2009 CHRISTMAS LETTER

Merry Christmas Everyone!

This is our first-ever online Christmas letter. I am glad you got the hint from our card to come here.

2009 has been a great year for our family. The biggest news of the year was that we were FINALLY able to adopt our little foster child after a nearly 4-year wait. The court trials took over 2 years and went all the way up through the Arizona Supreme Court. (Evi's birth family kept appealing the court rulings even though they are in jail for multiple felonies until at least 2016.) In the end, Evi's birth parents' parental rights were finally severed which meant we could adopt her.

We drove to Arizona for the adoption and March 14, 2009 was our "Adoption Day". We kept her birth name of Amy and added Evelyn as her middle name. So she is now officially "Amy Evelyn Westhora", but everyone calls her "Evi". After the adoption we surprised the kids with a trip to Disneyland to celebrate with my sister Becky's family and my mom.

In June we traveled to Oregon for fun family reunions with both of our families and while there, we got to go to the Portland, Oregon Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and have Evi "sealed" to our family. (At a sealing a special prayer is said to connect families not just in life, but for eternity. So, we believe that there is life after death, although different from the life we are living here on earth. We believe that families are part of God's plan and that family relationships can continue when we are reunited with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. For more info about this, check out http://www.mormon.org/.)

Above you'll see a picture of our family all dressed in white clothes. That picture was taken in the atrium of the temple on the day we took Evi to the temple. All of our family members were there with us. It was very special to us.

Our kids are all growing so fast. Here's the update...

Emma is now 10 and in 5th grade. She played soccer in the Spring and Volleyball in the fall. She also took horse-riding lessons, which she loved. If she had her way, we'd be living on a farm full of horses and dogs. She loves animals. She enjoys school and loves to write stories. She has officially passed me in shoe size, so now, I get all her hand-me-down shoes!

Ashlyn is 7 and is in 2nd grade. She has a very kind and fun teacher and Ashlyn loves school. Her favorite subject is math. She took ballet and tap and performed at her first recital in May and then played Soccer in the fall. She loves music and is learning to play the piano.

Four-year-old Evi's dream came true as she got to start ballet classes this year. She is taking ballet and tap and asks me every day if it's time for her dance class. She also started preschool this year. She loves learning her letters and their sounds. She especially loves art and the computer. Evi and Isaac have built-in best friends with each other and the little neighbor girls next door.

Isaac is 3 now, almost four and is our true-blue boy. He is tough, strong, and energetic. He adores Woody and Buzz and is a complete Toy Story junkie. He loves balls and cars as a close second. He is still our baby though...even though he is growing fast, he can't sleep without his "race car blankie" that I made for him when he was a baby.

Tom's job is going well even though the housing market is not the greatest. He spends many hours each week volunteering at church and coached Ashlyn's soccer team this year. He is very interested in politics.

I am realizing that time is flying by way too fast and my kids are growing up. It feels like a year has gone by in a heartbeat. I think that is a sign of aging! Along with being a mom, I serve on the economic development commission for our city and lead a group of girls in Activity Days (kind-of like Girl Scouts).

We like Texas. The people here are wonderful. They love God and talk about Him regularly, no matter what religion they are. Texas has lots of green trees and has plenty of variation in weather. In fact, I joke that Texas weather has bi-polar disorder. One day it's hot and sunny, the next day it's cold and frosty, and it's always windy! Our schools, neighborhood and ward (church congregation) are wonderful and we have many friends that we love here. We miss our families though, and have thought of offering a bonus to any relative willing to move near us! So far, we have no takers..I guess we need to come up with a better bonus.

We thank the Lord for the blessings of this year...for the peace, relief, and simple joys that God has blessed our family with in 2009. We recognize His hand in our lives and love Him with all our hearts. We pray that the peace of Jesus Christ, our Savior, will be with you at this Christmas season. And we wish you all the best for 2010.

Love, Tom, Katie, Emma, Ashlyn, Evi and Isaac Westhora

Please pray for Isaac's birth family

Angela's (Isaac's birth mom) younger sister was killed in a car crash over the weekend. She was 16 years old and the youngest child in the family. Please add the Brown family to your prayers.

6 squirts Germ-x = legally drunk

Yep, we found out that fun little piece of information from the Poison Control Center this morning after we found Isaac with hand sanitizer on his breath. I think he only ate 2 or 3 squirts so we didn't have to take him to the hospital or anything. We had to feed him a big breakfast of orange juice and pancakes with lots of syrup to make sure his blood sugar didn't drop too low from the alcohol. Germ-x Advanced has 65% alcohol content, so I guess we are done with hand sanitizer in the house. Good to know.

