Christmas Card 2008

I guess I better post this before the end of the year. I'm pretty proud of my cards because, although they aren't perfect, I created them entirely myself (the design, the layout, everything). It would have been even better but I also created Christmas cards for my sister (and took her pictures and edited them). I spent so much time working on hers, I didn't have a lot of time to do mine and send them out. I was pretty excited when I found out how to make the background look distressed, but it's hard to tell online. I still have a lot of learning to do, but I'm definitely getting better. I am also adding our Christmas letter for those of you who didn't get one.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Our 5x7 card

Our 4x6 card

Cherie's 5x7 card

Cherie's 4x6 card

Dear Family and Friends,

We were sitting in church the week after Thanksgiving and heard two wonderful talks given about the blessings we enjoy every day in our lives. We also had the privilege of hearing Elder M. Russell Ballard talk because his great-grandchild was being blessed in our ward that day. I remember sitting there and being overwhelmed, almost to tears, by the gratitude I felt in my heart for the blessings in MY life.

Time seemed like it had passed in a whirlwind this last year. We were expecting our first child, we were both working (Eric as a Credit Analyst for Merrill Lynch and I as the Marketing Manager for Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center), and Eric was diligently studying every free waking minute (or so it seemed) for his CFA certification. Shortly after Eric passed the first level of the CFA and on my birthday, June 24th, we had a special surprise package that was born two-and-a-half weeks early. For the next two months I felt like I was in a fog as I tried to conquer the challenge of being a mom for the first time, battling full-body rashes, bacterial infections, mood swings, feelings of inadequacy, dangerous lack of sleep, jaundice, viral infections, colds, misperscribed medication and more (I thought being a nanny for five kids would have given me an extra edge but, boy, was I wrong). We had waited for our little angel, Alexander Eric, for quite awhile and while pregnant, I couldn’t wait for the day he would finally make his appearance. When he did finally come, I didn’t have the time to sit and reflect what that meant to us in our lives. I think it all finally hit me when things started to calm down, I started to get the hang of being a mom, and I was reminded of all our blessings with the wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.

Of course, Alex was the greatest blessing we received this last year. Everyone kept telling me that “you can’t understand the love for a child until after you are a parent” and it is so true. I have such a great appreciation now for all that our parents did (and do!) for us and we are grateful to have grown up in good families with parents who obviously love us very much. It astounds me of just what a miracle he is and how much joy he brings into our lives. I can’t wait to grow our family and increase this joy in the years to come. We love him so much. I am also so grateful for my sweet husband, Eric, who does so much to be a good husband, father, brother, son, and priesthood holder. He has such a good spirit; I don’t know what I did to deserve him. We are privileged to be able to live close to family and live by good neighbors who have a genuine interest in our well-being. We are thankful for friends who have been friends with us through the good times and bad. We are grateful for a comfortable home that we have been able to put our heart into and make our own. We are grateful that Eric has been able to provide for our family and that I have been able to stay home and raise our son. We are grateful for the gospel in our lives – I can truly say that living the gospel is the greatest source of our happiness. We are so blessed with this direction – without it we would be lost. We are grateful for a Savior, whose birth we celebrate at this time, for we are so imperfect.

We don’t know what to expect this coming year. Bank of America has bought out Eric’s company and they plan to make 35,000 layoffs in the near future. We are entering a new government and the economy is obviously shaky. Despite all this uncertainty, we are still grateful for the things that matter most: family, friends, and the gospel. We look forward to the future with hope and optimism and leave our prayers with you for a wonderful new year.

Wishing You an Old Fashioned Christmas Filled with the Spirit of Christ,

Eric, Angie, and Baby Alex McFarland