Lost in the mail?

Several weeks ago, we mailed out Christmas cards for the first time in several years (the e-greeting has long been our favored friend). To our dismay, however, we have learned that many of our loved ones either did not receive the card or got a mangled version; apparently the envelopes we mailed the cards in didn't stay sealed in transit.

Chances are good that if you are (1) related to us, (2) live in Oregon, Nevada, Utah, or Arizona, and/or (3) read this blog, we sent you a Christmas card. If you are feeling snubbed by the Bartles, we apologize. As usual, our intentions were golden but our follow-through was lacking! So, true to tradition, we offer this electronic greeting from our family. You can't put it on your fridge, but hopefully the sentiment is good enough!




December 2008

Dear friends and family,

We send our snowy greetings and wish you the very best this season! We are so grateful for loved ones far and near.

As we anticipated 2008 last December, we never imagined the New Year would bring so many changes for our family. Just when we thought we were putting down life-long roots in Beaverton, Oregon, a surprising prompting led us to sell our beloved first home, leave our dear friends and the great Northwest, and relocate in June to the mountains of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Through all of the changes we have experienced this year, we have been grateful for the constants in our lives -- our love for each other, the support of our friends and family, and our faith in Jesus Christ and his plan of happiness for us.

Garry jokes that our move, while life-changing for Heidi and the boys, didn’t alter his world too much. He still has a two-mile commute to Wells Fargo, works on the same team with the same people (just in person instead of on the phone) and comes home to the same family every night. What did change for Garry is the amount of yard work and handyman chores he has to do, since we now have a little property behind our house! Garry worked hard to transform the yard this summer and build a fun play structure for the boys to enjoy.

Heidi has had the hardest time adjusting to Colorado Springs, but is grateful for the connections that email, blogs, and phone calls allow her to maintain with her dear Oregon family. She, too, is making friends and getting settled. Having more space for the boys to run and play has been good for her life, so in that regard she’s grateful for the move. Change is always an adventure!

We thought our relocation would be hard on Zachary (age 7), but he has adjusted extremely well to our new surroundings. He loves first grade at Frontier Elementary and is developing responsibility with his homework and reading assignments. Zach loves to be active outdoors, play with friends, and master Wii games. He enjoyed a fun soccer season but really hopes to play football next year.

Tyler (4 ½) has grown up a lot this year. While last year he boycotted preschool, he is now thriving in Pre-K. Ty has learned to read, ride a bike without training wheels, and enjoy building with Legos. He played soccer for the first time this fall and loved having Garry coach his team. Tyler is still looking for a best buddy in Colorado, but he’s usually content to play at home with Mom and Gavin. He loves to putter.

A year ago little Gavin was just a few weeks old, so tiny and fresh from heaven. Now Gavin is a brawny and busy one-year-old who loves to run, climb, make messes, and play with his big brothers. He has been such a fun addition to our family.

Another change in our family came three months ago when we learned that a new baby is arriving in May. We are so excited! Heidi is getting over the worst of the morning sickness and looking forward to finding out if the boys are getting a brother or a sister. 2009 promises many more adventures for our family, but great blessings, as well.

Wishing you health and happiness in the year to come,

The Bartle family