What are you doing to strengthen your family?

I was asked to speak on the topic, "What are you doing to strengthen your family?" and because every family is unique, I'd love to include ideas from other families as well as what has worked in my family. So, if you have any traditions, suggestions, or ideas of things that you have done that have helped strengthen your family, please let me know. Thanks!

Are you brown?

Yesterday a cute conversation took place in the back seat of the car between Evi and Isaac, who were sitting right next to each other.
"Evi, are you brown?"
"Yea."
"Why are you brown?"
"Because that's what I'm supposed to be."
Then Isaac said, "Mom, is Evi Brown?" I said, "Evi is a mix of different colors so she's a beautiful light brown."
The conversation continued between Evi and Isaac...
"Evi, are you a beautiful light brown?"
"Yea, I'm a beautiful light brown."
I love listening to the fun conversations between my kids. They make me smile.

Evi's Temple Day!

On Saturday June 27, 2009 our family circle became complete (as far as we know) when Evi was sealed to our family in the Portland, Oregon Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

We are so grateful that so many of our family members were there with us. It was really neat to look around the sealing room and see all of the people that we love most in the world gathered right there around us to celebrate this long-awaited day. All of my siblings were in the temple with us...Becky (Ryan couldn't get off work), Jake and Steph, Jarom and Tara, Darin and Jess, and my parents Joe and Wendy Christensen. Most of Tom's siblings were with us also...Dayle, Brittany and Andrew, Darren and Sarah, Dave and Jill and also his parents, Howard and Kathleen Westhora. Tom's aunt and uncle Joy and Howard Abbey and Tom's cousin, Melody and Bryce Godfrey were in the temple with us as well, as were some friends from Texas who were visiting Oregon at that time, Joe and Laura Gordon. My Grandma Fern and Aunt Wyonne, Tom's other siblings (Kevin and Charlie, Gary and Stephanie) and all of the other family members and children joined us for the party afterwards.

Evi wore her beautiful white dress that was made by a good friend in our ward here in Texas...Holly Clark. (Thank you Holly for sharing your amazing talent! This dress will be a treasured reminder of our eternal family and the long road Evi had to take before that day.) Also thanks to my sister-in-law Steph who made a beautiful and delicious cake for us all to enjoy!!!!

It was so neat to have all of my children in the temple, dressed in spotless white clothes, smiling and QUIET! Emma and Ashlyn are old enough to remember that experience throughout their lives. I hope it remains a special memory for them always.

The sealing day was in the middle of my family's get-together and Tom's family reunion. It was so wonderful to spend time with both of our families whom we love so much. We had so much fun and made some great memories to hang onto until we are together again.

Ashlyn's Dance Recital and Birthday!

Today is Ashlyn's 7th birthday! Today, as I was remembering giving birth to her in a crowded operating room 7 years ago, my stomach turned a little as I remembered another day just a few weeks after she was born...the night I slipped into a diabetic coma and my body began to die. I have often thought..."What if I had died that night, instead of Tom finding me in time?" That was 7 years ago...my girls would not even have remembered me 7 years later and Evi and Isaac would have never come to us. Every time I remember that night, I am filled with gratitude that I am still alive. Still here to be the mom for my kids. Still here to share life with Tom. I am so thankful for LIFE!

A huge part of my life is my children. And Ashlyn just experienced a fun part of her life...her first dance recital! She has been taking ballet and tap through "Ambassadors of Dance" in Wylie for the past year (by the way, that program is excellent if you're looking for dance classes) and her class performed both a ballet and tap number. She was nervous beforehand, but loved it afterward! Way to go Ash! We love you so much! By the way, HAPPY 7TH BIRTHDAY!

Adoption Pictures

Here are pics of all of us in the courtroom right after the adoption hearing; Evi and her birth sister, Christiana; our four little ones before Evi's Blessing; and our family on Evi's blessing day!

How to raise boys?

Tonight when Tom walked in from a long day of church meetings and asked me about my day, I felt the need to relate why there was crushed egg shells and brownies all over the kitchen floor. Here is what I told him...

