I wrote my Christmas Letter today ... here it is ....



Merry Christmas 2006 Friends and Family! December 14, 2006

This has been a year of changes for our family.
In January, we acquired a lawn care business to expand our landscape company. That was very exciting ... and lots of work! This is shadowed by what happened in April however!

On April 13, Klayton John was born. He truly is an incredible baby. He just fit right into what we all already had going on .... like he just belonged ... which of course he did and does! He is now 8 months old and we are all amazed by him every day! He laughs and thinks each one of us hung the moon ... especially Daddy. He loves his Daddy. He has a way of looking at you adoringly that makes you blush. It is just so incredibly sweet. When we are grocery shopping he just stares at me, when I look down he smiles so big. Oh, that kid! Klayton is coming into his personality and it is such a retreat for us all from our life routines to watch him and be refreshed by his simplicity. Thank you Lord for Klayton John!

Going back a month, my parents moved up here, actually to Chesterfield, in March. WHAT a great help that has been ... especially with the lawn care business and the birth of Klayton John! I don't think Mom and Dad will ever truly understand what a relief it has been to have them so close. The children LOVE it. It has always been a desire of mine for my kids to have grandparents close at hand. They do now, and they love it! Keenan and Kennedy both like to have their special spend the night with the Grandparents night, away from the other kids, including each other. One at a time. Kadi is still working up the gumption to be away from Dad and Mom by herself. Koel is busting at the seams for his chance! Kennedy always seems to think she should be there with him ... Ha ... she just wants Grandma to herself, because she knows Grandpa and Koel are buddies.

In August, I was introduced to Freecycle.org. I would explain it, but you can check it out for yourself .... On Freecycle we found Samantha .. our puppy. She is also a breath of fresh air in our home. The kids needed a dog. She came to us potty trained, obedience trained (mostly), with all shots, fixed and very very sweet. Sammy is a beagle/lab mix we believe ... not that it even matters, her breed is just what we needed ... whatever it is. She is a self-appointed ferocious guard dog. It is very funny ... to me. Everyone in the house is being patient with her chewing habits because of her puppy status ... it will change, already is getting better. Keenan is her boy ... he feeds her and picks up after her. Oh how she loves him.

Keenan Weece is 10 ½ and in 5th grade. It is a hard thing to grasp some days. He is a little man now, full of ideas and concepts of his own. He is developing his own world view and his own faith. It is truly remarkable to watch him mature and change. Kisses from Mom are a thing of the past ... in public. Occasionally he'll sneak up and give me one on his own. THAT, I treasure with all my heart. Keenan is a reader ... always has his nose in a book ... usually a Harry Potter novel. This year he had to get glasses. We tried on several pair ... at first we picked round ones ... funny ... because he looked just like Harry Potter. He opted for a more rectangular shape. I didn't blame him. He is such a good kid ... so imaginative and creative. He has an artist's soul. We love that about him.

Kennedy Morgan is 9 and in 4th grade. She is destined to a judge or a lawyer I imagine. EVERYTHING has to be fair ... her view of fair. Boy will she try to persuade you to her side. Despite this, there couldn't be a more responsible child ...atleast at our house. She is always ready to lend a hand. I appreciate that so much about my daughter. Kennedy is the second mother around this home, from Kyle all the way down to Sammy ... she doesn't let me forget what I've told each and every person to do. So often she is reminding me of whose night it is to empty the dishwasher or take out the trash. Because, of course, it has to be fair. She is having a good year at school and loves her teacher Miss Nobles. In fact she just recently informed me that she is teacher's pet. I laughed and said "Good, I was too." That made her smile. Kennedy's biggest news this year is she gave her heart to Jesus and was baptized! So very exciting!

Kadi Dene' is 7 and in 1st grade this year. She continues to be a spark around here. What I mean by spark is this .... she knows how to light each and every person's fire AND if something funny is happening, she's in the middle of it. Life is always high drama with this little actress. I love that her kindergarten teacher referred to her as Greta Garbo. That makes me smile. Kadi is passionate and she swings from elation to frustration in a heartbeat. It is not easy to be bored around my sweet Kadi. I had someone tell me yesterday that Kadi's eyes would melt ice. She is so full of life. She wants to experience life ... not go to school ... yes, already in 1st grade ... school is boring! I try to point out the aspects of school that I know she loves and that usually changes her mind, for the time ... like friends and recess! Ha! Oh my Kadi.

Koel Thomas is 4 and still at home with me. He has decided that 4 years old is a good time to hit your terrible two's. God gave him the deep dimples in his cheeks to soften the toddler years I think. He is his own little man ... wants to take things apart and put them back together. Anything Dad does, he wants to do ... he'll say "Just like Dad" when he feels accomplished in his goal, whatever it may be. He and Sammy have a love/hate relationship. Koel loves to 'play' with her ... I think it should really be called torture. Poor puppy. She must love him, as she puts up with soooo much. Sometimes her big eyes look at me as if to say "Help me please ... soon". I do. This devastates Koel ... he's playing! We still live in Bob the Builder land. Although now we've added the Wiggles and Lightning "Uh-queen" to the list of favorites. Koel is a nonstop train ride. He goes and goes until he drops each evening between 6 and 8:00. When he's asleep, oh he's so sweet. I could just stare at him forever.

Kyle and I have had a very busy year with the business and in our personal lives. It has had many up-hills and down-hills ... all we have ridden out together. God placed just the right people and just the right timing in our path every time. His love is amazing. I love being able to look back over the year and be reaffirmed in my faith .... He just constantly is there. Always providing. I am grateful for God and His patience. I'm grateful for His grace. I'm grateful for the family He has blessed me with. I am grateful for the husband He gave me to love. I'm grateful to be at the end of the year being grateful.

As we jump into 2007, I will be going back to school to work towards my teaching certification and my master's degree. This will be a big change for the family, but we are ready for it. The kids think it is funny that Mom will have homework too. Kyle and I are excited at the prospects for the future it will bring. We dream about the future and where it will lead us .... with the ability to teach in a classroom, and certification tests in other states... our ability to move and make big changes will greatly increase. Our end desire/goal is to find ourselves in El Paso/Juarez. That hasn't changed. It is always there ... looming, not ominously, but provocatively ... calling and waiting. Kyle's desire to work alongside his friends in Anapra to minister to and to help the people there in the Juarez area continues to grow and churn in him. We both believe God is moving us, teaching us, preparing us. We may be in our 60s when we end up there ... preferably not, but we believe that God has planted this dream in our souls for a purpose. It is good to dream and to be dreamers.

May this Christmas Season find you grateful and full of dreams as well!

With all our love and friendship, I have written this note for
my family as a whole .... Kyle, Keenan, Kennedy, Kadi, Koel,
Klayton, Sammy, and Myself.

dlw
Dacia Wilkinson