Christmas Letter

The Year of 2014

La Famiglia Itri

-Todd-

Last Christmas break was marked by amazing good fortune- Todd was offered a job on an intensive care unit. This was big because he needed this type of experience in order to even apply for his graduate school of choice. He wants to be a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. That would mean he does a lot of the same things anesthesiologists do.  The job came as a pleasant surprise since he had only been working as a nurse for six months. Often ICU employers are looking for more experienced nurses. We truly feel grateful for this blessing!

Interestingly, Todd has spent the year trying to decide if CRNA is actually what he wants to do. He has taken initiative to chat with some of his friends from nursing school about the type of work they do. He has researched other nursing professions while still looking into what he will need to apply to CRNA schools. As of now it seems he has circled around and landed right back to the original plan. If he is able to get into a school his first time applying, we will be moving out near Philadelphia in the Fall of 2016. There are at least six schools he can apply to back there, and it’s the only place he will apply. I guess a decade in Utah is more than enough for him- he’s ready to be home!

-Megan-

On Christmas Day last year we sure had an amazing Christmas miracle- we found out that I was pregnant! It truly was a miracle as we had been enduring negative pregnancy tests for almost two years. During that time I had a lot of time to reflect on my own self and enjoy raising Lila as an only child. But this year, I got to experience the joy of preparing for and bringing a beautiful new baby into the world. And he sure is beautiful.

This was also my second year serving as the Primary President in my local church unit. That means I have been responsible for the children’s program. This includes Sunday School each week, activities a few times a year, cub scouting, ensuring we have enough teachers and other leaders to support the programs, and other responsibilities. It takes up a lot of time but is also very rewarding. It has been extra tough trying to get everything done while pregnant and taking care of a newborn, but I always think it’s worth it.

The other fun thing I have started this year is working again. Rather than considering it a job, I think of it more as a hobby. I don’t have any set hours; I am just there for the other nurses in the office to ask for help if they need a day off. It has been so nice to be able to utilize my nursing skills while still considering myself a stay-at-home mom. This is what I consider to be the best of both worlds.

-Lila-

This little princess continues to grow and amaze us. She has loved her baby brother from the start (meaning she would climb all over my tummy saying how much she loved her new baby before I was even showing). The only time I think she was really upset was at the gender ultrasound when she found out he would be a baby boy and not a baby girl. She was extremely upset. But she got used the idea. In fact, just a few weeks ago in her 3-year-old way she reminded me that she didn’t used to want a brother, but now she wants Nick to be a boy. But of course, she is still waiting for me to grow another baby in my tummy so she can have a little sister.

She also got to start pre-school this fall. She has loved it and does a great job. It has also helped me so that I am more motivated in helping her learn her alphabet. I am so impressed in how much better her handwriting is getting already. She loves going and almost every night asks “is tomorrow school day?”

At home, Lila has really developed a relationship with her best friend, Kayla Ho.  They are old enough now that they can get together to play and it doesn’t really mean the adults have to babysit them. They just play together and have a grand time. They are both girlie girls and I have absolutely adored watching them imagine and play together.

-Nick-

Our precious angel boy came to us on August 12. He really wanted to be nice to mommy and I didn’t even have to push during my delivery! Yay for great babies and great doctors to help them along. For the first month he virtually never cried, and I couldn’t have appreciated it more. I had time to heal and sleep and recuperate. Since then he has become more of a “normal” baby in crying and needing attention but his smiles make it all worth it. He is growing so fast and brings so much happiness to our home.

One of the special things about Nick is his name. Todd’s dad Nicholas passed away last year, only a few months before we found out we were expecting. We decided to name our boy in tribute to his grandpa. We debated between naming him Nicholas or just Nick. That is a long story all its own. In the end, he was named for both of his grandfathers with an official name of Nick Daniel Itri. My favorite nick-name for him is “Nicky Pie” because that is what some of grandpa’s family and close friends would call him.

-Merry Christmas-

We want to acknowledge how blessed our family is. We have been given so much and are so grateful. But no matter how much or how little we have in this life, we will always have room in our hearts to feel gratitude for our Savior. It is only because of His life and atonement that we are able to feel as much peace, do as much good, and improve as much from our mistakes as we do. We hope to keep that in our hearts this holiday season, and hope you can, too.