Aside from eating vegetable curry and rice for dinner (very traditional...maybe in India?), reading Luke 2 with towels on our heads (that's the closest we could come to acting it out) and using our colored nativity magnets I made John this year, singing Christmas carols around the piano, (and after John went to bed) watching Despicable Me while folding laundry and wrapping presents, we got to go see the Kirtland Nativity Exhibit. It was wonderful!!
Our nativity set is from Guatemala; it's the tiny one (middle left) on the clay plate.
Obviously John wanted to touch everything. It just looked so fun.
John is really into pointing, and he did that a lot and said "Wow." at the exhibit.
Recycled pop cans from Kenya, innovative!
We had to wake John up from his carseat nap...sad. It was hard to get him to smile. Plus he was so intent on taking everything in. It was quite a site!
This one was carved by a Christian artist from Bejing who was in hiding for religious beliefs.
This one cost like $30,000! From Jerusalem, carved from olive wood.
Real gold, frankincense and myrrh. Pretty neat!
The last supper, olive wood from Jerusalem.
This nativity set was my favorite! I love that the scriptures were written onto the pieces that they pertained to...so cool!
John got just a little bit squirmy by the end, and he got a reward of going to the kid room and being able to touch those nativity sets, and stuffed animals.
He hugged the sheep and gave it a pat on the back :)
It was wonderful to go as a family and rejoice in the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas! They are still open until Jan. 5th. Check it out! http://www.kirtlandchristmas.com/
We are so excited to see the Historic Kirtland Nativity Exhibit! You should go see it too if you are in the Cleveland area. It is closed Christmas day, but goes through Jan 5th. We go every year, and it is amazing! There are hundreds of nativity sets from all over the world. We lend ours from Guatemala every year, and you can see it in their international section.
To find out more and for directions, go to: http://www.kirtlandchristmas.com/
Today we are so thankful! We had loved ones having surgeries in the hospital last night, and they made it through. I know God hears our prayers.
I watched these videos and counted my blessings and didn't care as much about what's under the tree but what God has already given me: Humanitarian Service Videos
These videos make me want to give everything I have away to people who need it more and to spend the rest of my life helping people. They also help me to be thankful for the things I take for granted, like clean running water, a little toddler that is capable of running away and throwing tantrums (yes, I could be thankful for that :), a husband that works hard and comes home to have dinner with us each night at 5:30, the blankets I sleep under in my safe, warm bed, the legs I have that walk...
These songs remind me of why we have Christmas. So, as you might feel the stress of the holidays creeping up on you, take a moment to think of your blessings and remember that the true spirit of Christmas is the spirit of Christ.
2013has been a very full year for us. Seth looks
forward every day to working out at the gym early in the morning and coming
home to play with John at night. John adores his Dada. Seth works as a Product
Analyst for PNC Investments, and he's still the Ward Clerk for our church. Seth
studied for the GMAT (MBA/Master's of Business Administration Entrance Exam)
and took it in June. He did well, and then we started the long and arduous
process of preparing MBA applications and interviewing. The Ohio State
University, University of Washington and University of Iowa all accepted him.
We've narrowed it down to OSU and U of I, who have both offered Seth
scholarships. So we'll have a big decision to make come January. Although it's
a tough choice, we're very thankful to have these great options! Seth will be
doing the full-time two year program at the school he chooses. We have loved
living in Cleveland these 5 years, and we're going to make the most of the
short time we have left here.
Emily is the Provident Living (Self-Reliance) Specialist at our church and is
still working part-time at home as an online rater for the TOEFL (Test of
English as a Foreign Language). She has really benefited from practicing yoga every day and is very into
learning about nutrition and health and keeping up on her family blog and
food/health blog. Emily's digestion has significantly improved since we
improved the way we eat this year, but we all caught some strange illness in
the summer, and she has had some setbacks because of that in her health that
she's working with her doctors to figure out. Most importantly, Emily
absolutely loves being a mom!
