2022. Yep. Well, ten years ago at this time we narrowly escaped the Mayan Apocalypse. Good news everybody … we’re still here!!! I’m still writing Christmas letters, too. Might be two days before Christmas but the best things in life are hurriedly scrambled together because you weren’t paying attention and totally forgot about that obscure relative that is dropping by for the holidays and it would be weird if they were the only one that didn’t have something so this can of nuts is pretty nice … right?

Now to my phone’s camera roll so I can recap …

January: It snowed a lot. Well, at least for Virginia Beach. One inch shuts down the entire city so anything beyond that and the Mayans were totally right. Cassia turned 15 and wore a shark onesie for her bday because … well, because she’s Cassia and she’s a theater kid. She’s prepping for her role as Baby Shark, doo-doo, doo-doo. She lives her art. We witnessed her first school performance in the Spring. She’s a brilliant thespian. That means actor for the poorly educated.

February: Josiah entered into manhood at 13 so I gave him a sword as you do. He shaved his “mustache” one time this year so the man thing is coming along nicely. Later in the year he tried out for school soccer for the first time and totally made it! He said he’s playing in the next World Cup. Dream big, son! Also, you may want to actually train at soccer. Nah, Fortnite is all the training you need.

March: Big month for Elena Kay. She burned some stuff in a kiln and made rad pottery as part of her art academy. Her testimony about the impact of worship on her life was recorded and shown at church. Big month for me, too … my yard was next level. The grass was so green it would make the grounds crew at the Masters blush. Significant middle-aged dad win.

April: Jenny and I both got older buuuut a lot wiser … probably. We took a WV trip for Spring break and I filmed a nature documentary.

May-Sep: Fast forward. School finished. All kids got awarded because they’re geniuses. Did summer stuff. Addie turned 11. Went back to farm. More nature videos. Took vacation to Williamsburg. Saw old stuff. Went to theme park. School started. Hit goose with football. Dog killed rat in pool.

October: 22 years married for Jenny and I! This is where I brag on how amazing my wife is. She was just given the certificate “Most Like Jesus” at the church staff Christmas party. I mean what else is there to say? She is God’s favorite and there’s nothing me, you or anyone can do about it. We’re all fighting for second place like the disciples.

November: Addie became a ballerina. She hung up her soccer cleats in Spring and has switched to the dance life. Her last game she scored a goal from near the half line. Go out on top. Addie has really doubled down on her love for OMG and LOL dolls. Entire Christmas list: OMG, LOL. As the baby, she can totally play with dolls as long as she wants. No problemo.

December: Elena Kay starts the month off by becoming an adult. She can vote. She can join the military! She can buy cigarettes! Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Right, kids? All year she has been helping her Papa in the ministry. She’s got a real job and everything. Proud dad moment. Also, in November Josiah said he could probably beat me at basketball now. Final score 11-1. He had one. Proud dad moment.

The other thing that happens in December … Christmas. The word “mas” means a big gathering of people. What’s better than a big gathering of people celebrating Jesus? Jesus did come to gather a bunch of people to Him. Being home for Christmas is really about finding our place in the Father. More than ever we need peace on Earth and good will to men. It’s only found in Jesus. The angels have been singing it over us for 2,000 years: Glory to God in the Highest! Let’s join the chorus this season. Merry Christmas!

Love … the Rowans

In order to save a single tree branch we decided to go green (and red … it’s Christmas!) and make the Rowan Christmas Letter available online only for 2021. All of us together, we can make a difference and save maybe … three tree branches. I assure you that this decision in no way, whatsoever, had anything, at all, to do with our lack of planning. 

Now, this is the part where I try to remember what happened this year. People like to cancel things these days so it should be easy to recall what actually took place.

Ah yes, it’s starting to come back to me. First week of the year we pretty much all had the big “C.” We were cold because it was January. Just kidding. We all had a virus called “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.” Thankfully it wasn’t all that severe or cute and we recovered quickly.

That didn’t kill us but something else tried! Jenny and I both spent time in the hospital with kidney stones. I had gallstones, as well. Time to lay off the rock sandwiches, I guess. 

