took my breath away. I seriously thought that we would be sent home with a plan for a minor hernia/mass surgery, nothing like cancer.

I am working like crazy to remain neutral in my feelings towards this battle. I try not to let my emotions get the best of me as I think about what could have happened during that 12 hour surgical battle. I am so grateful that the good Lord provided my little sister more time here on earth. I am also reminded often that sometimes our plans and God's plans might be completely different and that I have to trust the Lord that he will provide answers to His will. No one will ever begin to understand why some people don't win their fights with cancer.

I marked a special day in my 2012 calendar a few days ago. I marked "1 YEAR CANCER FREE" on September 8th. I plan to take tangible pictures of my sister on that day so that we can look back years from now and remember this as just a bump in the road. I know without a doubt that God is using this journey to add to my sister's testimony. I also know that it has caused her to become more patient, love more, and realize what is important in life. I also realize that it has caused me to become even more sentimental if that was even a possibility.

Christmas Wishes 2011

Merry Christmas Family and Friends-

Our family hopes that these Christmas wishes extend to your entire family. This year we have fought battles that we never thought we would fight and have had abundant prayers answered. I am so thankful that I get the opportunity to spend my nephew's 1st Christmas with him. Even more praise worthy is that his mommy will be there to cheer him on. Life has a way of making you focus on the things that are important and I have been reminded more than once this year that what is most important is my family and relationships; especially with our Lord above.

Our little man will turn 4 this month and has continued to amaze us with his wonderful personality and ability to make others laugh. If we lived in LA I think he would be earning us millions with his uncanny ability to do stand up comedy. This child has the best personality of any little human being I have ever had the chance to know. In my heart I know that being a work outside of the home mommy suits me, but I do find myself thinking about him all day and looking forward to picking him up just so I can snuggle him and see what great conversations we will have that night.

Kyle is going on 9 months with his new position. He loves being the Director of Disability Services and Workoptions at Catholic Community Services. It is a very stressful job, but with the stress comes lots of opportunities to learn and be challenged. I am so proud of his decision to make this change and feel more than blessed with the opportunities it has allowed our family.

I just finished my first term of teaching at Western Oregon University. I still do my full-time position in the Graduate Office; however this part time teaching position has really allowed me to tap into one of my passions. I had a great group of students this term that taught me as much as I hope I was able to teach them. It was a great surprise to have more than 60% of my students arrive at their final presentations dressed professional and really see that they had taken their final projects seriously. I will be using all of their encouraging feedback to make my class even better for next term.

We as a family hope that 2012 brings better news and more answered prayers. My sister will continue to get her CT's through out the year and we hope to celebrate a one year free of cancer  in September of next year. As our family continues to pour our extra time into raising awareness of prematurity through our involvement with March of Dimes, we will also not forget the other mission to CURE CANCER. If you set new year's resolutions possibly you can think about involving yourself in some community services or other non-profit organizations to support or raise funds for their missions.

Merry Christmas~

Amber Deets


http://www.facebook.com/deetsangels
http://www.marchforbabies.org/amberdeets

Las Vegas

Kyle and I got a much needed work vacation this past month! It is hard to believe that it is the first time that the two of us have left the state of Oregon since we said, "I do" nearly 8 years ago. I was going to Vegas for a work conference so Kyle and his best friend Jim tagged along with me. We had a ton of fun, but don't think unless we have a very special event it is on our list of repeat vacations. I had a great time looking at all of the amazing architecture and of course enjoyed the nice meals. The best part of the vacation was having uninterrupted adult conversation with my husband. After 8 years my husband still rocks my world and keeps me on my toes. Jim, Kyle, and I saw everything that we hoped to see on our short trip with the minor exception of the inside of the Pawn Stars location. I did manage to get a quick picture as our bus drove past, but it wasn't on my list of priorities for the trip. Kyle's highlight of the trip was the roller coaster ride at New York, New York and getting a real coin jackpot down on Freemont Street. Our next planned vacation is this next fall. The two of us are going to stay in San Diego. I was lucky enough to be sent there this past July and really think that my honey would enjoy it with me.