John keeps busy, especially since he learned how to walk in November. John
turned 1 year old on July 31st. He gets into everything and loves to explore.
He talks up a storm all the time(although we often
don't know what he's saying, it sure sounds like there's a lot of meaning
behind it!).Emily speaks Spanish
and does some sign language with John, and Seth speaks English and does some
signs with him. John understands many words in all 3 languages, and
communicates some words in Spanish, some in English and some in signs, and
others in 2 or 3 languages. It is quite remarkable! John loves any kind of
music and every animal, but especially dogs, ducks, camels and cows(and their various sounds).He is eating very well! He eats anything we
eat that he can chew, and loves his veggies :) John loves to laugh and smile,
and he is truly the joy of our life.
We are so very grateful for our many blessings. God has given us much to be
thankful for! We know that because of Jesus Christ, all that is difficult and
challenging in this world can make us stronger and will be made up for later
on. We hope each of you are happy and well. Thank you all for your love,
prayers and support. Our prayers are with you, and we are so glad to have you
as part of our lives.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
~
Love: Emily, Seth and John Wagner
Check out our blogs to stay posted with news, pictures,
videos, info. and recipes!
Family Blog - www.wagnerwhatnot.blogspot.com
Food/Health Blog - www.wagnerwaytohealth.blogspot.com
We heard back from BYU; they put Seth on their wait list, so there is still a possibility that Seth could get accepted, but this experience and much reflection, and discussion, and prayer and fasting, has helped us see more clearly that BYU is not the right school for Seth. They are an excellent school, and by far, the very least expensive (like crazy less expensive), but they don't have the major (Strategy) that Seth wants to pursue. Their career services are not as developed as the other schools. Seth felt that I might have more support from family in Utah while he's busy studying (which is so like him, to think of my needs and put me first), and the idea of less debt is a big draw. And we would really love to live near our family in Utah, and John looks really good in blue....
but in the end those reasons are just not why we are going to MBA school. (If so, Seth could just find a job and we could move). The whole purpose is to give Seth an opportunity to learn new skills, learn about what careers are out there, get connected with the right network and companies, and start a job that he loves that will better provide for our family. We have to choose the school that will best help him achieve those goals, and we feel that BYU isn't the best choice. And waiting for BYU's final decision would probably jeopardize the offers we've received from the other excellent schools.
University of Washington is in beautiful Seattle. My sister Hannah and her family are there, whom we'd love to live by. Seattle's a great business climate, and it would be very cool to live there. But we would not get in state tuition, and it is so expensive. And when Seth went to their campus, he just didn't feel that feeling you need to make an enormous 2 year commitment. We hope that maybe Seth could find an internship in Seattle so that we could try it out, and see if we'd like to live there long term. So, although we are so thankful for their offer, with a slight sigh that still has hope for a future internship in Seattle, we have to say that Washington is out of the running as well.
VS.
We're down to TWO now! For a long time, we thought Iowa wasn't the option for us and that a half tuition scholarship just wasn't enough for us to choose Iowa. And we were pretty confident about Ohio State being the one, and they have offered him a partial scholarship (I had already moved to Columbus in my mind). But then we found out that Iowa wants to offer Seth a full tuition scholarship. Whoa....This has caused us to pause and rethink the situation. Yellow and black are really not our colors...but could we stand them for two years...for free? Thank goodness for prayer because this is a tough decision! Both great schools, which one will we choose!? Stay tuned and you'll hopefully find out soon.
My friend Kjirsti had these IKEA bibs for her son a while ago, and I thought they were such a great idea.
I'm sad I didn't act on this idea sooner! But we just recently ordered THESE IKEA Bibs with sleeves (set of 2, blue and red), and they are so awesome!! John's sleeves don't get covered in food now, and we can put sauces on everything. Hooray!