You might be thinking, “Wow, Mark, that’s not a very Christmas letter type of subject matter.” Here’s the thing … we made it out alive. We’re healthy and in significantly less pain. So, when life gives you lemons you make a glass half full of lemonade or something. You might try for a whole glass because lemons are a natural remedy against kidney stone formation.

Things are looking up! The kids voted this summer the best ever! This was also the summer they all realized they have an elite Dad. So, it makes sense. It also could be attributed to life-altering summer camp, super fun family reunion, lots of pool parties and bestie sleepovers as well as a week in the Smokies enjoying what I like to call the Redneck Vegas Strip aka Pigeon Forge.

What else… the sporty kids, Josiah & Addie, enjoyed a couple of winning soccer seasons. While losing is a life reality, it’s more fun to win for the kids and especially me. Just win, baby! The artsy kids, Elena Kay & Cassia, are making beautiful creations of artistic and theatrical nature.  Of course, I serve as their muse. Don’t ask them. Just trust me on that.

My muse is my beautiful bride of 21 years. She’s still fooling people into thinking she’s a college student. If that’s the case I’m a Professor of Women’s Studies and I only have one pupil. It’s Jenny. She’s the pupil. Just to be clear. 

Speaking of 21 years. It took me that long to get our wedding video edited. I did it, folks! And it was surreal. A real time capsule of emotions watching that for the first time. Safe to say the years have been very kind to me. Somehow I’m much better looking now. Or my eyesight is worse. Nope. I’m definitely better looking.

I don’t know about you, but life often has a Dickensian flair to it. You might have a story that mirrors the best of times and the worst of times. Even when circumstances seem to be at their worst, we still have the opportunity to find the best.

That’s how this whole Christmas thing got started. When the world was at its absolute darkest, God sent his Brightest. Jesus has a habit of doing that. In our greatest time of need, He faithfully shows up again and again. I know many of us have experienced “the worst” in recent times. The Good News? God has the best in mind for us. He is searching out ways to do good on our behalf.  He really is better than we think.

To borrow from Dickens one more time, Tiny Tim had excellent theology. His famous quote perfectly captures the Father’s heart, “God bless us everyone.” And He does.

Merry Christmas!

Love,

The Rowans

Sooooo, how has your year been? Our family room is now my office. The playroom is currently Jenny’s office. It has dual functionality as Elena Kay and Cassia’s classroom. The kitchen bar is Josiah’s classroom. Addie uses whatever room, couch or corner that she feels like for her learning experience. 2020 was supposed to be the “year of perfect vision” and noooobody saw that coming. 

This year marked 20 years of wedded bliss for Jenny and me! Jenny is the best part of me for sure. We were scheduled to go on a Caribbean cruise but that was canceled like everything else. Instead we celebrated in St. Petersburg. The one in Florida not Russia. While in the Sunshine State, we went to Disney without the kids. They are currently in the market for some new parents. 

Elena Kay just turned 16 and she is dangerously beautiful and amazingly creative. This whole “stay at home” situation is working out great. She recently acquired her learner’s permit. Now, I just have to permit her to get behind the wheel of my car. We’ve had one learning session. It ended in tears. Pray for me.

Cassia wears weird socks and still laughs at anything I say. We get along great. She was going to be in a movie but it was canceled. Next step: try out for Visual & Performing Arts School. She’s been pretending I’m funny her whole life, so it should be a breeze. If you are ugly as sin and no one else likes you, Cassia will. It’s her spiritual gift! 

Josiah continues to diligently hone his life skills and train with vigorous passion at Fortnite. It’s the beeeest. He also will not take a day off school even if he has all A’s and his grandparents are in town. NERD ALERT! I love him. This year he has taken his soccer skills to the “advanced” league. I’m enjoying living vicariously through him.

Addie joined the Golden Green Lions U10 soccer team. (They were supposed to be yellow but got switched to green last minute.) She was excellent and pivotal in winning the first game of the year. They lost the rest. Definitely a character building experience … for me mostly. She had a great time. Addie has a mothering heart as she has roughly one million baby dolls and counting.

Holly turned five this month and is faithfully spreading her stink throughout our house.

