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We didn’t do a Christmas card this year (haven’t sent cards for years actually…maybe next year?), but I love getting them and love hearing updates from friends and family. I also miss reflecting on the year with a letter, so here we go.
The year started with the difficult news of a dear friend being diagnosed with terminal cancer. She was in heaven three months later. It’s still weird to think that she’s gone–been almost a year. In the midst of that, life with our family marched on. Kari and Joel went back to California Baptist University for their 2nd semesters of their junior and freshmen years. Aubrey survived enjoyed her last season of swim team with her friends (decided even before it was over that she would not be doing it her senior year). Grant enjoyed success in 8th grade band, playing the bari-sax and being selected for all-state and the district honor band. He also continued playing his favorite sport (water polo) with his club team. I got a new kitten for my birthday. Daphne proceeded to destroy several curtains but also brought me joy in a sad season.
Aubrey took her first flight without us and spent the week of spring break down at CBU with Kari (and Joel), solidifying her decision to make it her college of choice, as well. (Makes it easy for us!) Spring brought lots of tennis, with Aubrey and her partner doing well throughout the season, even making it to the state tournament. This summer she went to Mexico with a group from our church to serve the students and staff at NOE, an after school program that helps kids learn English while also being introduced to the bible and the God who loves them. She loved it and found she was able to communicate, thanks to her Spanish classes and teacher!
Our whole family cheered Grant on at his 8th grade promotion in June (Kari and Joel were done for the year at the end of April), and we were finally done with middle school forever. Phew!
The three older kids worked throughout the summer, and I enjoyed the time off, doing home projects (including a big, back-breaking backyard leveling project), reading, and decompressing from the craziness of the school year. We added another vehicle to our fleet of old cars–five drivers in this family, soon to be six! Grant got his drivers permit right after his 15th birthday in August.
Kari and Joel headed back to school at the end of August. Kari is graduating this year with a double major in English and Christian Studies and plans to continue school when she comes home to work toward becoming a speech language pathologist. Joel is in his 2nd year at CBU. He’s studying mechanical engineering and doing really well in those hard classes.
Aubrey is loving her senior year of high school. She had a great last water polo season with her team and friends this fall, is happy to NOT be doing swim team, and is currently putting in more work hours as a lifeguard, while also gearing up for her last tennis season this spring. She plans to major in elementary education at Cal Baptist next fall. We’ll be trading Aubrey for Kari here at home next year, much to Grant’s delight. He did not relish the idea of being here alone with us.
Grant is happy to finally be at Barlow in his freshman year. Feels like he’s been waiting forever to get there! Classes are easy, and he’s getting lots of reading time in with his big, fat books. He was the only freshman on the varsity water polo team and definitely held his own out there with all those big guys. We’re excited to watch him play another three years. He’s currently doing swim team and enjoying success there, as well. He’ll play tennis this spring and go back to water polo with his club team, too. Grant and Aubrey both have fun going to school and youth group events together. We’re thankful for this one year they get to be in high school together.
I moved classrooms at the end of the school year and now have windows! I’m in my 5th year of teaching English full-time at Barlow. I am so very thankful to get to work with some really great people, including my brother (Brian teaches English just down the hall from me!). I look forward to lunch each day with my teacher friends, aka, the “first lunch crew,” and while my job challenges me every day, I’m grateful for the opportunity to do what I love, even though it’s hard. I know God has me right where I am supposed to be.
Greg is in his 23rd year of working for Hyster-Yale Materials Handling and just recently changed roles, due to a crazy series of huge changes (and massive layoffs) in the company. It will require some travel (and more stress and responsibility), but we’re thankful for his job. It’s been a few years since he’s had to travel for work, and he’ll be going to some new places this next year, so that should be interesting, at least. I’m proud of his reputation of strong character, a positive attitude, and hard work.
We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary this last year. We’re still in the midst of crazy schedules between work, sports, church, kids’ events and activities, and yet we love it. We know it won’t last forever, and this next year will be a bit quieter with another kid leaving for college and just one left in high school. We’re soaking up the time we have with our kids and enjoying doing life with our friends. God has blessed us immensely. Here’s to another year of leaning on Him through it all!
