the letter & the card

December 2011- Ahhh, the annual Christmas letter and card.  Each year it causes excessive stress trying to get it just right.  I don't even remember when it all began, this obsession of having the "perfect" card.  Growing up, my parents didn't even send out Christmas cards- not even the boxed variety.  And they still don't.  But I've always had an affinity for cards, stationary and all things paper.  Then I started dabbling with graphic design (although I use those words cautiously).  I'm too much of a control freak to use a pre-designed card or party invitation so over the last few years I've learned just enough in PhotoShop to create birthday party invitations for the boys and our yearly Christmas card, plus a few other things here and there.  I'm really not a very competitive person, except with myself, and thus the effort to have a better card than the year before.  

Two years ago the letter started.  We've always wanted to send out a letter with our cards but just never seemed to have the time to get it done.  Last year Casey insisted we do one and even "started" it.  By started I mean he typed up several bullet points and e-mailed it to me and said surely you can turn this into a letter.  Did I mention this was on Dec 18th?  So yeah, I was up half the night writing and editing then e-mailing back for his approval while he was somewhere between here and Kansas.  Then came another all-nighter printing, folding and stuffing 400+ envelopes with letters and cards all in an effort to get them in the mail and delivered before Christmas. 

This year, I started early and got it all mailed out by mid December.  Of course, there was the yearly battle with my laser printer to get the envelopes done.  The letter was a collaborative effort...I got it started, Casey contributed a bit more and then we compromised on the final version.  

So there you have it, the back story to our 2011 Christmas letter and card.  Here's the Casey-approved version.  Enjoy!

Here we go again, another Christmas letter trying to make you laugh while we tell you how great life is in the far western reaches of Gillespie County.  While it doesn’t offer much in the way of restaurants, shopping or even an ATM machine at the bank, Harper really is a great small town to raise a family and enjoy rural life.   It is amazing how much the boys have grown up in the last year.  While most little boys pretend playing Cowboys & Indians, our two live it every day; we clearly have one of each. 

Pecos has played the part of cowboy since the day he was born.  He started kindergarten this year and his only question on ‘Meet the Teacher Night’ was, “Where can I hang my cowboy hat?” He turned 5 just a couple of weeks before the kindergarten age cut off and started the school year a bit anxious (he gets that from Erin) but too proud to admit it (he gets that from Casey).  His interests remain cowboys, cattle, roping and anything Casey is doing.  And Legos.  He loves to study the directions from cover to cover before the building begins.  Casey says we’re going to have to get a storage shed just to house all of them but for now they are neatly tucked away in plastic containers from floor to ceiling in his closet.  When he’s not building Legos, he’s setting up cattle pens and a toy squeeze chute in his room with every configuration imaginable.  He accompanied Casey to a cattle sale this spring and rather than watch the auction he wanted to go out back to see the working pens.  After turning down the options of tee ball, flag football and soccer he thought he’d try karate.  So far he enjoys it but has not replaced the 5 foot by 6 foot wall mural of World Champion bronc rider Casey Tibbs that hangs above his bed with one of Chuck Norris. 

You guessed it- Brazos is the wild Indian (but in a good way).  He spent most of our record breaking hot summer with a diaper for a loincloth and dirt as his war paint.  He is fearless in his approach and has a distinct battle cry.  Casey has always claimed there was Comanche on his father’s side, but now we believe him.   Even our beloved barn cat- Charolais Kitty- that has been a constant companion and even serves as a roping dummy for Pecos has had enough.  Brazos is head-strong, high-spirited and in perpetual motion.  He prefers things that are faster, higher, louder…you get the picture.  At eighteen months old he is quite the comedian, loves the outdoors and wants to be involved in anything Casey and Pecos are doing.  For now his favorites are horses, cows and trailers- a toddler trifecta! 

What a blessing for Erin to be a stay at home mom.  She remains busy keeping up with the boys and an assortment of volunteer duties.  PTO at the Harper school keeps coming up with a wide range of projects that fit her skill set.  When that’s not enough there’s always her freelance work doing program planning, project management and related communications work for clients both near and far.  Plus, there’s her gig as an Associate with Demeter Communications, whose founders are some of the most respected women in Ag Communications.  What a gift to learn from some of the best. 

Casey has had a phenomenal year ultrasounding cattle.  While he dreads the time away from home, it is the people we are blessed to call both client and friend that make it worthwhile.  He enjoys the relationships and feels right at home every day he pulls up to a new set of working pens.  One day we can write a book about all of his travel mishaps…ask him about the late night flight he booked into Fargo, North Dakota only to find out he needed to be on the other end of the state by morning.  Add to that the fact there was no hotel once he arrived in the remote town so his only option was to rent a room in the house of a total stranger and you have the makings of a typical trip for him.  He’s not admitting it, but he may have done it on purpose just to prove that he still can. His return route to the airport included an 820 mile detour through South Dakota to tour the Crazy Horse monument and other Native American lands.  Let’s not leave out the restful night’s sleep he got in a compact size rental car. 

In all seriousness, we are amazed at how much God has blessed our lives.  We are so thankful for all of our family, friends and customers.  A great philosopher once said, “Success of a person is best measured by the generation they leave behind.”  We pray daily that we will be successful in this endeavor, instilling in our boys a loving heart and a kind spirit.

Wishing you a Christmas with everything near and dear to you, and we look forward to catching up with you in 2012.  For highlights of our happenings throughout the year, check out Erin’s blog at www.theworrellfamily.blogspot.com.

With Love and Blessings,

          The Worrell Family

                   Casey, Erin, Pecos & Brazos