Writing this I noticed that the phrase “supposed to” kept coming up. I went back and rewrote some sentences because I kept using it over and over which is lame. Usually, when we use those words it is followed by explaining why something did not happen or detailing a circumstance that did not live up to expectations. I don’t know what was supposed to happen for you in 2020, but there were probably some plans interrupted to say the least.

Maybe you were supposed to go somewhere and it was canceled. Maybe someone was supposed to say something and they failed to. Maybe you were supposed to be healthy and you were sick. Maybe 2020 was supposed to knock you down so you wouldn’t get back up, but despite all that, you are still here and better days are certainly ahead. 

Supposed means “generally assumed or believed to be the case, but not necessarily so.” Funny thing is that plenty of “supposed to” moments actually happen everyday. That’s where our focus should be … assuming and believing the best is going to happen any moment. Christmas reminds us that Jesus was supposed to save the world. And He necessarily did. 2021 is supposed to be a great year. I believe it. Do you? Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Soooo, 2017 … nothing happened. See you next year!

Oh, alright one or two things occurred …

I heard something about a new President, stopped reading the news, survived another Virginia Beach blizzard with 4 inches of snow, partied with Cassia as she reached double digits, gave Elena Kay my old guitar (she’s not playing it), turned 40, experienced FC Barcelona play Manchester United with Josiah and 90,000 foreigners (it was a soccer game), lost more hair, revived my unstoppable basketball skills (totally throttled some 12 year olds), taught three out of four Rowan children to ride a bike (Addie has a scooter and she shreds), witnessed thousands of people accept Jesus at Joel Osteen’s Night of Hope, scored a hole in one at Shipwreck Mini Golf (super difficult … trust me), started helping people understand more about dreams with the lovely Jenny Rowan, watched the same lovely share her testimony at Sunday night church; celebrated 17 years of marital bliss with the lovely, stopped watching the Redskins … again, made sure my progeny stayed alive while Jenny was in Chicago learning how to be even more awesome at kid’s ministry, saw a guy play a mailbox during a song at our church’s Men’s Conference, visited Israel (USA moved embassy to Jerusalem right afterwards … coincidence?!?! I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.), acquired a hairy, four-legged child that likes to bite feet (We call her Holly and she’s extra jolly.) aaand I now have a teenager who has outgrown her Mother (enough about that).

And that was just last week! This year has been a monumental one in the lore of the Rowan household. Rounding out the year with a trip to the very place that CHRISTmas originated was beyond words life-changing. Being there a second time as an older, marginally wiser version of myself really helped me better understand the miracle of Israel. God never does anything halfway or mediocre. Miracles are status quo for Jesus. Jesus alive in us, the hope of glory, gives us the same DNA. We are made for miracles.

I trust that you’re entering Christmas season with hope-filled expectancy. Expect the miraculous. I believe God is looking for those who will believe. Let us be ones that believe for more … more than we ever have in the past. God has not changed. He is the same miracle-working God of the Bible. The very Bible that foretold the rebirth of Israel encourages us to experience an exceeding, abundant, more than we can ask life. The same Holy Spirit infused words are foretelling the impossible to become possible in our world today. This Christmas as we remember the greatest miracle, God becoming man to save mankind, I pray that our hearts and eyes are opened to see the miraculous life that Jesus came to give us.

A very Merry Christmas to you!

Love … The Rowans

Twelve long, excruciating months … each day you walk to your mailbox with great anticipation only to realize that it is not Christmas season. Your heart sinks. No Rowan Christmas Letter. What will you do?! It’s the only real piece of mail you get all year! You try to find solace in reading other pieces of literature but it’s no use. Shakespeare, Dickens, Hemingway … they never sent you any Christmas letters. Oh, the humanity!!!

Well, the humanity can now rejoice because today is that day! It’s officially Christmas! Grab your fruitcake and eggnog and read along to find out how we are making America great again! Last year Jenny started working as the Nursery Director at our church. I have now come to realize that this was her ploy to continue to be surrounded by tiny children as much as possible. You see, Addie, our baby, started kindergarten this year and the lack of infants has affected the very career path of my wife. This fall Jenny was given the opportunity to preach at our women’s meeting at church. Despite this being her first full sermon, she was magnificent. (I am not a woman, but I was able to bypass security with a clever disguise in order to hear her.) Three people responded to the altar call for salvation! Basically I’m married to a Billy Graham-Martha Stewart-Baby Whisperer-Beauty Queen hybrid. She is my greatest achievement in life.