In this photo, John's eating roasted asparagus, chickpeas and onions covered in cashew cream. Yum! (You can get your kids to eat a lot of delicious and nutritious veggies if you cover them in cashew cream: (whatever amounts you like of cashews, soy milk, lemon juice - blend and enjoy!)
Our neighbor, Stella Winder is a favorite at our house. John wakes up and as soon as we go down the stairs and he see's the door, he points and says, " Yaaaaah?!" That means "Stella" to John. He love to play with her.
And boy can these kids get into mischief! They will both toddle through the house (very quickly) pulling down anything and everything they can find. There is usually a trail of debris all over the floors when they play together. (Well, John makes his own trail all the time, it just gets a little bigger when he's got his partner in crime.)
Sometimes they have a hard time sharing, but usually they get along so well. Stella runs over to John to give him a hug when she sees him (often knocking him over) He doesn't quite get it yet. And when the other cries, they pat their back. It is so sweet. They have so much fun, and I couldn't wish for a better playmate for John!
Our former Bishop, Jim Huxel, passed away yesterday after a valiant battle with cancer. I believe he won that battle because I can't think of a person I know who, despite great adversity, is more optimistic or who thinks of others and tries to serve more than Jim Huxel. After helping friend of ours move into our ward, he came to our house on that same icy day in February to help us move. Although in his 60's (I think, I could never tell how old he was because he had so much energy and smiled all the time) he was as strong as all the guys in their 20's and helped us until we were all finished moving our stuff into the house. Both Linda and Jim Huxel have made an indelible impression on our lives, and we will never forget their love and service to us.
I am not sad for Bishop Huxel, except that he will miss his Linda and family. I am happy for him because he was ready and welcomed the new. He's off on a new adventure. I know his energy and vigor were waiting for him on the other side, and now he's been called on a new mission and is sharing the happy news with everyone who will listen to him, and he's rejoining friends and loved ones and making new ones.
My heart and our prayers go out to Linda and her family though. It is a great loss. But I know that this is not the end of their beloved husband, father and grandfather. They will be together again. In one of my favorite sermons, Sunday Will Come, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said, "When Christ rose from the grave, becoming the firstfruits of the Resurrection, He made that gift available to all. And with that sublime act, He softened the devastating, consuming sorrow that gnaws at the souls of those who have lost precious loved ones."
You can watch his whole message by clicking the video above.
"Because of the life and eternal sacrifice of the Savior of the world, we will be reunited with those we have cherished.
On that day we will know the love of our Heavenly Father. On that day we will rejoice that the Messiah overcame all that we could live forever.
Because of the sacred ordinances we receive in holy temples, our departure from this brief mortality cannot long separate relationships that have been fastened together with cords made of eternal ties.
It is my solemn testimony that death is not the end of existence. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”7Because of the risen Christ, “death is swallowed up in victory.”8
Because of our beloved Redeemer, we can lift up our voices, even in the midst of our darkest Fridays, and proclaim, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”9
When President Hinckley spoke of the terrible loneliness that comes to those who lose the ones they love, he also promised that in the quiet of the night a still, unheard voice whispers peace to our soul: “All is well.”"
For those who new Jim Huxel, here are the details for the viewing and funeral: Friday, December 20th: The viewing will be at the Maher Melbourne Funeral Home from 4-8pm. This is located on the southeast corner of Mayfield and Belvoir near the GetGo gas station.
Saturday, December 21st: The funeral service will be held at 10 am. at the Mayfield church building
John turned 16 Months Old on Nov. 30th. It is such a fun age he is at! He's getting busier and busier. He loves to talk says and signs many different words in English and Spanish, and he loves to say animal sounds! John is a great eater. He loves to eat broccoli and cauliflower, and eats very flavorful foods that I make him. He eats most everything we eat (if he can chew it).