This morning before church, as I was in my room frantically looking for my other church shoe, Isaac, my sweet and curious son, walked in wearing his usual outfit (a diaper) and proudly announced that he had made me eggs for "dinner". I said, "Oh, no" and swiftly walked into the kitchen in time to realize that the beeping noise was the fridge alarm telling me the fridge door had been left open for some time. I shut the door and looked down to see the carton of eggs open and broken, half in a bowl (pretty good for a little 3 year old) and the other half broken and dripping down the counter tops and across the floors. As I was surveying the kitchen for more broken eggs, I walked by what was left of the pan of brownies that Tom had made for our dessert...which was nothing but crumbs in the middle and hand prints around the edges where Isaac had reached into the pan with his little fists to grab a handful of gooey brownie and shove it in his mouth. And finally as Isaac was in time-out and I was doing Emma's hair I stepped into a quarter-inch of toilet water that somehow got out of the toilet and onto the bathroom floor while Isaac was in there supposedly going potty. This all occurred within a five-minute time period before we left for church.

So, Tom and I did tonight what other parents of 3 year old boys do...we googled "How to raise boys" and then thought about our friends and their little boys and realized something about Isaac...he is perfectly normal! As we digested that, we searched for our fridge door lock and put that on, shut all the bathroom doors (the outer handles are removed so little hands can't open the door from the outside) and promised to put all desserts on top of the fridge from now on. That should take care of today's issues. Let's see what he comes up with tomorrow!

Happy Adoption Day Amy Evelyn Westhora!

On Saturday March 14, 2009 we stood in a courtroom while a Judge pronounced "Evi" as our child, and Tom and I as her parents! It was a very short and sweet ending to a very long, and complicated case. My sister Becky and her husband Ryan and two boys Levi and Luke were there along with my mom and of course our kids. When the judge asked us to raise our hands and swear "to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth", Isaac raised his hand high and answered with us, "Yes". Evi jumped from lap to lap and came over and hugged me as the judge said the words, "You now bear the relationship of parents and child". It was neat. What an unexpected journey we ended up taking. How grateful we are that it ended the way it did. Thank you Heavenly Father! Thank you so much!

IT'S OFFICIAL! THE CASE IS CLOSED!!!!!!!!!

Yes! Tom can finally believe it now! We are done! Wow! What a feeling this is! The case was officially listed as "closed" today. Thank you for all of your prayers and kind comments. We appreciate our family and friends so much! Love Katie

Announcing....

Evi's adoption! Yes, we have heard official news (verbally) that the appeals are now over. We have been given the green light to adopt Evi in just two weeks! Saturday March 14 in Arizona is adoption day!

Tom is still a little leery of believing that this will actually go through since there have been so many delays and shocks in the case in the past three and a half years since Evi came to our family. He's waiting for the official news in writing. But for me, I am already celebrating!

We will be having a huge adoption party/open house in Arizona the day of the adoption and will also have a party here in Texas on Saturday March 28th. The following day (Sunday) we will finally get to give Evi the baby blessing in church that we have been waiting to give her for almost 4 years. In June, before our family reunion in Oregon, we will all go to the Portland Oregon Temple, where Tom and I were married almost 13 years ago and Evi will be sealed to our family.

I think I may be in shock right now...a huge burden, at times overwhelming and crushing, is being lifted off my shoulders. I am filled with wonder...(Is this really happening? Is it finally over?) But more so, filled with gratitude. For 1,288 days we have been pushed and pulled and stretched by the depth of emotion and the uncertain; yet eternally significant future of this little girl who calls us Mommy and Daddy, and who we call our daughter.

18 months ago, 2 years into this trial, Tom and I sang in our stake choir in Arizona and sat on the stand when Dieter F. Uchtdorf came to speak to us. He paused during his talk and then said something like, "I feel inspired to give a special blessing to you here tonight. I bless you that the things that are concerning you and your family will come to a satisfactory conclusion." I am sure there are many people who, just like me, felt that those words were for them. Now, 18 months later, that promised and long-hoped-for blessing is coming. My soul is filled with a surreal mixture of excitement, gratitude, joy, wonder, exhaustion, peace and relief.

Holding our breath for a few more days...

Okay....it's looking really good. On Monday afternoon we'll know for sure, but right now it looks like we'll be headin' to the Arizona court house on Saturday March 14 and adopting the little, spunky, dark curly-haired girl that we have loved and prayed for for nearly 4 years now.