Recently, you may have heard in the news of record gun and ammo sales. That was me prepping for Elena Kay as she entered middle school. So far so good. She has not started incessantly listening to any boy bands which, of course, is the greatest indicator of her interest in the male persuasion.

Despite the adult examples they were given this year, Cassia and Josiah decided to go ahead and run for government office. Josiah landed a 2nd grade class representative appointment. He has some excellent ideas on how to deal with the Chinese currency manipulation. (i.e. punch them in the face) I was with her, but apparently the Alanton Elementary 4th grade is not ready for a girl treasurer. I tried to tell Cassia she should show off her numbers chops by counting to 60 during her one minute campaign speech. Alas, she decided to go her own route … which is best for all of us.

Addie … sometimes I pretend play she is a newborn baby and she loves it. This is helpful to her development in no way, shape or form. I don’t care. As long as she doesn’t regress into pooping her pants I will do this as long as I want.

I wrote this letter … 2016 goals have been successfully reached.

Earlier I had some fun with the elections and while there were polarizing issues, people and rhetoric that doesn’t change the reality that Jesus is King of kings. He is actively working in the hearts and minds of the leaders of the world to bring about His purposes. Just as He is with each one of us. We pray for our leaders but God’s attention toward us is focused on how we lead ourselves, our families and our community. I wholeheartedly believe we are to do that while having the best time ever!

This past weekend our pastor wrapped up his message with the statement, “Live full, die empty.” It is a great thought to consider. Every day we have a choice to fill our lives with many different thoughts, attitudes and actions. I pray our thoughts will be filled with hope, our attitudes with thankfulness and our actions with love. The world around us is searching for people that will live with such fullness. I know the Rowan family is much fuller because you are in our lives. Merry Christmas!

I’m making my Christmas letter a subscription service. After reading, please remit payment of $0.37. Please ensure that the entirety of payment is in pennies. Failure to do so will result in absolutely nothing happening. So carry on as usual.

Now that the business procedures have been addressed, let’s troll the ancient yuletide carol! And no trolling a carol is not, “Your Yuletide Carol is so old that it baby sat for Jesus.” Trolling in times past meant to celebrate with song. Now it means writing terrible comments on YouTube.

I digress… back to singing. I will now write a Christmas classic that you can sing while roasting chestnuts over an open fire with your family for years to come.  It is sung to the tune of the Macarena but with jingle bells. Jingle bells makes any song sound like Christmas.

Every single year there is a special day
That you wish would arrive without delay.
It makes life worth living.
It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
It makes everything in life so much better!
It’s Mark Rowan’s Christmas Letterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

There’s a Grammy for Christmas songs, right?

For those of you without Facebook and/or bad memories, I will now summarize our life from 2015:

• Jenny is now the Nursery Director at our church. She loves it.
• Elena Kay is the president of Student Council. She gets to boss around people with purpose.
• Cassia has a best friend in her class named Caelin. She insists on calling her Caitlyn.
• Josiah’s teacher thinks he is gifted. Being a rule follower has its advantages.
• Addie thinks the world revolves around her. It does.
• I can’t quit the Redskins. I need professional help.

Now imagine clicking the Like button. We now feel validated as a family. Thank you.

Much of life revolves around technology (as I type this on a computer) and while it does have value, i.e. getting free shipping on ugly Christmas sweaters, it will never replace the need for real human interaction. People were made for each other. We were made to love. And there is never a more perfect expression of love than when you are in the presence of the ones who you adore. Everyone appreciates social media posts that keep us connected, but may we never let that replace the authenticity of time spent in each other’s presence.

Christmas in a very real sense is a reminder of God’s desire to be in our presence. There is a mutual desire in our hearts, as well. Not only were we created to enjoy our family and friends but also we cannot go without the presence of God in our lives. Emmanuel – God with us – the plan of God from before time is now a reality. May the presence of Jesus bless you this Christmas!

