Thursday, December 11, 2008

Holiday newsletter

Seasons Greetings! We hope 2008 has been a fantastic year for you and your loved ones. We wish you much happiness and joy in 2009.

I still can’t believe how quickly the holiday season has approached. It astounds me that it’s already December and we’ll be celebrating the New Year very soon.
From a new addition and job news to joining a church family, it’s been an exciting year for the Muldrows.

As for our new addition, we added a second dog to our family in February. Her name is Sophie, and we adopted her from Project Pet, a local animal rescue organization. She’s a three-year-old Lhasa Apso with tan fur and an incredibly cute under bite (apparently we have a weakness for dogs with under bites). She and Bella get along very well, and Sophie has been such a wonderful addition to our family.

Trent and I celebrated our third anniversary in April. It’s hard to believe it’s already been over three years since we got married. As you can imagine, we get asked the baby question quite frequently, but for now we’re just enjoying life with our two dog-ters.

In job news, Trent was promoted to the Chief Engineer position at Inner City Broadcasting in January, and I joined the American Red Cross as their new Communications Manager in September. It is a wonderful feeling for both of us to have jobs that we enjoy so much.

As a new Red Crosser, I even gave blood for the first time the week after I was hired. Obviously, I can’t ask others to give blood unless I’m willing to do so myself  It was a great experience, and I’ll be donating again this month on my birthday. Trent is a longtime donor, and he has been encouraging me to donate for years so I’m glad that I finally decided to do so.

In family news, congratulations to Jennifer and Morgan on the birth of their baby girls, and to Ashley and Justin on their upcoming arrival. Also, congratulations to my youngest brother Joe who graduated high school earlier this year. We’re so happy for you guys!

Last month, Trent and I joined Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church in West Columbia. Of course, this means after 23 years of being a Baptist, I’m officially a Methodist. Luckily, I've been told Baptists make great Methodists :) We’re so excited about this new chapter in our lives. We've been visiting churches in the Columbia area for years, and we think we've found the perfect fit in Mt. Hebron.

Trent and I are still enjoying our membership with the Columbia Jaycees. We served on the board of directors this year and will continue to do so next year. It’s been a very rewarding, and often times humbling experience, working with such a great group of individuals in giving back to the community.

While it’s been a wonderful year in many ways, it has also a very heartbreaking year. Grandma Betty passed away in February from cancer, and it’s been the most difficult loss I’ve ever endured. It’s especially tough during this time of year. Please continue to keep my family in your prayers as we experience our first holiday season without Grandma.

We love you all very much and wish you a season full of holiday cheer.

Happy Holidays!

Trent, Jamie, Bella and Sophie

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving

Good morning, everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It's hard to believe it's almost Christmas. I'm still stuck around mid-July. I feel as though I comment frequently that time passes quickly, and boy does it ever!

The following information is probably going to shock you, so brace yourself--
Trent and I have not decorated for Christmas. We haven't even bought gifts. *gasp* I know. I know. Usually, we have the house fully decorated and all shopping completed by Thanksgiving. While I'm not really feeling the Christmas spirit move me just yet, it's not from a lack of trying. I've been listening to Christmas CDs for weeks and I'm hoping we'll get around to decorating this weekend.

Of course, Christmas isn't about decorations and gifts--it's about the birth of Christ. Trent and I have so many things to be grateful for this holiday season. It's wonderful having this joyous time of year to reflect on the miracle of Jesus. Take time to focus on the true meaning of the season. Spend time with your loved ones and force yourself to slow down a bit. It'll be Dec. 26 before we know it. Enjoy this magical time of year.

Love,
Jamie