After Bryan's parental rights were severed in the Arizona Superior Court, he appealed with the Arizona Court of Appeals. That process took 6 months and the appeals judges agreed that his rights should be severed. He surprised me by taking his case to the Arizona Supreme Court on January 21. According to our adoption attorney, the shortest time that the AZ Supreme Court has ever denied taking on a case like this is 3 weeks. And most of them take 3 months. So, we were really dissappointed that our March 14 adoption date would be delayed again, but were blessed with a really cool event when the AZ Supreme Court denied his petition in just 12 days! We came home from Evi's dance class and heard a message from the CPS Caseworker telling us that the AZ Supreme Court had just denied hearing his case and that we could now adopt Evi! However, Bryan has one last chance to waste the Arizona taxpayer's money through another appeal. He can appeal with the US Supreme Court. This is not a case that the US Supreme Court would normally accept, so I really don't think it will happen. The AZ Supreme Court gave Bryan 15 days to file a "stay request" so he could take the case to the US Supreme Court. The deadline was today at 5:00! As of yesterday at closing time, he had not filed anything. So, on Monday I can call and see if he filed something today...his last day to do so. If he did, our adoption date will not happen. But if he didn't, then March 14 is a go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will update on my blog on Monday afternoon as soon as I get the official news!

Just another bump in the road...

Tom and I had a bet going...I lost. I thought for sure that Bryan (Evi's birth dad) wouldn't appeal with the Arizona Supreme Court. After all, the Superior Court and the Court of Appeals had laid down the case loud and clear that Bryan was not at all a safe parent for a child. (In case anyone is interested, you can read the 23 page decision by the Court of Appeals...I will try to find the link online and post it in the next couple of days.) But, I suppose that Bryan has nothing to lose. He is in jail for the next 6 years and has nothing better to do than make life harder for us. So, he has appealed with the Arizona Supreme Court. Our attorney informed us last night that this appeal could take anywhere from 3 weeks to 5 months. Our adoption date is currently set for March 14...so, yet again, it will most likely have to be delayed.

Evi has no idea any of this is going on. She is secure and happy in her safe, peaceful and fun little world and that is how it should be. We love our four children so much and will always fight for them...no matter how long it takes.

THE NEWS WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!

This is the email from Evi's attorney that awaited me this morning as I woke up...

"...FYI – I received a ruling from the Court of Appeals. The appeals are done and the Court of Appeals affirmed Judge Araneta’s severance ruling and the ruling denying Madeline’s motion for change in physical custody. You can now proceed with the adoption! Let me know and/or contact Janet about this if you have any questions. How exciting though! Finally!"

As soon as I read it, I ran to Tom's home office and burst in and yelled, "Tom! Tom! We won the case! Evi is officially ours!" Tom stared at me and said, "No way." I said, "Yes, the attorney just emailed. Come see." Tom ran out of the office and read the email out loud. In almost shocked relief Tom and I wrapped our arms around eachother and hugged, and cried. After three and a half years of waiting, wondering, praying, pleading, fasting, almost giving up, feeling despair, hope, surprise, frustration, peace, worry, anxiety, shock and love...there is light at the end of the tunnel!

I am not sure exactly what will happen next but I will write as soon as we know more. For now, we are planning parties for adoption day and looking at white "Princess Temple dresses" for Evi's sealing day. Thank you Heavenly Father, thank you. Thank you family and friends, for those who just joined us in fasting and prayers yesterday and to those who have been praying for Evi since August 8, 2005, the day she was placed in our arms. Thank You!

Fun wishes

Well, the girls go back to school starting bright and early tomorrow morning. We have had a wonderful 2 week break and have loved sleeping in, eating treats, playing games, watching movies and eating some more! We focused less this year on Christmas presents under the tree and more on making fun family memories. So, we asked each kid what activity they wanted us to do as a family and here is the rundown...


On Monday we took the kids shopping at Target where they each got to spend their gift card from Grandma and Grandpa Christensen. (Emma's wish)

On Tuesday we took the kids to the movie theater to see High School Musical 3. (I have found a cheap theater...only 75 cents on Tuesdays!!! Yes, the floor is sticky and when I sat down, I realized the seat was wet...hopefully from pop...but still, only $4.50 for my whole family!) (Evi's wish)

On Wednesday we took the kids ice skating. (Ashlyn's wish) Ash was excited because, in her words, she "fell down like 105 times last time we went and this time only fell down 5!"