Ho, ho, holy moly what happened to 2014! I just wrote you guys and here we are again. We must be having a blast because time is moving at warp speed. Addie is sleeping in a big girl bed, Josiah is in kindergarten, Cassia has solved the gas price problem and Elena Kay turns 10 this month!!! (Note to self: buy gun.) Time apparently has no hold over Jenny as people still think she is high school. Meanwhile half of my beard is white.

Speaking of white beard, the North Pole has reached out to me to fill in as Santa Claus as I have most of the qualifications: jolly, beard color, belly like a bowl full of jelly … more like donuts.

With the kids growing up fast Jenny and I are often torn between seeing them mature and become responsible humans and us wanting them to be itty, bitty babies. Our main concern with child rearing is being able to see them successfully drink milk in a “big cup” i.e. no sippy cup.

Rowan Child: Can I have some milk?
Me: How about I just go ahead and pour it directly on the carpet now to save everyone the suspense.

There has to be some undiscovered force of nature that compels children to knock their cup of milk on to the floor. David was probably 7 when he wrote Psalm 23 … my cup runneth over … and Jesse is assuredly frustrated at my lack of motor skills.

No really, the kids are great. Everyone says we’re the best parents on planet earth and that’s probably the truth. Humility is the key. I say everyone — we’re still waiting on the survey results to come in from Siberia.

Anyway, Addie is not really a baby anymore. So that just leaves me. She likes to get your attention if you’re in her general vicinity. Oddly enough she loves to sing “Let It Go.” For real. Please let it go. Josiah loves school and racked up all the awards in the first quarterly ceremony. His teacher says he knows the class routine better than her. Cassia is really good at sneaking into Elena Kay’s bed at night. She still likes to cuddle and has an affinity for Uncle Leroy. Boys like her but she hasn’t got the time of day for them. Neither do I. EK ran for class vice president (she lost but I have a congressional oversight committee looking into it), she sang front line at Kid’s Take Over at church and she’s been recognized for her essay writing and artwork. So all the usual first born child stuff.

We’ve been in Va Beach for 9 years now. That’s insane. And we’ve been running a connect/small/cell group for about 8 years. We started out as the only couple with a kid now the kids outnumber the adults by a wide margin. Children … the future of the world … just not real good with cups of milk.

Let’s see what else … the Redskins are a hot mess but that’s not news.

I’m so blessed. Blessed with an astounding wife. Blessed with lots of children. Blessed with a job. Blessed with a home, food, clothing. Blessed to know you. Blessed by my Savior. God has been reminding me that it’s all about love. Whatever you have learned throughout life about God, make sure you have grasped this: He is passionately, obsessively, overtly in love with you. Nothing we can do can change that. That truth is hard to fathom, but it’s truth nonetheless. The more we rest in the reality of God’s love for us, the more freedom we have to be exactly who He created us to be. Our Father always looks at us with rose colored glasses — tinted by the blood of his Son. He sees royalty when he looks at us. Do you see it?

Have a blessed Christmas and an amazing 2015!

Love … The Rowans.

2013 – Usually this would be the year that we would have another child. We didn’t do that. I know this is terrible news for the rest of humanity as we have robbed everyone of another beautiful Rowan child. Alas, all good things must come to an end including our part in increasing the earth’s population. As a consolation, you get to read this letter.

I have the privilege of experiencing life with the amazing and beautiful Jenny Rowan. Next time you see me congratulate me for somehow convincing her to marry me. That was the upset of the century. She won Mom of Year in our house… AGAIN! That’s 8 years running. She also won wife, friend, cousin, daughter and cook of the year as well. Pretty impressive really.

At the start of the year we moved our connect group to Jeff & Jess Sallee’s house to accommodate the approximately 95 children that our families have. That might be an exaggeration but it is true that our “small” group is bigger than some of the churches I attended growing up. In case you forgot I was raised in the sticks. No, literally I slept on a bed of branches and moss that I gathered in the hills of West Virginia. (Disclaimer for Moms: I did not really sleep on branches and moss. It was branches and dried sheep dung.)

