| | My bad for only blogging twice this year... oh well... Below is our annual Christmas letter. If you didn't get one in the mail (and would like to next year) send me your address! 
Happy New Year everyone!
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2010 seemed like a big deal, but maybe only to me [Heather] since I graduated in 2000. I should start by telling you that 2010 was a wonderful year, and God blessed us. So, in short, here are some of the blessings and other events of 2010.
Winter: John got his first haircut, started crawling and standing. Jack [the dog] ran over the baby a couple times (a crawling baby must seem more “dog-like”). I lost [most of] the baby pounds by month 9 post-partum. (yay!) We hosted a “couples” Bible study in our house and I enjoyed baking treats every week. At some point, Eric agreed we could start to plan a bathroom renovation.
Spring: our Navigator [college] friends and their children visited to “camp out” in our house. (9 adults and 4 kids, including us). Lots of fun was had. John rediscovered the “outside”, and also discovered the fun of pulling pots and pans out of my cupboard (and then hiding inside). March birthdays took us up to Wisconsin to see the Hrubys, and Easter we visited the Strangs. Eric got to drive his brother’s new four-wheeler. Last but not least, John turned ONE on May 7th, while vacationing with the Strangs.
Our vacation started with a flight to Tampa, FL, where Becca Strang graduated from Southeastern University. (Flying with a one-year-old went pretty well.) We also visited the Tampa aquarium. Then we boarded the Carnival Inspiration for a 5-day Western Caribbean cruise. (Also went relatively well with a one-year old). Our stops were Grand Cayman Is., where we snorkeled and pet the Southern stingrays (John too), and Tulum Mexico, where we visited the Mayan ruins and ate fish tacos. Highlights on the ship included seeing a musical review of the 50’s & 60’s, plenty of food (lovely sit-down dinners), sun and swimming, and reading the last Harry Potter book (Eric and I both). John was highly impressed by the water-fountain play-area, but not so much by chocolate Birthday cake. Shortly after returning, John decided that walking was indeed more efficient than crawling, and so joined the ranks of “toddlers”.
Summer: Eric received an “innovation award” for his work on the High Value EGR Measurement Systems. So Eric and I traveled to Moline, IL for an overnight stay and a dinner banquet. Then we started a string of home-improvement projects that, intended or not, have kept us busy many weekends since June. Project #1 – redo the cracked cement patio; 6 weeks and 7 volunteers later, we had a beautiful new stamped concrete patio. A wedding in Wisconsin gave us the opportunity to have a “get-away” weekend (left John for his first weekend stay alone with grandparents). Eric played in the Iowa Games again, where the Waterloo Ultimate [Frisbee] Players tied for 5th place. My 10-year High School reunion happened at the end of July, at which time we also attended my aunt’s wedding, and John made his first trip to the Zoo (in Milwaukee). John discovered laundry baskets, sand-boxes, and running. Eric conquered Project #2—strip hallway wallpaper and repaint (which John prompted us to start by “helping” strip the first few pieces).
Fall: We went camping with college friends in Wisconsin, as per our yearly tradition (friends came from 6 different states!) And finally, we commenced Project #3 – The Great Bathroom Remodel (all D.I.Y—go Eric!), which I hope will be completed as you read this. John’s been having fun visiting and “helping” Daddy in the construction zone; he has also enjoyed thrashing in piles of leaves, climbing onto chairs, chasing the dog, and “playing” the piano. (notice the active verbs.) Almost all our family members have been down to visit us since September, including my sister Steph who wins the Medal of Honor after braving a sick nephew, and coming down with the stomach flu herself. We also said goodbye to our trusty Impala, and moved on to a mini-van in preparation for baby #2 (due March 5th)! I will be at 30 weeks by Christmas, and we do not know the gender (by choice). We’ll let you know who/what the big surprise turns out to be late this winter.
So, I don’t know how we’ll fit next year’s letter into one page, but I hope you enjoyed the glimpse into the “blessings” of the Hruby household. May God reveal Himself to you this Christmas in an unexpected way, and may you be blessed by our love as a reflection of His Great Love. Merry Christmas!!
Eric, Heather and John
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth…. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. - John 1:14 &17
See the attached photo collage. Enjoy!
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