On Thursday we drove to a state park about an hour from home and went hiking along the trails. It was a beautiful day and we walked through quiet woods full of trees and brown leaves on the ground. (My wish)

On Friday we went to Ikea and had breakfast at the restaurant. (Again, the cheapness in me prompted that...only 99 cents for bacon, really yummy scrambled eggs and delicious breakfast potatoes. $6 for my whole family to get stuffed!) Then we walked around the store and looked at shelves and stuff for organizing closets, etc.

Last week we took the kids to Amazing Jakes, an all you can eat buffet with a movie room, go-karts, bumper cars, kiddie rides, etc. We spent most the the day there eating and playing.

Probably my favorite memory is when we played "Zoo" as a family. It is a fun game and doesn't require any pieces or equipment...just people. One of us would mess up the rhythm of the beat and everyone would start giggling. Ash especially. She has inherited Tom's laugh. She would start belling-laughing and roll backward in giggles which would start all of us laughing. What fun memories. I am so grateful for the blessings of family, love, friends, belief, health and peace.

Under Advisement...

Making progress. Evi's case has officially been changed on the court's website from "assigned" to "under advisement". This means that the case has been heard by the panel of 3 judges and that they are currently making their decision. If they are unanimous in their decision, they could issue it within a few days. If there is debate or disagreements between them, they could take as long as 3 months to decide. Most cases take between 2 - 4 weeks. We just feel happy to finally see some progress in the case. Thank you to all you who have prayed for us!

On a lighter note, our family is very excited to have this week to spend together. We are looking forward to driving around neighborhoods to look at Christmas lights, going out for breakfast on Christmas Eve, wrapping presents together, and playing some games. Today was Christmas Sunday and Tom gave an inspirational talk testifying about Jesus Christ. (And coming from me, that is a real compliment! We are always harder on our spouses than anyone else.) Our family sang with the ward choir and the girls sounded beautiful in the children's chorus. I am looking forward to having no school for two weeks! I (or rather, my body) has decided that it likes to sleep in past 6:30 in the morning which is our normal wake-up time to have the girls at school by 7:15 am.

Emma's school choir sang at a new rehabilitation center near us last week. Emma saw a cute little old lady singing along and bobbing her head with the music and she decided that she wanted to "adopt a Grandparent" to visit and give service to. So, we visited her again the next day and sang Christmas Carols to her and will go in again this week to paint her nails. (Mom and Kathleen, don't you wish you were here? Free manicures by the girls!)

This season has been delicious. In addition to our wonderful friends and neighbors dropping off yummy homemade treats, we have been trying to bake something new each day. (It isn't hard to find something new when you have rarely cooked before. As a friend once said, "I have a kitchen because it came with the house.") Anyway, Emma took after Grandpa Joe and fell in love with Snickerdoodles. I have decided that toffee isn't too hard to make after all...even though mine ended up chewy instead of crunchy! (Next year, I'll get a candy thermometer!) And Tom still loves the old standby...chocolate chip cookies. Isaac and Evi have discovered the joy of dipping toast in hot chocolate and we even pulled out the special glasses last Wednesday and had sparkling cider together as a family. We started with 6 unbroken glasses and ended with 6 unbroken glasses! Wow! Our kiddos are growing up!

The countdown begins

The countdown begins...in three days, Evi's case will be reviewed by the Arizona Court of Appeals. For the past 3+ years, her case has been in the "system" of the state of Arizona. This little girl who we have loved since the day she was placed in our arms is not yet officially "ours". Through the past 3 years of hope and despair, joy and pain, frustration and encouragement, peace and uncertainty, we have loved her and raised her as our own child. On Wednesday a panel of three judges will read the briefs filed by all the attorneys and review the trial transcript. We are hoping and praying that they will affirm (agree with) Judge Araneta's decision from the court trial which will bring us one step closer to finalizing her adoption. We expect to hear the court of appeals decision in January. Please pray for our sweet little Evi!!!

Merry Christmas!

Hey Everyone!
How y'all doing? Were doing great!Can't wait to see you!
I LOVE you all so much.Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love,
Emma

My cute kiddos

Here are pics from the past little while...

Presenting: Mr and Mrs Jarom and Tara Christensen!

Here are pics from the temple.

Goin' to the Chapel

Jarom and Tara's Wedding!!!
Yesterday my little brother got married. He was the last holdout of us 5 kids. He is now very happily married to beautiful Tara. We love both of them. Welcome to married life Jarom!

"Is it time for Christmas?"

As soon as we took down the Halloween decorations, our toddlers started asking about Christmas.