Merry Christmas to All!

Dear Family and Friends;

Hard to believe Christmas has already come again. 2009 has been a very busy year for us as we continue to grow as a family and we're looking forward to 2010.

We pasue for a moment to give thanks for all we have been given and pray for a great year to come. This year, for the second time in a row, our Christmas travel plans were derailed by blizzard conditions on the east coast, leading us to travel directly north to Michigan. The change in palns wasn't all bad as it did lead us to take a short side trip to visit another family who was in Petropavlovsk this summer. We met their son during our trek two years ago, so it was a small reunion to see him again.

Below is our annual Christmas photo and letter. Cathe had a lot of fun with the Jib-Jab "Elf Yourself" web site, even getting Bob into the action!


And what about Bob? What's he doing while we're on our annual winter trek? Well, he's chillin' at the Berry Hill Doggie Spa and Gardens! When we broke the news that he wouldn't be coming with us, it only took him a moment to grab his shades and favorite ball:

Our 2009 Christmas Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

Merry Christmas, Greetings and Salutations! 2009 has been a year with many peaks and valleys, but we can thank the Lord that there were far more peaks to celebrate.

Bill is still working for a small defense contracting firm based in the Memphis area. Not quite the same level of excitement as working for a bigger company at a military base, but the commute is great (just two lights and a school zone) and there was no move involved with taking the job. It’s a program/project financial analyst position, so Bill is always up to his eyeballs in numbers!

Cathe is now in her sixth year teaching at the same school, a new record given all our prior military moves. This year her role has expanded to include more staff development duties and came with a new title, Elementary Instructional Technology Specialist. Although the new title didn’t come with a raise, it continues to bee both challenging and rewarding. This year she was invited to present at a Discovery Educator Network event, and loves the embroidered polo shirt that came as a presenter’s gift!

Although Stephen completed his active duty military obligation in the spring of 2008, he has been on the rolls in the Individual Ready Reserve (non-drilling status). He recently received notification that he is to report to Fort Jackson, SC in January for re-activation and possible deployment. Please keep him in your prayers.

Meanwhile, David and Kate are adjusting to the full school workload with no special accommodations. We are very proud of the huge progress they have made in just the two short years they have been home. Reviewing the monthly marks on the kitchen doorway, Kate has grown over seven inches while David has grown over eight. The neighbors have accused us of putting MiricleGrow in their orange juice!

It has been a blessing to see and stay connected with old friends and extended family. This year we have even gotten to visit a few of David and Kate’s friends from their old school in Kazakhstan. We hope to see you, talk to you or at least share a few e-mails with you in the coming year.

With the warmest wishes for this Christmas Season, С Рождеством всех!

Getting to see another old friend from Petropavlovsk