The 2023 Family Letter

2023: “don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened.”

It is with great joy I present to you: our first ever Family Christmas Update.

I love this time of year; everyone has abandoned their diets (thank you, Little Debbie Christmas Trees), no one has attempted to perform any of their job responsibilities (that ended the week of Thanksgiving), and everyone is preparing to make the same New Year's resolution we make every year…I hope to become more and more like Frank Lambert. Nothing against my wife and children, but I sure wish this was my family.

Question: did this show make anyone else feel afraid that a distant relative would show up at your door and start living in a van in your backyard?

Back to reality, I would like to share a little bit about our family. We’ve chosen a word or two to describe each member.

Buster: The word we have chosen for Buster is ALIVE.

He’s not dead! In the summer of 2022, our loyal veterinarian detected a level 4 heart murmur in our beloved Buster. He told us to prepare for his imminent death and gave him 6-12 months to live. Not one to be defeated, Buster is fighting and is still alive today. Buster is still the backbone of our family. Each day he awakes and proceeds to nap, he then moves to Katie’s office and naps at her feet until lunch. The afternoon is filled with two more naps until dinner, and an additional pre-nap before bed.

Julianne: The word we’ve chosen for Julianne is NON-COMMITAL.

Our dearest Julianne is still establishing her passions. YTD we’ve tried the following activities: soccer, parkour (yes, it’s a real thing), swimming, cheerleading, skating, choir, dance, and even a lego class. We were so invested, I was her assistant soccer coach. Through my leadership, Julianne led the team in most times sitting out, most water breaks, and the cutest smile. Julianne did earn the Christian Character Quality award for Righteousness at school; remember folks, this award is only given monthly #bigdeal.

"That's too much fashion sweetie".

Madison: The words we’ve chosen for Madison is LOYAL.

Madison is a loyal child. She's loyal to her little sister, loyal to her convictions... and she's also loyal to getting what she wants. She recently asked her mother if negotiating was a bad thing. Currently, Madison is enjoying music, dance, and eating only mac and cheese with the occasional grilled cheese or breaded chicken by-product. Dinnertime is filled with so much joy. Recently, she joined a jazz class that serves as an amazing ministry to the community. On another serious note, Madison made the decision to be baptized this year! We love watching her grow in her faith (but not so much in soccer, as her soccer team went 0-10 this fall season).

Katie: The word we have chosen for Katie is RIP-ROARING.

Katie continues to live life on the edge. More times than I care to experience, I find myself walking by her home office as she leads a conversation on a work call that sounds like: “I understand why you’re behind your goal. I want to discuss the plan and strategies to fill that gap…” To which I respond with, “Ummm, kids, come with me in the car, we’re gonna get some ice cream while mama talks to her people.” Katie has a plaque on her desk that reads “The Velvet Hammer”. I’m glad I know who’s the boss in our family.

In all seriousness, Katie and I continue to facilitate a Life Group together through our church, and I’m thankful that she can keep me on track. She’s a light to everyone she meets while being a wise, compassionate mother (Carol Foster Lambert has nothing on her). Katie is so compassionate she taught opposing coaches how to win as her soccer team finished 0-10. Love ya babe!

Peter (Katie's version). The words I've chosen for Peter are HOT STUFF.

His name has been in my phone as "Peter Hot Stuff" for at least a decade. He's still got it. We celebrated our 15-year anniversary in Cabo (kid-free!). Though his lack of kayaking skills led to a near disaster involving me, waves, and a big rock, we had a really wonderful time and will try to get away more often. When the kayak was headed directly towards the rock, I jumped out while Peter crashed. When I asked him why he didn't get out of the kayak, he responded with "The Captain goes down with the ship".

He's still got a passion for roller hockey, the Raiders, Christmas, and punk music. He's also quite the grocery shopper, Children's Ministry volunteer, and baker. One big change is on the career front. After two years at his current job, Peter put in his resignation and began a new role in Account Management at the end of November. We're very grateful and excited for this! Don't worry, it won't stop him from updating this blog at least three times next year.

Merry Christmas everyone. If you like the wit and humor here, check out the rest of my posts and come back often.