Happy New Year!

We rang in the New Year with good friends at our side (although we really missed Nichole, who was with Noah in PICU). We played some Guitar Hero (check out Ernie practicing a few weeks earlier), Killer Bunnies (who knew you could kill a bunny with a Kitchen Whisk - right Brad!) and the guys even got Heather & I to race cars on the XBox - which I totally suck at, but I admit it was fun.

Ernie - playing Guitar Hero...He Rocks!

2008 was a year of fun for our family. We took our annual weekend holiday to Thief River Falls with friends, a two week vacation to YellowStone National Park/Cranbrook BC/Banff/Calgary, and Ernie took Caleb & Owen on a weekend canoe trip. Ernie was able to go to both Banff and Vancouver for business trips (I'm only a little jealous). We spent time with family and friends and it was all around a good year. We dealt with several allergy diagnosis (Ben was diagnosed with his peanut allergy in March, Owen his egg allergy in August and Mattea her 5 allergies in September). This has been quite challenging and stressful for me...but we are managing. We are fortunate to have a great allergist...which makes things a bit easier (I don't think he thinks of me as a crazy/neurotic allergy mom).

So, what does 2009 hold for the Thiessens? Well, we're not sure! I (Kim) will be returning to work on January 6/09 - that is only 5 days away and much too close for my liking. I will be working 2 days a week. Ernie will work 4 days and spend one day home with the kids. The 2nd day, the kids will be taken care of by a good friend of mine. I'm so pleased that she will be taking care of my kids...I know they will be well taken care of (and Benjamin is smitten with her...and Mattea will get to hang with her 'boyfriend'). Our family is blessed beyond messure with good friends and family. Over the next months...I'll keep you updated on what 2009 is like for us...the good, the bad and hopefully not so much ugly!

I pray for blessings on you and your families as you head into 2009.