Christmas Letter 2009

Dear Family and Friends,
For us the year 2009 just came and went. We look back now and we are grateful for so many new things that came with this trial-some year. We are grateful for family, for their willingness to support and love us, the blessing of being close to family, our children, education, California weather, dum-dums and the power they have in keeping a 12 month old quiet on 12 hour long drives, our knowledge of the truth of our Heavenly Father's plan, His love for us, our testimonies, Ryan's job, Ryan and I's relationship and the strength we find in it, rock-climbing, and so many little things that we come to take advantage of.
So to begin on our year and how we came to be so grateful, starts way back in the beginning of March. Ryan went out to Utah for a job interview working with a close friend. We both have always been interested in moving away and so we jumped at the chance. With a pay raise and Utah being cheaper to live, we both felt so good about the job and the opportunity it would bring us. We packed up a huge truck, pulled our Subaru with it, packed our truck and pulled the dirt bike with it, then hit the road for a long long long drive to the Utah Valley.
When we arrived in Provo, Utah, March 28, we were fortunate enough to be able to stay with Ryan's Grandparents. They are such wonderful people and we're so grateful for their generosity and all they did for us while we were there. Next we started looking for a house. We found a beautiful home and we we're 10 days away from closing when the the bomb landed...Ryan was laid off from his job after only 2 months. Luckily we were able to back out of the house, only losing a small amount of money compared to what it could have been.
For the next month we tried to make it work. Ryan applied at many places, but nothing was working out. So Monday, July 6, Ryan and I looked at each other and said “Let's go home!”. Tuesday, July 7, We packed up another huge truck, pulled our Subaru with it, packed our truck and pulled the dirt bike with it, then hit the road to California on Wednesday, July 8. It was so good to be home!
We are now living with Ryan's parents. We truly feel so blessed for family and all they do for us. Ryan and I cannot express enough what a blessing the love and support of a family means to us. Ryan was luckily able to get his old job back in Rocklin, working for Northern Video. In January, we will hopefully be able to find a home in Rocklin and move back to where we started from.
Our children, Andrew and Sarah, have too grown so much this year with all the many changes we have had. Andrew started pre-school in August and absolutely loves it. He is so anxious to learn how to read and to start kindergarten next fall. He is such a bright, joyful, and sweet boy to be with. As many of you know he is still full of many questions...if only I knew all the answers.
Sarah, she is just a crack up to be with. She has the funniest facial expressions and always has a bright smile on her face (except for in pictures). We laugh so much with her and the little things she does. One night at dinner we were having tacos and she thought it would be more tasty to stuff the tortilla down her shirt and eat it from there! The other thing she likes to do is grab the stool and then get on the counter to get some candy. The expression on her face is priceless, you would think she won the lottery.
Ryan is almost finished with his schooling. He is on his last class with University of Pheonix which will end right before Christmas. He then has a few more lower division courses to take at a Junior College. He will be set to graduate hopefully next Fall. He has been working so hard. I am so proud of him and all he has a accomplished.
Ryan and I often look back on this whole experience and are incredibly humbled in all that we have learned from it. Family comes first and there is nothing like being together.
We hope all of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Love,
Ryan, Rachel, AJ, and Sarah