Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas From the Madson Family!

For those of you who do not already know, we moved to Wenatchee, Wa in February. Brant is now employed by Central Washington Hospital, and is still working in the technology field. He loves his new job and is enjoying the shift from higher education to the medical field. A little side note...he has not totally left higher ed, he started teaching computer programming part-time at Wenatchee Valley Community College this fall. He loves it and is happy to still have his foot in the door at the college level.

The move was...hmmm...exhausting, but without great drama. The biggest inconvenience was our 1 bedroom apartment for 2 adults, 4 kids, a cat and a dog. It was actually a blessing to be able to have a short term situation while we waited for all the home buying stuff to work it's self out, it was just shall we say "CLOSE QUARTERS" for a couple months. We were so blessed by a quick sale of our home in Mosocw, and found a beautiful home here in Wenatchee VERY close to both the kid’s school and Brant’s work. Wenatchee offers a wide range of outdoor activities throughout the entire year, which is great for our high-energy family. We have spent a lot of time bike riding, swimming, running, and plan to ski most of the winter. Actually, I plan to be the support for the skiers…making hot cocoa and chili! I may take up snow shoeing, we’ll see.

Besides keeping patient during the move, my biggest accomplishment for the year was running a half-marathon this past fall. I completed the 13.2 mile race in a little over 2 and half hours, and swore that I would never do it again. Alas…I decided to sign up for another half-marathon in April. It is the most amazing since of accomplishment and keeps me committed to staying healthy.

Tage is 6 and is in kindergarten at The River Academy. He has changed a lot this year. He has not only grown a TON physically, he has matured a TON as well. He loves helping out with Benjamin, and takes his responsibility as a big brother very seriously. Tage started choir this year at our church and really loves learning about music. We are planning on signing him up for baseball in the spring. He is really starting to turn into a neat big kid, with loads of personality!

Simon is 4 and is in preschool at The River Academy. He is still a sweet little guy with a great smile! He says smiling is his favorite! Simon is very smart and takes going to school VERY seriously. He comes home and reports to us with LOTS of authority what they did in the classroom that day. He is a total crack up! He still loves baseball and got to go on a special trip to Seattle with mom, dad and grandma to see a Mariners game this past summer. We all loved spending that special one on one time with him!

Violet is 3 and makes her presence known. She talks, and sings non-stop all day long. She does not need anyone to talk back to her (that’s what her ponies are for)…although she will gladly enter into the most amazing non-senseacle conversation with anyone if they are up for it. She often tells people she is 3 and 4 years old at the same time…she also morphs into a puppy or horse in the blink of an eye. Most of the time I do not know who or what I am dealing with…it can change in a split second.

Benjamin is 18months old and is not really a baby anymore. He is a jolly tank of a fellow who loves music of all kinds and can really get down. He likes to play with balls, trucks, sorting toys and is starting to spend a lot of time looking at his books. This makes him sound like a mellow fellow, but he is more like the Tasmanian Devil when it comes to energy and how he moves about the house. It is remarkable how fast he can move from one room to the next taking down people and things faster than a blink of an eye. Just watching him is exhausting! He has such enthusiasm and excitement for life. We are constantly loving on him and enjoying his bubbling personality.

As we prepare for the New Year we look back with amazement at how much God has provided for us in 2007. We have been so blessed with a successful new job, a great new community, good health, happy children, and lots of family and friends to share life and all of its moments with.

"Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" Matthew 1:23

Many blessings to you all in 2008!
Love, Brant, Rachel, Tage, Simon, Violet and Benjamin