Year In Review

Some of you may actully get this in the mail, others won't. Don't bore yourself.....

Another Christmas

You know, it amazes me how often this letter of news and events needs to be written. In short, I cannot believe it is almost Thanksgiving. Where the year has gone I don’t know, where all years go I guess.

This year has been full of joy and pain. My brother-in-law, Rod, lost his mother to cancer in February. It was difficult to watch our nieces and nephew grieve over the loss of their Papa Grandma. We drove to Ohio for the funeral in separate vehicles so my wife could stay and help out for a week or so and I could come back home. Several days after I got home Aleya contracted a really nasty virus and was a very sick little girl. Rachel took her to the emergency room at the local Hospital. They then transferred her to a children’s hospital in Cleveland where she was admitted. I specifically remember talking to Carla on the phone and asking her how Aleya was doing to which she responded, “She is dying!” Well, I thought that was what she said. When she said it, she had this catch in her voice and I thought she was crying. This caused some consternation and I asked her to repeat her comment. That was when I realized she had said “Aleya was fine!” I felt like I should be in Ohio so I hopped on a plane, one way ticket, and went to be with them. Aleya was discharged 2 days later and we headed back to VA.

In March we received a call from social services. They were wondering if we would be interested in fostering to adopt, a baby girl. We said yes, and Kari lived with us for 3 months. Needless to say, it was very difficult for us when the judge ruled in favor of her being put into a relative’s care.

The 1^st week of June we were at our Zehr camp out. We had a relaxing week with the family, it helps when the cabin is as big as two or three houses.

The middle of June found my wife and the girls traveling to Ohio again while I went to Harrisonburg,VA to record another album, Deliverance, with Voice Of Praise. We finished recording Friday evening and decided to go home before we began the mixing process on Monday. Saturday night I was busy on the computer till early in the morning, about 1:00. I went to get a glass of water before going to bed and noticed there were 6-7 messages on the answering machine. I hit the play button and heard this message. “Honey, where are you? I need to talk to you! Daneille called and they have a baby boy for us!” This was a surprise to say the least. I was trying to decide what to do when the phone rang. Rachel was on the line and we began to discuss this turn of events. We boarded planes (Rachel in Ohio, and I in Lynchburg) Sunday morning. We had, unplanned, connecting flights in Atlanta and landed in Fort Myers around five. We met Daneille, our baby’s birth mother, and our beautiful little baby boy, Jayden Robert Santello. After supper on our way to the hotel we were blessed with a rainbow in the sky. We thought this was God’s way of showing us we were doing the right thing. God gave us a rainbow when Aleya was adopted and here He had given us another one for this adoption. When the rainbow turned into a double-rainbow we were really amazed and wondered why. Was this a freak act of nature? I think not.

Tuesday morning, as we were preparing to leave Naples, we realized there was a message on our voice mail from Daneille and sounded very urgent. We were afraid something had gone wrong and this was the beginning of yet another failed adoption. When Daneille answered the phone she told us “A boy was born this morning in Daytona Beach, do you want to raise twins?” After praying and calling our parents we made the decision to raise twins! We met our 2^nd precious son Jackson Milo Tyquan Thursday morning at the hospital in Daytona Beach. When we told our family about our 2^nd son they said, “The mystery of the double rainbow is solved! We remembered the double rainbow and marveled at our Father’s confirmation. Finding the new normal has been a long process but we think we are discovering what it is.

Sierra turned five the end of October and has been a big help with the boys. We are amazed how she can quiet Jayden and Jackson when they are out of sorts. She has learned to set the table, empty the dishwasher, help with the cleaning, and other assorted tasks. She taught herself to read this year and often has her nose in a book. She enjoys playing “house” with Aleya. Aleya is often her daughter and Aleya has started to call Sierra, “mom,” even when they aren’t playing. Sierra enjoys going along with daddy to feed or milk, but is very nervous when cows or calves are close enough to touch.

Aleya is a very busy girl who turned two the end of September. It has been a joy to watch her grow. She is the biggest copy-cat of all. Sierra will do something and seconds later Aleya will do the same. She is so full of energy! She loves animals. She is learning to talk which makes everybody smile. She too enjoys going with her daddy. She loves to clean as she walks around with a wet cloth and wipes everything, including her brother’s faces, which they don’t really appreciate. She loves to be a little helper, setting the table is one of her accomplishments. She is also learning how to be a mama and is often seen rocking her babies and carrying the diaper bag on her arm while pushing the stroller and putting her babies to sleep. We have so much fun watching her as she plays.

Jayden is 6 months and Jackson is 5 months old. They have discovered each other and enjoy smiling at each other. Jayden goes everywhere in his walker and has mastered sitting up. Jackson has recently learned to scoot where he wants to go. They never seem to tire of being Sierra’s and Aleya’s real baby dolls.

Rachel has been doing a wonderful job at taking care of all us kids. I have been amazed at the amount of work she gets done. The way she raises our family and is able to make life fun for everyone. God has blessed me with a wonderful wife.

Well, the time has come to close. I trust as you enter into the Merry Christmas season you remember and give thanks for the little boy who came to earth so many years ago. We are thankful for the way God has worked in our hearts the past year. God bless you as you serve Him.

Glen, Rachel, Sierra, Aleya, Jayden, and Jackson Zehr