Young Prodigy

Our boys enjoy playing piano together... a couple of true virtuosos. Matt spends many hours on the piano, and it's been really neat to see lately, that Noah just joins right in, and sits on the piano bench along with his oldest brother. Great music is heard in the Hippen Household, often.

Tenth Month of FUN!!!

Noah's become a true Viking fan! Go Vikes!!! His jersey is old (a Chris Carter Jersey), but his middle brother wore it faithfully for a couple years, so we figured Noah could sport the colors of the greatest team too! (No, you can't send him Packers clothes, dad).

Just thoughts at Christmas...

Greetings and good cheer one and all ~
Today is a cold day here in the Red River Valley, and I'm snuggled in under a warm blanket on the couch with my coffee and the Today show, waiting for Noah to wake up. I have an unexpected day off (most of this week off, it's been wonderful). As I sit here relaxing, and reading many emails and blogs, I am reminded what an amazing time of year Christmas really is!
One realization I had recently, was that this year is my "do over" year. By that, I mean, it was 18 years ago that my life began to unravel, with the sudden and tragic death of my husband. My son, Matt, was just 10 months old, and he and I walked through a horrific journey of loss, confusion, and loneliness as we celebrated Christmas, just the two of us, in our base housing on Guam Naval Base. I was in a state of shock, awe, and disbelief as I rang in his first Christmas, sorting through my own nightmares and the wonderment of the birth of Christ. It was a surreal mix of joy and tragedy, but God brought me through it all.
Fast forward 18 years... that little baby that I held it all together for, is now a fine young man, in his senior year of high school, successful in his own right. And at the same time, I have a new little 10 month old (flashbacks are endless, I have to say), who is such a rich blessing to our family. The polar ends of the spectrum, my youngest and my oldest, are filling my heart to the rim with joy and love this Holiday season. I get to "do over" that baby's-first-Christmas, as Noah is doing all the same things that Matt did so many years ago, during this festive time. The mirror image of one another is uncanny, as they both also get to enjoy their other brother in the middle, Ben.
How is it that through such tragedy and rough beginnings, a woman can find herself so completely blessed and fulfilled by the loving family which surrounds her? Only by God's grace and mercy can this be my good fortune. Thanks be to God, for restoring me after such pain and horrible tragedy. I am humbled by God's mercy, and praise His name for loving me so deeply. God is good, and this definitely is a Merry CHRISTmas for this child of God. I wish you all a Merry CHRISTmas in the most true sense of the greeting. May you find yourself blessed with a "do-over" blessing as well, in whatever form that may come in. This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Merry CHRISTmas to all, and a Happy New Year (Do-over year) to you too!

Christmas Photo Shoot

Each year, as I try to compile our Christmas letter and photo to send out to our family and friends, I struggle with some of the common decisions: who's in the picture (whole family or just kids?); serious poses or fun-loving; matching outfits or whatever they want to wear; when are the kids all home (or... when is Matt around to join the photo); what to write in the letter; to make cards or just send the letter; do people really want to know what we've been up to for the past year?..... the questions are endless. In a spontaneous moment as we drove home from Thanksgiving travels this weekend, I realized it was going to be "now or never" to get the kids all in a picture at once, so we called in our friend, Kylie, who LOVES photography (and frankly is FABULOUS at it) and just decided to DO IT!
This was one of the fun poses, but there's even better ones, so you'll have to watch your mailbox for your copy of the official 2008 Hippen Christmas Picture (I will most likely break down and blog it anyway, ha).

Here is yet another fun picture of my three sons.... all happy and healthy, nice boys who, at that moment, melted my heart (of course 1/2 hour later they were bickering or yelling at each other, or sassing their parents, or crying for a bottle). But in this glimpse of time, joy filled their hearts, and mine too.

As you all step into the joyful season of Christmas, I wish you endless joy! Please remember that this is a season of hope, love, and blessings. We don't have to let the hurried schedules and the frantic rush to shop and wrap gifts take our focus away from the reason for the season... Christ's Birth! We are eternally blessed with the loving, unending grace of God who sent His son for our sake, saving us from our sins, and blessing us instead with eternal life in heaven.

Halleluiah! Christ is coming! Merry Christmas to you all!

Happy Thanksgiving

We spent a fun Thanksgiving in Minneapolis with Ed's brother's family, Dean & Karen. Noah got a lot of cuddle time with Grandpa Dean and Grandma Karen, and Ben had fun hanging out with his cousin Matt also. Stephanie loved seeing Noah this weekend, but unfortunately she had to work most of the time we were there. Hopefully her schedule won't be so harsh on her next time we come for a visit... she was one pooped out girl. But she still was able to enjoy Noah's cuddles a little bit, anyway.

Noah tried all weekend to pet "Cheeto", Stephanie's cat. Finally on the last evening in Minneapolis, the kitty cat agreed to stay still long enough for Noah to get close. I think it was all our gasps of amazement that caused Noah to look startled and actually avoid pulling all her fur out.

FUN extended weekend trip!

Noah and mommy went traveling this weekend... we visited Aunty Kristen in Wisconsin, and had a GREAT time with her dog Coconut! Noah loves his Aunty Kristen, and never ran out of smiles for her loving cuddles and tickles. We miss her already!

Noah also got to visit his Grandpa Dean and Grandma Karen, and birth-mommy Stephanie in Minneapolis. He had the most fun with the cat's ball of gift-ribbon (go figure). ha. We laughed as we watched the cat eyeing the curly ribbon the whole time.

Grandpa Clink and Grandma Sharon also got some great cuddle time with Noah. He loves his extended family so much, and he is also SOOO loved by them! (but he's NOT a Packer's fan, so don't even go there, dad) hahaha.

Grandma Karen was in heaven with her two little boys on her lap. Devon's goofy smiles cracked us up so much! Noah just giggled and smiled the whole time, at least when he wasn't getting tackled by his older (bigger) cousin. These two boys are going to be so much fun to watch as they grow up together.

Leave it to Grandpa Dean's crew to give Noah his first taste of deer jerky. He is hooked forever now! He loved his grandpa's recipe (no offense Ed, he just hasn't tried yours yet). Mmmmmmmm, good stuff.

Noah laughed the hardest in the Spiderman tube and fort that Grandma Karen had gotten for him... a real big hit with the two boys. Many hours of fun ahead, as we'll travel back there for Thanksgiving. The joys of childhood... so amazing to be a part of it all!

Matt in the Hobbit

Matt is currently in his high school's production of The Hobbit. He's a dwarf (funny to have a 6' tall kid as a dwarf, ha), and plays a really hilarious, fat, dumpy, goofy Bombur. He really played his part well and made the audience laugh a LOT.


Here, he gets water splashed in his face from below the stage... something that was perfectly timed and hilarious!







Noah wasn't sure WHAT to think of his brother in all that strange makeup. the beard was something he never messed with (surprisingly) but Noah didn't want to touch Matt's face, either. I think he was a little unsure of just who really was under that fat-suit that big brother was wearing.