Noel's Birthday Poem

happy birthday to a beautiful woman

with a beautiful smile

who one day

looked at me

a bit differently

and considered in her heart

what was going through my mind

which eventually led her

to put her hands in mine

as we began our adventure

to last through all time

and little did I know

the fates we'd befall

and the ways

in which we'd change our selves

adapting

to accommodate each other

the other's comfort

increasingly more important

than our own

Happy Birthday Noel,

Love Joe, your proud husband

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today my AMAZING mom turns 60! WOW! I'm so lucky to be your daughter.

A Pink Rose

My mom and I share a birthday. When I was little my dad would buy my mom a red rose and me a pink one. It was our tradition. Well today the flower delivery man dropped off my pink rose. It made me feel so loved and connected to my parents even if they are a country away. Thanks Daddy! I love my pink rose.

They also sent me this beautiful bouquet. I guess when you turn 40 you get extra special treatment. Totally worth it.

The Santa Picture

Every year we try and get a picture of the boys with Santa.  These become a part of our Christmas decorations.  It really fun to see how the boys have grown every year.  This year we took the picture at the Church Christmas Party.  (Free is free!)  The only problem is that look at what I go.  Half of Nicholas's face or Santa's finger in Matthew's ear.  What is up with that anyway? 

Cat Empire

Who has the best husband in the world? I do. That's who. This morning my favorite band in the world posted their North American tour dates on FB. I got so excited that I called Joe to tell him that we HAD to get tickets and go. Ends up that he had already bought tickets AND arranged for babysitting as a birthday present. So, we are headed to Boston in March to see the band where hip-hop meets reggae, where jazz is played with dirty hands, where a Cuban line meets an Aussie rule, where nothing seems in place but sounds like many places played in one earthly chord. (I totally took that last part off their web site.)

If you want, you can join us. Tickets are on sale but they are going fast. You can only come if you agree to dance your tush off, sing at the top of your lungs, and comment often that Felix may the coolest man alive (Joe excluded, of course.)

Santa Picture

Santa has a new technique to check the naughtiness of children.
Finger in ear.

Add caption

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Christmas Card

Does everyone have a hard time getting the picture for the Christmas Card? We do. Here is our card, followed by our various attempts at getting a picture.

Poem

The Comforter

by Joseph M. Metzger

Waking before the morning light

long after the cold has settled in

having taken over from where

the warmth once had been.

Closing my eyes again

wanting the day to disappear,

pulling my covers tighter still,

a temporary reprieve

from everyday routines

offering no comfort or relief,

affording no place for my dreams,

leaving me little strength or peace.

But soon I realize I must wake

and place one foot in front of the other

to make my way through the day

leaving the safety of my bed behind.

Wondering what I might have to look forward to,

wondering what I might find

to get me through the day

and through my life.

About to lose all hope and give up once more,

when the kindness of a stranger finds me

and personally reveals to my heart

a wholeness I haven’t felt before,

that I somehow recognize

as the love of the Savior

and finally realize the strength in his name

as Comforter.

Matthew's Birthday Party

My five year old is so particular. He planned every aspect of his birthday party. It had to be an animal party. There had to be a pull string animal pinata. There had to be an animal craft and animal games. We had to have pizza, but it had to be from Little Caesars Pizza. He had to have mouse cupcakes, with licorice whiskers and vanilla wafer ears. (Which Melisa very kindly made for him.) And of course Caleb Yeager had to not only come, but be there first to arrive. Otherwise, according to Matthew, the party would be ruined.

Matthew's Birthday

Here is the birthday boy! So excited about his special birthday breakfast. On the menu is bacon, waffles, and hot chocolate. Yum, Yum!

And here is the birthday boy not so happy that he has to share the spotlight with his brothers, even for one minute.

Matthew wanted to go to Taco Bell for lunch on his birthday. So I drove him to one and he informed me that it was not the right Taco Bell. Apparently, the Taco Bell by the boy's school is much better than the Taco Bell on Boston Road.

So after driving to the correct Taco Bell and ordering his special drink Matthew was very happy to hang out with his very favorite person... ME!

The Metzgers have a tradition of going out to eat on Birthdays. The birthday boy gets to pick where we go. Matthew picked to go to Red Rose. (A family favorite pizzeria here in Springfield.) Unfortunately, November 14th fell on a Monday and Red Rose is closed on Monday. So we headed over to Golden Corral because in August, Holden wanted to go to Golden Corral for his birthday. BUT, my family was in town and they love Red Rose and wanted to go there. At that time, we promised Holden that we would give him a rain check on Golden Corral. This we felt would be a perfect time to cash in Holden's rain check. The only problem with said plan is that we pulled into the parking lot of Golden Corral and the line was out the door and around the building. What is the deal with that place? Who waits in line that long for food? And what is the deal with the universe? Does it have no idea how carefully I plan things out and how upset I get when they don't work out?

Anyway, we ended up at Red Robin. With two rain checks for eating out. One for Golden Corral and one for Red Rose. Joe met us there. We had a really nice time, in spite of the plan failure.

Joe had to help Holden pick something. Holden has a hard time making up his mind and committing to things. Where does he get that from?

Nicholas was shocked when I told him he didn't have to order off the kids menu.

We came home, sang happy birthday, blew out candles, and ate cake. Matthew opened the present from his brothers. A very cool remote control spider.

Here is Matthew's Birthday Banner. Another Metzger Family Tradition. I am sorry it is so hard to read. Matthew was very particular on where each letter went. It was all about how it looked without regard to readability.

All in all a fabulous day! Happy Birthday Baby! I love love love you!

Dear Matthew,

FIVE! Today you are turning five. You are so big. And everyday you learn and grow a little more. It makes me feel old that my baby is so independent now. You can read. You can get yourself dressed. You can make your bed. You won't even let me walk you to primary now. I hope you know how important you are to our family. Your big brothers adore you and try so hard to watch out for you. Everyday you make your dad and me smile.

Often, I say to you, "Thanks for being my son."

To which you reply, "I didn't have a choice."

Choice or no choice, we are glad you're a Metzger. What would our lives be like without our Matthew Emerson Metzger?

You share a birthday with my Grandpa Woolstenhulme. He was a good man and I hope you will honor the heritage that he left you.

My wish for you this year is that you will grow big and strong not only physically but in a knowledge of God and His love for you.

Love,

Mom

Joe's Birthday

Joe turned 38 this year!  He wanted to go to Ginger Blossom for his birthday but we couldn't because the power was still out from our big October snow storm.  We ended up eating at another restaurant where he could get sushi.  Then we came home opened his gifts, sang happy birthday, and had cake.