Merry Christmas everyone! We are in Louisiana enjoying a Cajun Christmas this year. We have much to be thankful for this year. I will update the blog when I return to Utah by early next week so please check back!

Yearly Christmas Letter

I have been a very bad blogger this year. My apologies! I will try to do better in 2010. The Jumonville's have had a very busy year and have had many blessings and a few trials. Our greatest joy this year has been our daughter Marci. Marci was accepted into a new program in school. She is one of 6 students in an ASSERT (ABA) program. The progress they have made with her has been incredible. We are so thankful that Marci has been chosen and the gifted staff has made so much progress. God bless them!

Marci has also makes huge strides in her reading ability. She reads any book she can get her little hands on. We do not know what level she reads at yet but she is reading adult books. It still amazes me to hear her read a billboard, newspaper or anything in her sight. She not only reads the words but adds the expressions with the stories. It's amazing to watch her read. Her school teachers often tell me she could run story time and circle. She is a pro! She is a gifted and talented girl. She also loves to sing and frequently makes her book into a song. We are so blessed to have her in our lives and thankful for the opportunity to meet so many moms, therapists and teachers who are changing her future.

This year we've made a few trips. Louisiana of course to visit family and enjoy the Southern hospitality. We also went to Colorado this year to visit our family there. We all had a blast playing on the 4-wheeler, playing non-stop with Meme and Papa. A few trips up to Idaho to see Grandpa and Grandma Smith were fun. Below are a few pictures from each month of our sweet girl. I will do better this year on updating and hope that you'll bear with us!

Susan enjoyed running this year and is hoping to get back on track in January. I am signing up for a few 1/2 marathons. If I could stand water, I would love to try a triathalon. Kenny is enjoying the occassional motorcycle ride and shooting with friends. Susan will hopefully join him someday! KC is loving being Marci's dog and although his walks have been less frequent, he still enjoys hanging out in the backyard and playing with all the neighborhood kids.

We've caught the dreaded swine flu and survivied and had several health scares this year but we are still kicking. A little wider and a little slower but January starts a new year and many resolutions!

Jan - Marci's love of books. She reads non-stop some days. Her smile lights up the room.

Feb - Marci turned 3! She celebrated with her cousins Jackie and Blake from Louisiana and loved their stay. Marci also started her first month of preschool.

March - Marci loves to feed the ducks and walk KC at the local park. She also loves to be outside..

April - We visited family in Louisiana for the Spring.

May - Visited Grandpa and Grandma Smith in Idaho - I love motorcycles!!

June - enjoyed a visit from MawMaw Alda and Nanny Jeanne from Louisiana...

July - fun with friends in the backyard pool..

August - Uncle Paul comes for a visit for parents 50th party and we visit Meme and Papa Rust in Colorado and cousins..

Sept - pool parties with friends, Autism Carnival and the start of Preschool!

October - visit to Idaho and Halloween! Marci made the perfect Snow White, don't you think? Marci also enjoyed visiting the pumpkin patch.

I will update more photos in January. I realized I was leaving out of town and needed to update Marci's site. I am normally not this bad but 2009 has not been a great year. I am looking forward to 2010!

May God bless you this holiday season and all througout the year. I look forward to keeping connected with dear friends!

The Christmas 'letter'

