Christmas Letter 2010

Dearest family and friends,

So much of my family's life is broadcast through the social media. In light of that, much of this letter is redundant. Nevertheless, I have every desire to summarize our very interesting year!

January and February much consisted of training for an unofficial half marathon that Matt and Maggie would later run together. We also began the search to buy our very first home.

March holds claim to the half marathon, the purchase of our home and the announcement that we were expecting Hovey number three! We ran the marathon when Maggie was around seven weeks along.

In May, we traveled to Scottsbluff for a mini family reunion. The boys got to see their cousins again. We had a great time! Our stake holds a 5K on Memorial Day weekend. We ran that and then on Memorial Day Matt ran five miles for Boys Town! May also consisted of many home projects. Matt quickly learning new ways to be handy.

In June we paid off our van. That felt good until it broke down. Actually, the same time it was in the shop, we received the title in the mail. What is life without irony? Reid hit milestones such as feeding himself with utensils. Zeke loves having his own back yard. He calls the two pine trees back there the "woods". We had our 20 week ultrasound that month wherein we learned the boys were getting a sister. We were also sent to the hospital to have another ultrasound taken because there was a problem. We learned Gweneth would be born without the corpus collosum in her brain. ACC, a condition that we will continue to learn about as it affects her throughout her life.

July brought new adventures! Matt worked for the Special Olympics in Lincoln. We all traveled to Lincoln to spend time with family and support the athletes who were playing basketball. An amazing experience.

In August, we took the boys to the temple grounds, and other sights around the city. The biggest accomplishment: the completion of our fence! Yeah!

September welcomed Zeke's fourth birthday. He started our home preschool. Reid transitioned to a big boy bed. Maggie pretended to know what she was doing, and completed all sorts of sewing projects.

October meant down to the wire for Gweneth's arrival. We decided that because she was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, that she should come cesarean to lessen her stress. The boys-albeit confused, loved her and loved the fact Grandma was visiting. Eight days later, Gweneth had a seizure that landed us back into the doctors' care at Childrens Hospital. There we learned she did not have hydrocephalus, but colpocephaly in addition to her ACC. We learned quite a bit that weekend.

In November, we acquired a hand-me down piano, and a handful of pediatric specialists for Gwen. Just trying to adjust to a family life of five.

December gave us a two year old. Reid- our middle child, no longer needs to say he is so many months, but a straight two! December will also bring to us a newly remodeled basement. Matt has been able to enlist the help of amazing friends to help with the basement's reconstruction.

This Christmas Season is a special one. Our family is so blessed. The Lord has been at the forefront guiding and comforting us.
On the 27th of this month, we will celebrated five years together. An amazing five years.

We hope this letter finds you happy and healthy. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

~the Hovey family
Matthew, Maggie, Ezekiel, Reid and Gweneth