11-25-13 "John is obsessed with cell phones right now. We don't let him have our cellphones, to his great dismay. So he turns all sorts of things into cell phones, anything with buttons or a screen the remote, a little electronic scrabble game, and things that are nothing like a phone, toy cars, blocks, etc. He holds it up to his ear and says, "Oh!" or "Ah!" Those both mean "Hola!" Then he shoves the pretend phone into my face because he wants me to say hola too. And then we repeat, all day long. It never gets old!"
Below are some snippets from the month:
11-4-13 During Seth's trip to Seattle: "We've sure been missing Seth today. Anytime there is a sound near the kitchen door, like the neighbor coming in, John looks over with a smile and asks, "Dada?" Tonight he's been asking for him a lot. He knows there's something different when the day doesn't end with a fun time with Seth."
John has also hit a tantrum stage...when we take something away that he shouldn't have he often yells, or cries.... any ideas for quelling tantrums at this age?
11-18-13- "Today I made a little keychain for John (that doesn't have any keys, only nic-nacs). One of the nic-nacs is a little Gumbi toy. So I pointed to Gumbi a bunch of times and said his name a lot, and John has been going around saying, "Bumbi? Bumbi?" He's really into words that start with "B," and if they don't he just changes it :) It is so fun to watch him learn!"
11-15-13 - "We haven't been able to swing much with the snow outside, but it's melted in the back yard, so John and I ventured out. He wore his new hat and coat and mittens. It is really hard to get his thumbs in the mitten hole! He is wiggling his hand so much. But after I got them on, he clapped them together like it was great fun and like he wanted them on all along.
I thought about the time that I spent on this coat and hat and mittens, and how much they mean to me: a lot. They mean so much because of this little face I get to put inside of them. They will keep him warm, protect him from the cold outside of our home. That's one thing I want to do. A duty I feel that is mine, and that I want to keep as long as I can. So, in a way, this little coat, and this little hat, and these little gloves are like an extension of me and my love for this precious soul that is mine to care for.
John was thrilled to be outside. He giggled every time I pushed him. Each time, I hold the swing while John waits in avid anticipation, and I say, "Uno, Dos, Tres...Columpia!" I let go on "Columpia!" and he giggles and giggles. What a wonderful sound! It is such a privilege to be John's mother. I have the best job in the world. No amount of prestige, fame or money is better than this. My job is important, and I love being a mother. "
11-24-13 "Tonight we ventured out again to go to Tithing Settlement. It was a great experience to meet with our Bishop, Luke Harmer. John really loves him! He kept walking over to him wanting to be picked up, and smiling at him. He also loved exploring the Bishop's office and succeeded in getting into some mischief that the Bishop was kind enough not to mind. I remember going to tithing settlement with my parents and siblings when I was a kid, and it was and is important to me to know that it was important to my parents to pay a full tithe to the Lord. He's given us all we have, and He only asks a little back to help us show and grow our faith. I'm glad John could come with us, and soon enough he'll understand what it is about and gain his own testimony that the Lord always blesses us for paying tithing."
John love bubbles! and he says "Bubba?"
11-26-13 "Oh, what a day! I'm so glad I'm not working tomorrow. I'm going to play with John all day! and read him books and sing him songs and make him laugh and smile and giggle and say "Buba?" for bubbles, and "Bubby?" for Gumbi, and "Awa" for Agua. (He even does the sign with it, and it's so cute!)
I worked yesterday and today. 8 hours is too long to try to concentrate on essays that all say the same thing (or should) and try to take care of my adorable son, but not pay attention to him. It makes my heart sad that when I hear him happily babbling away in his play room while I'm working, it's not a good idea to go in and play with him and babble with him. And by 2:00 each day, John is pulling on my legs, really sad that I'm not paying attention to him. I would be able to if I had 2 brains, and 4 eyes...4 real eyes."
John is now walking about 75% of the time, and he's getting better and better every day!
John's still got 6 teeth, but 4 molars on the way, and they're taking their time! We hope they'll come in very soon....
I could watch this video of John laughing 20 times in a row (and I have!). John brings so much happiness to our lives!