As I sit back and reflect on the year, I realize what a fast paced and busy year it has been. For those who are just finding the blog, Marci was diagnosed with PDD-NOS, Autism. She is bright and gifted and there are hopes that she will test out of the spectrum in a few years. In order to reach that goal we are doing lots of therapy and lots of play. It is amazing how play can unlock so many things in a child’s mind and yet how hard it is to do. We are so thankful for dear neighbors, friends and family who have offered a helping hand or shoulder to lean on. We are so thankful to our amazing daughter, for the joy, laughter, songs and lessons she teaches us daily. We love to focus on what Marci can do. Forgive me but I will list a few of her favorite things! (Bragging rights??) Marci loves to count; she can count in 10's to 100 and can read up past 30. Marci also does addition and subtraction on her hands. Marci can also count in 5 languages! Marci loves to sing. She has mastered all the nursery rhymes and over 50 gospel songs. She will sing for hours at home. Marci loves all kinds of music (except for rap) and will memorize everything she hears. Marci loves to read and can sound out simple 3 and 4 letter words. Marci can spell her entire name and tell you her phone number. Marci also loves to memorize books that are read to her and she can read you a library of books. We were surprised at Christmas time when we found she already knew what a Christmas tree and presents were and could easily point out the different ornaments and Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. She also loves Jesus and loves to sing his praises. Even though Marci does not have any functional speech, she is finding ways to tell us and guide us as to what she needs and wants. Marci is such an amazing gift to us and we’re so thankful we were blessed with her spirit. Marci adores her dog KC and he adores her – when she is not screaming! They walk daily and are good playmates.
Kenny is working for Siemens. It has been nice to have him home more this year and Marci loves to play with her daddy. Kenny has added a new 4 wheeler to his motorcycle collection but this one has a plow now and Kenny doesn't mind 'plowing' the snow this year. I even caught him grinning this morning while ‘plowing’.
I'm working from home for a company called iMod. I’m a Project Manager for electronic medical record (EMR) software installations. I’m only working part time. Marci stays at home with me and I’m able to accommodate all the therapy each week. I'm so thankful for a kind and understanding boss! I love the opportunity and the 'sanity' of the job. When we are not working, doing therapy, playing or cleaning... I love to run and work the stress out. Now if I can just stop eating junk food, my problems will be solved! :-D I do miss riding with Kenny and someday we will be able to do that again. Kenny and I are hoping for a few good ski days also this winter!
We have taken a couple of trips this year. Several to Louisiana and a couple up to Idaho and Bear Lake. We miss our DC family, our CO family, our LA family and our VA family! We miss our friends in California and hope to see you all soon. We pray that this holiday season is filled with joy and peace. We wish you all the very best for the New Year!

Thanksgiving in the Bayou!

I wanted to post some pictures of our trip to Louisiana and as usual, I'm late in getting things done. We had a wonderful time visiting with friends and family. The food was incredible, the hospitality was amazing. Kenny and I spent some time in Lafayette where I was able to go into the office, and also in Patterson. Marci loved to be outside and loved all of MawMaw's flowers and fountains.

While we were there Marci memorized several books and a bunch of holiday songs. She loved staying in the back bedroom of MawMaw's house where she memorized all the names (from the pictures of course) of her relatives that line Grandma's wall. It was incredible to watch her little face light up when she realized who Aunt Celeste was or Aunt Tina (in person). This was the first time I've seen her light up and get excited because she figured it out!!! YIPEE! Daddy's picture didn't look at all like daddy and he was the only one she wouldn't say whose picture it was. The picture was taken in 1976 and we all remember what hairstyles were back then! Marci loved visiting with everyone and enjoyed her downtime also. For whatever reason I didn't take many pictures this trip. Between keeping up with Marci and enjoying family and work I didn't think much about the camera. I will do better for the Christmas holidays.

I also want to extend a big thank you to Michele, Tony, Coree, Jenna, Casey, McCade and Parker for taking such amazing care of KC. I didn't worry at all and knew that he was loving it there with all of you. Thank you for opening your home up to my hairy little dog. You are so generous and wonderful. THANK YOU! (KC sends a WOOF and a SLURP!)

Not so Nocturnal November...

I feel so guilty for a promise that I never delivered... so in vain, nearing the end of November, I will attempt to post a few pictures and notes. I have been in frantic mode preparing for our upcoming trip to Cajun Country for two weeks and have doubled up on therapy and all things related to life here. It's been insane and Marci is finally starting to revolt... I don't blame her...

After the Halloween events and in between therapies.. sweet little Ms. M was quite pooped... here she is with her favorite stuffed animals and book...

Marci's new thing is Yoga! I can't believe how's she's taken to it and does it many times a day... "OHHHHMMMM" Namastae...

Above - Marci takes her 'babies' and does Yoga with them - here she is putting the block on their head so they can walk 'smoothly'....

Last but NEVER least... Marci and her cousin McCade. Uncle Tony, Aunt Michele, Cousins Coree, Cade, Parker and KC came over to share some Gumbo. Marci didn't take much time to warm up to everyone and shared one of her favorite books with Cade, Goodnight Moon. They are kindred spirits! Cade is a very talented and up and coming artist... he sold two "Cade" originals this night! We are so proud and honored to know such an amazing gifted artist...

I hope to keep posting our Thanksgiving posts in LA but in case I don't, I promise more in December. Have a peaceful and joyous Thanksgiving. God Bless our Troops and their families.