Family Letter 2011

Our annual Easter letter is…a bit late for 2011 or quite early for 2012, take your pick! :-)

TED—is a Lt. Col. select and has completed 7 months of a year-long deployment at Kandahar AB, Afghanistan.  He stays sane (mostly) with music as part of the chapel praise team and manages to squeeze in time for Air War College work when he’s not chasing down the people he’s supposed to be training.  He reads on his Kindle during all his spare time in the bunker during rocket attacks and Skypes the family when the stars align and our schedules don’t conflict.  He welcomes packages, particularly ones that include Oreos, K-Cups, and/or homemade goodies of any sort.  (Email me if you'd like his address!)

BEVERLY—is holding down the fort in Ohio with much help from our Faircreek Church family and amazing friends and neighbors.  She said goodbye to the remains of her sanity long ago and has finally accepted the fact that nothing will go as planned this year!  Ladies’ Bible study and drama, music, and Kitchen Kindness team ministries give her a much-needed outlet, plus a break from homeschooling and the endless tasks of managing a household solo.  She attempts to keep Ted and others updated via the family blog.

CHARIS (11)—just wrapped her 3^rd production with the local youth theater and continues to excel in the arts (drama, piano, poetry, crafts).  A highlight of her year was catching Baby Zaden in the delivery room!  She is a beautiful young lady, inside and out, and Daddy just might hang on to those issued weapons to ward off unworthy suitors!  She is an amazing help to Mom and is very sensitive to the Lord’s leading.  Her thoughtfulness and generous spirit bless us all.

TOBIN (9)—continues his quest to read every book in the library before we move.  When we can’t find him, he is usually curled up in his closet reading or hatching a new plot for a spy game.  During the rare moments he isn’t reading, his preferred way of passing time is playing Wii, although he recently has gotten involved in karate and continues to enjoy piano lessons.  Tobin is the truth-speaker in the family, announcing loudly when someone isn’t on track!

ARDEN (8)—is a constant ball of motion!  Karate has especially been good for him, and you can see him practicing his moves all around the house.  Other interests include piano, Bakugan, and of course Wii.  He hasn’t yet fallen in love with reading in the same way his older siblings have, but he does love listening to read-alouds.  He tolerates school as a means of earning tickets to use for other fun activities.  He is silly yet gentle, with a sensitive heart.

KENNA (4)—is a pink-and-purple, covered-with-sparkles ball of energy!  She sings, dances, plays, and eats like there’s no tomorrow.  She bosses younger brother Lucan around and adores baby brother Zaden, apparently thinking that we brought him home as a special gift just for her.  It’s very fun to watch her in a big sister role; it’s almost like reliving the days when Charis was her age and had two little brothers!  She knows her mind and speaks it loud and clear most days!

LUCAN (2)—continues to amaze and delight us with his easygoing personality.  I couldn’t have asked for an easier toddler to care for during Daddy’s absence.  He entertains himself for hours with puzzles and building-type toys, but he does love having someone read to him or play silly games with him.  His verbal skills are exploding, which makes it difficult to have him in the room when we’re trying to do history or science reading with the older kids!

ZADEN (4 mos.)—is absolutely the easiest baby we’ve ever had…if you don’t count all the nursing issues Mom has experienced with him, but that’s not really his fault!  He is happy, healthy, and alert during wake time and sleeps well.  Mom wakes him after 8-10 hours at night and often after his naps, too.  He lights up when his siblings fuss over him, and he rewards their efforts with coos and smiles.  He favors his thumb and has the family trademark long eyelashes.

We are ever so grateful for the many, many people who are praying us through this year apart.  We look forward to spending 15 days together during Ted’s R&R time in January/February, and we especially look forward to being reunited for good in May.  Sometime between now and then we will learn what our next assignment will be.  In the meantime, we continue in the places and roles to which God has called us for this season, leaning on Him and learning what it means to love Him wholeheartedly, trust Him completely, and follow Him unreservedly.  We pray the same for you.

“To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”  Jude 24-25