...so I normally send out a nice letter and a family picture, but the end of this year just came too fast. So I've decided to just blog, and let you read it at your leisure.
The year went so quickly...I think I'll just go through some highlights...
* I started a new job at our church, which I really enjoy. I job share the position of Preschool Director for our Sunday services with a wonderful woman. She is a lot like me, so we do more laughing than work some days.
* Gerald has worked toward, and completed all his studies to become a CPA. He started 3 years ago, and after completing all the course work, wrote the 4 parts, and I can proudly announce that he has passed them all! I bet you can guess his average...let's just say it's over 90%! We are extremely proud of him...
* Olivia is now a freshman in High School...Panther Creek has a student population of about 2200 kids...so she's just trying not to get run over on her way to class. She continues to play flute in the band, as well as piano lessons, softball in the spring and basketball now in winter. We are most proud of her because of her decision to go back to Haiti during her spring break. She will be going from April 3 - 11, 2009 with a group of highschoolers from our church. She and her team will be helping the staff at HCH (Haitian Children's Home) run a soccer camp. Please pray for her as she prepares for the trip, as well as while she is there.
* Isabella is in second grade, and enjoys every minute of it! She loves to learn, but mostly loves to play with her friends. She is busy with piano lessons, and swimming. We are trying to convince her to try soft ball this spring...we'll see.
* George is 4 (almost 5) and in his last year of preschool. I can't believe he's growing so fast. He is about ready to start into organized sports, we're trying to decide which to try first. He loves the idea of playing, but still is nervous when we ask him if he'd like to try. Gerald just had him try on Isabella's old cleats, and he loves to run around the back yard with Jazz (the new addition!)
The biggest highlight for me personally, and I think Gerald would agree, was the trip we took in August to Haiti. I know it was life-changing for all of us.....in different ways, but life-changing, nonetheless.
Having said that...becoming a U.S. citizen was pretty cool too! We actually became citizens before the election, and were able to vote for the first time in about 10 years! ( I think we voted in one election while living in Toronto). It was emotional for me. I told everyone in line with me that I was a new citizen, and how excited I was! I know, how cheezy. Oh well. It was a pretty exciting day for me. I wore my "I voted" sticker the whole day!
So. That's it. Basically. There's so many other little things that happen everyday...and I am constantly humbled by God's grace. I know many of you reading this pray for us regularly, and I am grateful beyond words for that.
I'm honored to share our lives with you. Check this page from time to time, and you can keep up with us.
Peace
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1 comment:
Hello Andrea,
Good to hear from you. We just finished our Christmas time with family today. Rob and Suzanne leave for Toronto tomorrow AM early. It was a good time but a busy time for us. Fortunately, Donna was able to be more of a part of things than she originally was able to so that worked out well.
This will be a busy year for us...likely busier than last year! While I am still at Kindersley entering year three, I am working with a marketing Virtual Assistant to develop my business plan and get myself on the Internet for an Internet presence. My goal is to be up and running by the end of this year so I figure as long as we gradually do it, things will go well. I have a good feeling that my office specialties will be in PowerPoint presentations, data analysis in Excel, and database management using Access. And it won't hurt that I can use Publisher 2007 to help promote my business.
We are enjoying our involement with Forest Grove Community Church. We have been members there for nearly three years now. Things have been happening so fast. We have a main Bible Study group that we are a part of, and then another that Donna is still a part of but is considering going with one that we both are part of. Donna is involved in choirs as she is able to with shift work, and I keep myself busy studying and getting my skills "business ready".
We are also active with walking. I like the rigors of a specific day to day program, and plan to build back up to racewalking in the coming months. That will mean working on the Mennonite love handles and doing more weight training as well but I'm definitely looking forward to that!
Please keep us in prayer as we keep you in prayer! Congrats Gerald on your accomplishment - my biggest accomplishment in the past three years was graduating from a Self Employment Business program which now has motivated me to get myself into the business world myself. I've worked all my life for other companies so it will be nice to work for myself...and to see what happens. I'm sure that as things develop, Donna will become more involved as well so this is a big venture - not simply a dream!
Your cousins,
Gerry and Donna T
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