Wow, has this year flown by! I was assembling pictures from our phones to make our traditional memories book for 2018 and I was amazed all we have accomplished as a family. To summarize, our
year consisted of travel, kids, and renovation.
In July, we went on a family cruise to the Western Caribbean. What a wonderful time! The kids loved the activities, pools, and free ice creamJ. John
and Sarah loved the family time, exposing the kids to new cultures, time to slow down, and the fancy evening dinners.
Renovation is still a focus and when time permits, we continue to upgrade areas of our home that need an update. We added a pantry closet for the kitchen and overhauled our master bathroom and laundry room with the help of a construction company.
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| Pantry at mid-point. |
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| Pantry partially stocked:). |
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| Framed master bathroom... |
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| Same scene completed:)... |
Removal of our kitchen floor was followed by laying new flooring and replacing weathered appliances.
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| Before |
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| After |
Jace finished the fourth grade and changed to an intermediate school in the fifth. He has enjoyed cross country this Fall, in which his season ended with a national meet in Louisville, KY. It was great to see him represent his team well and compete against some top runners in our nation. He continues to excel in math and is placed in classes that challenge him. It is neat to see him lead as a big brother in the household.
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| Jace's 4th grade team was fourth in the state in Math Bowl. |
All three children benefited from the influence of a great nanny over the summer months. Christa and her daughter (Saebella) were a welcome addition to our household in the summer months.
Gwyneth is a third grader. She has shown a love for kids on the bus and at school who have special needs. Her heart has opportunity to spill over as she expresses herself through service to these
friends. She loves all kinds of social interaction, is thriving as a student, and continues to “mom” everyone in the house, including her parents! She and Quinn have dabbled in gymnastics and dance classes at the church.
Quinn is a vibrant first grader who can’t wait to follow in the steps of her big brother in cross country next year. She works to keep up with her older siblings, is a good reader, and loves to move to the music. I think her favorite description of herself is “sassy.”
In this year, we also added four horses to our property. Their caretakers, who rent our stable and pasture space have been great tenants. They work with our kids helping them learn to care for the animals and keep the place tidy.
Sarah continues to see improvements with her health thanks to celery juice every morning. She continues to remain sweet and charming
despite a full work schedule with plenty to accomplish on her days off.
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| On date nights we were able to pull away from the kids for an evening together. This past year we were able to see the Broadway musical Wicked and also enjoyed the So You Think You Can Dance Tour as it came through Indianapolis. |
John is grateful for an opportunity to point people toward hope in Jesus as a chaplain at Indiana Wesleyan University. His co-workers are a blessing, and despite the long commute, we can’t imagine
a better scenario for these years with our kids and family.
May God’s blessing be tangible and real in your lives this holiday season. Have a Merry Christmas and a blessed 2019!
John, Sarah, Jace, Gwyneth, and Quinn
Is. 9:6 For a child is born to us, A son is given to us; And the government Is upon His shoulder; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