Elena Kay is now in 3rd grade for those of you with terrible memories. She takes after her mother as she’s already won about every award possible at school this year. But she is really skinny like me so it’s cool. This month she turns 9 years old. WHAT. IN. THE. WORLD. Jesus, help us.

First grader Cassia continues to laugh at whatever I say so she is my favorite … uh … wait … Jenny told me I can’t have favorites … I’ll just secretly give her the biggest piece of dessert. She is currently missing half her teeth. We should probably get that checked out … oh … wait … Jenny just told me that it’s normal for children her age.

Josiah is in the midst of homeschool preschool. Most months he is proving to be the best student in class. He also got his first pair of glasses thus solidifying his new secret identity as Clark Kent. Josiah inexplicably developed a fondness for baseball. I had previously banned the borefest from the house, but in light of the fact that he may make us proxy millionaires with his MLB career I have relented.

Addie is learning how to beat box. If Josiah’s baseball dreams do not materialize we will be throwing all our chips into her burgeoning rap career. There’s definitely room in the market for an Asian-Hispanic white girl to drop some phat rhymes. And she can dance. So, it’s basically written in stone.

Derrick Rose broke his other knee. Da Bulls.

Despite that bad news and any other bad news that we could easily look at now is a perfect time to be reminded of the goodness of God. In His goodness he sent Jesus to arrive on earth at the exact right time in history to bring the greatest hope the world has ever known. Now, He makes it His habit to arrive in our lives at the exact right time when we need Him. I know that this is a fact I must remind myself of. He is never late. 2013 years ago was the right time for the Savior of the world to be born. Now is the right time to thank Him for saving us.

May your Christmas be filled with blessing and joy.

The Rowans

Well, it’s that time of year again … the most wonderful time of the yeeeeeeeeeear! The time when you get the Rowan Christmas Letter (We capitalize it out of respect.). I’ve heard many readers of the RCL have foregone the traditional reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” on Christmas Eve in favor of said letter. Bout time. I heard that old rag was based on scandalous lies anyway. Fun fact: the real name is “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” See, it’s all a big charade. Unbelievable.

Anyway, at the writing of this letter we’ve got approximately 20 days to live according to the Mayan calendar. So, let’s get moving. Like the kids say these days, YOLO, which is Canadian for “Hurry up and finish this letter before a giant asteroid obliterates the earth.” Or it means “Year-old liver and onions.” One of the two.

2012 has been good times for the Rowan household. This year marked 12 years married to the most wonderful creation the Good Lord ever put together. Jenny is the bee’s knees, the cat’s pajamas, and the monkey’s banana. (I made that last one up.) I couldn’t imagine doing life without her. She gets the girls ready for school every morning; takes care of the shorter ones all day; fixes breakfast, lunch and dinner; does the laundry; makes people awesome cakes; leads two small groups; combs my back hair; walks on water; heals the sick; cleanses the lepers; casts out demons; etc. I suggest saluting the next time you see her.

I go to work.

Elena Kay is wonderful young lady. Her foray into 2nd grade has been quite successful. Her reading skills are exemplary and has taken to reading a lot of Junie B books. Whatever that is. She also likes to read her Bible every night before going to sleep. Someone more cynical might say it’s a ploy to stay up later, but I’m all good with my 8 year old “gettin’ in the Word” every day. Train up a child, suckas!

Cassia started school this year. She’s not a big fan of the educational system. I kid. She’d rather be hanging out with Mommy, but who wouldn’t? She is doing a great job, as well. Also, if you need a good cuddle, Cassia knows what she is doing. She continues to provide the best one-liners in the family. This week after eating Jenny’s empanadas she said, “That was awesome! I burped loud like Dad!” Train up a child, suckas!

Josiah is a stud, obviously. He had his first year of soccer. He had fun. I yelled. Mostly, “KICK THE BALL!” He did score 3 goals – 2 in one game. He’s a great multi-tasker. Not only was he playing soccer, but at the same time he was admiring nature, being Spider-Man, wrestling his teammates and running in circles. Let’s see Lionel Messi do that. He also has a fan club at church mostly consisting of college-aged children’s workers who like to shout, “JOSIAAAAAAAAAAH!” whenever they see him.

