Christmas Letter 2022

Greetings from Watts family! We hope you are well and enjoying the holiday season. 

Adam turned 14 in January and continues to enjoy playing video games and hanging out with the other boys in the neighborhood. He recently joined a Dungeons & Dragons group at the local library and looks forward to the meetings. 

Patrick’s big news this year was his new position at Lifeway. After being hired in 2006 to head up marketing, sales, and events for Lifeway Worship, he has spent the past few years on the resources team, primarily working with digital products. In April, he moved to the IT department to be a Software Development Manager for the Product Domain. He and the developers he supervises are responsible for making sure that all of the information about Lifeway’s products is accurate and dependable, and to provide governance and management over the quality of the product data wherever it goes, whether that be to Lifeway’s website, Amazon, Walmart, or any of the other outlets that sell Lifeway products.

Our busy spring continued in May when Adam wrapped up middle school. After spending his seventh grade year at home in distance learning, we were especially proud that he finished eighth grade so well and even earned a spot on the honor roll. 

In June, the Watts boys went coast to coast! Patrick and Adam went to California to visit Disneyland, Legoland, and Huntington Beach, and to attend the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting. Adam was a first-time messenger!

They came back home for a couple of days before heading to Miami to participate in the Youth Choir Tour/Mission Trip. The group sang and served at several locations including the Miami Rescue Mission and Bayside Marketplace. They also sang the national anthem at a Miami Marlins game. They managed to squeeze in some Florida fun, too - snorkeling at Key Largo and spending a day at Universal Orlando.

Adam started high school in August, where he has adjusted well despite a few challenges. We’ve all had to adapt to new routines, teachers, and classes. He’s had some busy fall weekends going to TN Maker Fest, Brick Fest, and Pigeon Forge for the youth group fall retreat.

Lydia is able to participate in Sunday School and women’s Bible study at church via Zoom. Though chronic pain and autoimmune disease limits what she can do, she still enjoys cheering on the Vols and Predators from home. 

We love to hear from our friends and family! Connect with us on Facebook or come by for a visit if you are in the area. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed new year.

- Patrick, Lydia, and Adam

Christmas Cards

I decided at the last minute (for me) to send out some cards. I wanted to make sure the far-flung relatives who aren't on social media knew they were in our thoughts, and I wanted them to enjoy some fun pictures of Adam. I had this dream of having a professional picture taken that would be like so many of the cards we receive, but between school, work, chronic illness, and all three of us having pneumonia, it didn't happen. Anyway, I had the cards printed, Patrick picked them up from Costco, and both of my guys stuffed the envelopes. (We're all about teamwork here.)

I'm always a little conflicted about sending out Christmas cards because I don't want to give the impression that everything is awesome for us and that we somehow have it together. I feel like our cards should have a disclaimer that says, "These happy pictures don't necessarily represent the reality of daily life." The fact is no one's Christmas cards, Instagram, or Facebook posts represent real life. We all struggle. We're all just doing the best we can. I'm saying this to remind myself and sharing because maybe someone else is opening a stack of beautiful cards and feeling like he or she doesn't measure up. You aren't alone. Hang in there.