2016 Ness family year in review

   It's been ages since I've written a holiday letter, but one of my Uncles was greatly disappointed when a letter wasn't included in his card last year since we've moved from our small community to the "big" city.
   We love it here! My father-in-law lives right next door and it's comfortable. He's a funny and helpful guy. We smile at each other when we can hear his hardy chuckles behind his closed doors. Life wouldn't be the same without him here. We love the location and the friends we've made here. We've made a life.

   We have had quite a 2016...

Keira is out on her own knocking down her own adventures and breathing all that life has to offer. Out of all the parenting experiences, I think that letting your kids grow up and watching them make their own decisions is the hardest challenge I've faced being a parent. I'm happy to report we've all survived the transition! She is happily employed at a local truck stop serving tables and bringing smiles to anyone who comes within distance. She always has stories, sees people that she hasn't seen in a while, and loves the industry for now. She still has goals and dreams she will someday chase down, but for the time being, she is satisfied. It's an accomplished feeling when your kid is paying bills on their own and holding a job, especially one where the salary is a flexible one.

  Sydnie Jo a.k.a.Jojo is paving her way into adulthood faster than we would like. After being cheer captain for Rapid City Central last season, getting a Cobbler award and having a busy summer employed by the City of Rapid City as a lifeguard, she has decided to return back to homeschooling. She really missed having the open schedule and less drama. She is absolutely loving her online schooling at Excel High School and is schedule to graduate a year ahead. What is awesome about her online school is that she has classes, with real students, in them. Her teachers respond to her quizzes and assignments in real time - usually within 15 minutes - after she hands them in. During this school year, she has continued working as a lifeguard and swim instructor. In September, she had a life altering experience as she rolled our Tucson down an 8 foot embankment and had to walk miles alone in the dark for help in a no cell phone service zone. We were so fortunate that she is still with us. That moment will stick with her the rest of her life I believe. She has since fully recovered....I'm not sure we the parents have though haha.

   Summer, Summer, Summer...this girl has blossomed and is now the size of Sydnie and I. How did that happen?! She has grown in leaps and bounds not only physically, but educationally. She finally has mastered several skills that had been plaguing her for a few years. The sky is the limit for her now! This summer, she  participated in a Broadway production, performing three shows in front of a live audience as well as being  streamed world-wide. The most incredible part of the show was the entire cast, comprised of children ages 5-14, performed improv for the entire production. There was a skeleton show, but improv filled the rest. They did a beautiful job. She took the skills she learned there and later in the year, did an amazing thing - she again performed live in front of an audience, painting. After watching me perform in April at the Dahl Fine Arts Center for the Art Legacy Project, she was so moved by the experience, she submitted an application and waited.

She was chosen and worked with her storyteller to bring a story to life. She was even on the local news. She finished out her accomplishments by compiling, writing, photographing and arranging her own book that was published. This 13-year-old had a big year!

  Which bring me to our big news....we are expecting a little Ness in March 2017! Summer is preparing to be a big sister, which is a title she doesn't take lightly. There are days she wonders if she will be a good one because she has really enjoyed being the baby for so long. We keep assuring her that her sisters have been prime examples of how to be a loving big sister. Keira and Jojo were thrilled to hear the news. At first we were so afraid of a negative outcome, we were on pins and needles as a family. I'd say the past month, we are comfortably enjoying this pregnancy.
   We had really given up on the idea of anything like that happening since my hypothyroid and Hashimoto's diagnosis last year. October marked  the year anniversary of me making serious adjustments to my diet...gluten had to go. My body was creating antibodies every time I ate gluten that would attack me - my vital organs - our babies trying to grow inside. Getting rid of gluten is no small feat .... people like me go through withdrawals like a drug addict, because that was really how my body was using it. It took about three months to get out of the urge to use haha. Clayton and the girls were very much a part of my recovery process. I researched as much as I could, talked to experts both in person and online, started my blog and began the process of healing my body from the inside. I know more about my body than any health practitioner ever could.  Quite a journey---every day was a step closer to feeling more like a champion.
   Getting pregnant was one of my goals, but every month was a disappointment until I had just completely given up on it. I finally set my sight on new goals for myself. Clayton and I started a new hobby, rock climbing and had aspirations of climbing Devil's Tower in Wyoming this fall and then possibly planning another trip to Scotland to climb there. About two weeks before we were going to start training with an instructor for that adventure, we found out we were expecting the Wee Baby Ness. Clayton has been amazing through this experience. Even when we are both scared out of our minds, he is my rock. He is hands on and preparing to be my birth coach. He has even kicked smokeless tobacco on his own...being clean three months. This summer, he worked diligently in our driveway and dropped a new engine into our Mini Cooper with no mechanic experience all while still working full time at the casino.  He is nothing short of amazing.

   As for me....I'M BUSY GROWING A HUMAN haha and if you look around on this website, you'll notice I am now a certified Celtic Reiki Master Teacher-one of those goals I was achieving as our Wee one was being conceived. As I wrote earlier, I performed at the Dahl Fine Arts Center this spring and I still work at the Firehouse Brewing Company pushing beer and entertaining the masses. This summer, I published another book! This time it was a story I had written when the girls were young and I finally got a notion to illustrate it myself.  Every day, I am thankful for my life.
   Well, I have held you captive long enough....our family wishes you and yours a blessed holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy Yule! May 2017 bring you all the blessings you hope for ... personally we cannot wait for what 2017 brings to us! Take care!---Cris