Addie – what can you say? She is small, feisty and fully aware that she has all of us wrapped around her iddy, biddy, teeny, weeny, cutesy-wootsey woo finger. I like to call her Peepeeps, Neenutes, PreePreeps, Tinkletutes, etc. In Addie’s world, every chair is for climbing on, every drink is for drinking and every neck is for hugging. She almost has the dictionary memorized. That last part is a falsehood.

In reality, we have more than 20 days to live. We actually have eternity to live. Thanks to Jesus being born in a manger and eventually dying for our sins and rising again, we have the opportunity to live with Him forever. Not only that, He gave us abundant life right now. Despite what some doomsayers may think about the economy, politics, or anything else Jesus is still the KING of kings and LORD of lords. It’s all going according to plan. So, let’s have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The Rowans love you.

Twas the Rowan Letter of Christmas, when all through Mark’s mind not an idea was stirring, not of any kind. The paper was blank as was Mark’s stare, in hopes that a decent idea soon would be there.

The children were jumping on their beds, while trying to punch each other in their heads. And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap … juuust kidding I’m not doing this. And what the what is a kerchief? Anybody .. anybody???

I hope you are ready to enjoy this holiday season, since the world ends next year. Thanks a lot, Mayans. Drink lots of eggnog and eat loads of figgy pudding (another Christmas mystery) because the aliens are going to horde it all.

Well, it’s no mystery that I have the best family in the world. I looked it up on Wikipedia to confirm and Jenny is the number one wife and mother of all time. Right on schedule she birthed our fourth child in seven years. Now that is production, folks, or REproduction. God’s says multiply and we say yes sir. Jenny has the most rewarding/difficult job known to mankind and she does it marvelously. Keep it up, all you moms. We wouldn’t be here without you, literally and figuratively.

Elena Kay has been sweeping in the awards in 1st grade. It took her about 3.8 seconds to win Citizen of the Month in September and in November she was the Holland Husky Hero. No, she hasn’t gained a lot of weight. Husky is the mascot. It does mean she was the best behaved. A trait she obviously inherited from her father. She is into reading books (I told her its overrated, but she continues to learn to read.) and her teacher Mrs. Dozier loves her the mostest. (She didn’t say that, but I could deduce as much from the parent/teacher conference. A parent knows these things.)

Cassia is busy learning the finer things of education in pre-school. Her teacher is sooooo hawt. One of the endearing aspects of Cassia is her love for ugly things. That’s why she likes me so much!!! I had to say it before you thought it. She will always pick out the strangest/weirdest toy. She has a heart for the downtrodden, meaning she is predestined to be a Redskins fan. Cassia is the most quotable of the bunch, i.e. a recent exchange between her and Elena Kay … EK: Get away! C: Never! I’m your sister!!!

Josiah. What can I say? He pees in the potty and poops in his pants. He makes us laugh constantly. Although, we’re usually not laughing after a pooping in the pants episode. Sounds funny, but it’s not. His Tai Kwan Do skills are quite impressive for an almost 3 year old. He has no formal training, but he has a God-given proclivity to kick and punch things (which may or may not be his sisters). Despite his fighting prowess, he is the quickest to give hugs and kisses to anyone within arms reach.

Adalyn arrived July 19th and our mantra has been “4, no more!” She rocks a fo-hawk like it ain’t no thang and likes to tell us all about her day in the middle of the night sometimes. She has no lack for attention, and it is plain to see where the term “babied” comes from. Sometimes the babying annoys the snot out of her when it is coming from her older siblings, though. She has dimples −− a Rowan kid first and she is my sweet Lil Pee Peeps.

I surely do love some Christmas. The whole season is good for the soul. Mostly because it’s a reminder of what is best for the soul. Giving, sharing, spending time with loved ones are all wonderful traditions of the season, but it is the recollection that Jesus was sent to the earth to redeem our souls that is a true wonder. I always like to end on a serious note, but in reality its the most joyful news I can share about our family. Jesus is the center of it all and without him Christmas would be a real drag. And it would just be called Mas

… not very catchy. We love you. Have the best 2012 ever!

Love … The Rowans