Christmas Letter 2015...

Beeson Family 2015 Top Ten

1. While looking at pictures of Scott while he was in high school, Eli commented, “I like your face now, Dad.” That’s right, Scott just keeps looking better and better every year.
2. While I was helping out in Asher’s class, one of the student’s Moms told me she had a story to share with me. Her daughter had asked Asher, “Is that your Mom?” When Asher replied yes, the girl said, “Wow, she is really beautiful,” to which Asher responded, “Yes, it’s because she’s so young. She’s only 41,” to the girls whose mom hasn’t even hit 30 yet!
3. After taking the boys out of school for a week vacation in January, as has been our tradition, we realized the boys were now too old for this to be feasible. The amount of make up work required is UNBEARABLE. When Asher was finishing up his last page of make up work, he looked up from his pile of papers and told me, “Mom, this is your last minute to be DISTRESSED. I’m finished!”
4. As we were walking off of the plane after landing in London, Asher asked, “Mom, do they speak really crisp American here?”
5. While struggling to open a water bottle while we were in England, Asher commented, “I’ll bet we have to turn the cap the opposite way because it’s British.”
6. “You know if you’re driving a Buick, you know you’re about to die.” So any of you Buick drivers, know your days are numbered according to Asher.
7. “Remember how Trafalga Fun Center used to be called Liberty Land? Now it should just be called Law Suit Land.” Oakley is aware that the sketchy conditions of the Fun Center are certain to lead to some serious injuries.
8. While admiring the gorgeous cathedral in Delores Hildago in Central Mexico, where the famous cry for the independence of Mexico was uttered in 1810, Asher wondered why so many pipes for the organ were way in the back of the room. He asked, “Did they just use Bluetooth?”
9. When Oakley said they couldn’t play basketball because all of the basketballs were flat, Eli asked, “Has Tom Brady been hanging around our house?”
10. I feel like I needed to fly all the way to Ireland to meet darling Mary, who was running one of the bed and breakfasts that we stayed at, to hear this message. While talking about our energetic boys, I told Mary that I didn’t know if I had the energy to keep up with them much longer. She shared a story with me about her friend’s grandson who was also a spirited soul. This boy had decided to take the statue of Mary that was at the Catholic school he was attending and left a note in it’s place saying, “Gone to Knock (a city where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to many people.) This was one of many mischievous activities this boy had been involved in. His mother, just beside herself and not knowing what to do anymore with him, met with the Jesuit priest who was over the school. She said she didn’t know what his consequences should be, but she thought maybe he should have to put on one of her dresses and go to every class at the school and apologize. This Jesuit priest counseled his mother, “Don’t break his spirit.” As soon as Mary spoke those words, I knew it was meant for me. As much as I feel like I need to wrangle in these wild mustangs of mine, I can’t break their spirits. The phrase, “Don’t break their spirits,” is my new mantra- and not just for my boys, but also with all people I interact with. Everyone is walking this path of life they best way they know how and need encouraging and cheering on.