My Annual Post-Our Family Recap for 2011

I am sad that I do not post more often, but I am happy that I can post our family update here every year. 2011 has been a great year for us! Hope you enjoy the highlights!

Mark

Mark is still with ARC, working hard. He stays busy keeping all of their systems running smoothly so the doctors can work productively. He also serves faithfully at church with the RAs boys’ group and helped me with teaching the 4^th graders. He ran the Chosen half marathon for the second year in a row and works out regularly. He had fun decorating our house for Christmas this year with all new lights.

Shelley

I finished my role leading MOPS in May. I also got to do a new big job this year—I coordinated the summer Bible camp at our church, which is VBS on steroids. It was hard work but so rewarding to work with amazing adults and minister to awesome children. I am planning to coordinate it again in 2012 with the help of our church’s new children’s minister. I am also teaching the 4^th grade Sunday School class, which includes my Riley. But, amazingly, I haven’t felt as busy this fall and have enjoyed the time with Kendall and developing more friendships.

Riley

Riley continues to grow into an impressive young man. He is in 4^th grade this year and doing well in school. He is a great brother and helper; he even received a special award at family camp this summer for being the “Ultimate Brother”. He still loves his Legos and stormchasing. Riley, Mark and Tyler even got to see an actual stormchasing vehicle, the TIV, at the Texas State History Museum in September. His current obsession is anything about the Titanic. He can tell you anything you want to know about it.

Tyler

Oh Tyler! He’s such a fun boy! He’s in first grade, reading, spelling and doing math. He loves school and works hard. He is becoming so mature and insightful. He got a Bible recently and enjoys reading it and taking it with him to church every Sunday. His prayers are also so compassionate and insightful. He loves Legos and is becoming more proficient and creative with his building. We were really proud of him on Thanksgiving Day, when he ran about 3K of a 5K race without complaining. Tyler will be a ringbearer at my cousin’s wedding in a couple of weeks.

Kendall JOY

What a fun year it has been with sweet miss Kendall! She’s so happy, talkative and fun. This year, she turned 1, started to walk, started to play and talk. She loves music, playing with her babies and being outside. She still loves to swing and has a passion for airplanes and helicopters (she gets it from daddy). She has begun to repeat everything we say; sometimes it’s not something good, but it just melts my heart when she’ll say, “Yes, Jesus loves me…” and “Mom, I love you.”

Family

It’s been a fun year as a family. Some of our biggest highlights were:

Snow in February! We had so much fun in this rare snow day.

Having fun playing in the afternoons outside with the neighbors.

Our family vacation to Rockport/Port Aransas in June. Going to the beach was great fun. We also visited the Texas State Aquarium and the USS Lexington.

We went to Lake City, Colorado to family camp at Camp Redcloud in August. What a memory! We got to go with my mom and dad and my brother Greg and his family. It was a great experience and we want to go back again. It’s like heaven on earth, plus we learned a lot from Creation Camp.

We’ve done lots of other fun stuff around town like playing at GattiTown, going to Austin Park, shopping at IKEA. We really enjoy our time together.

We are also looking forward to a mini holiday vacation just before Christmas at the Great Wolf Lodge and the Lego Discovery Center.

One major change our family is making this fall is that we are working on getting our foster home licensing. We’ve really felt a call to do this for the last 2 years and now is finally the time. We should be licensed just before Christmas and look forward to the possibility of getting a placement right away. We’ve prepared our house for 2 children and cannot wait to see what God has in store for our family. What an exciting Christmas gift!

We pray that you have a blessed holiday season this year! May God richly bless you in 2012 as you seek Him first.

With much love,

Mark, Shelley, Riley, Tyler and Kendall McDaid

(Juno and Milo cats too)