Merry Christmas from the Suvars (our Christmas Letter)

We’re doing it again.  Just as we have for the last 2 years.

We are buying another goat...and a few chickens.

And just like the last two years, it's for someone that we will never meet (this side of heaven at least).  I hope that with this gift of food and income, that the message of the Good News will reach them too.

If you want to join us in the gift giving you can go to:

www.worldvisiongifts.org

or

www.holtinternational.org/gifts/

or

http://www.compassion.com/catalog.htm

All are great organizations who are reaching out in Jesus' name.

So instead of a picture in the mail with a happy holiday greeting, you get this email update. And a montage of pictures taken in about 5 minutes of throwing everything together.

In June of this year, Paul and I, and our 3 kids, moved on from our tenure as houseparents at Gateway Woods after 5 1/2 years.  This has been a roller coaster of a year as we struggled with burnout, saw a 75% overhaul of our home as it was damaged by water, and then took on new roles post-Gateway.  Our lives look a bit different from where we were a year ago, but we pray that God continues to work in us to make us who He wants us to be.  
 

Owen is 8 and is in 2nd grade.  He is reading books and doing math, and building fantastic creations with his Legos.  Hannah is 6 ½ and is in 1st grade this year.  Hannah is our in-house artist.  Daily she is making things with random recyclables and markers and glue.  She needs her own studio with the amount of "art" she is pumping out.  Madeline is nearly 5, in preschool, and has quite the personality.  She is the most independent and headstrong of the three.  She loves to color and draw and cuddle on the couch and makes us laugh daily with the little things she says and does.
 

In August Paul saw a 13+ year dream come true as he took on a job as a high school Math and Science teacher.  We are currently in the trenches of ‘first year teacher’ and all the lesson plans and grading and miscellany that goes along with it.  As the kids went back to school, I made a lateral move at Gateway from houseparent to Foster Care Secretary; front lines to the back lines.  I love being the support behind the department as we license foster parents and support them as they take care of hurting children.
 

Leaving houseparenting also meant moving homes.  Thankfully the reconstruction of our house from water damage was completed one week before we needed to move in.  We are loving our new home and thankful to be able to stay in the community we have come to appreciate over the last 5 years.
 

We thank you for your prayers and want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas.  We are so thankful that so many years ago Jesus was willing to come to earth and live a human life, devoid of sin, and die on the cross for each of our sins.  We don’t deserve His sacrifice on our behalf, but we are SO very thankful for it!
 

A very Merry Christmas and a joyful, Happy New Year!
Love,
The Suvars
Paul, Nichole, Owen, Hannah, and Madeline

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