Merry Christmas, 2007

Christmas Card 2007 (click on picture to view larger version)

Goofing off by Lake Superior!

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends! Using available technology, we thought we would try a new format for our Christmas card this year, as well as introduce our new blog spot. The hope and plan is to be better at communicating with those we love by posting our "doings" on the blog and whoever wishes can check it out.

A brief update on each of us:

Nathan: Nathan, age 14, is in 9th grade this year, having open-enrolled to the high school where Brad teaches, St. Louis Park. The change from homeschooling has gone well for him, as he tested into the Honors Block at school and is getting very good grades so far. But the schedule is vastly different--he now leaves the house with Brad at 6-something a.m. doesn't get home until sometimes 6-something p.m. only to do homework sometimes until bedtime! He continues to play soccer and was chosen captain for his Eden Prairie Soccer Club team, going to the state tournament this summer; he also plays on the high school team. Nathan is on the church worship team with Teresa, where he plays the keyboard; he also leads one of the youth group worship teams, singing and playing keys. Both he and Lydia saw the Lord's faithfulness as He provided the funds through loved ones for them to go on the youth mission trip this past summer to the Dominican Republic.

Nathan and cousin, Ethan, in the D.R.

Lydia: At age 13, Lydia is in 8th grade. Still homeschooling and taking classes at C.H.A.T., the homeschooling co-op that hires teachers to teach classes that are harder to do at home,
Lydia is excelling in all areas. She won the Eden Prairie Library and Optimist Junior High Essay writing contest this summer, taking home the $75.00 first place prize. Lydia was also chosen as her team's captain for her Eden Prairie Soccer Club team, going to state as well, ending up in the championship game and taking second place in her age division. She enjoys singing in the C.H.A.T. choir and on the youth group worship team, as well as taking piano from her Aunt Diane. She loved the mission trip to the Dominican Republic, serving the orphans and Dominican people...it was the first time on a mission trip for both Nathan and Lydia without Mom and Dad!








Nathan and Lydia in the "Prince of Darkness" skit
in the D.R.

Becca:

We can't believe our baby is in the double digits: 10 years old! Time flies too quickly! Becca is an enterprising young lady, in both her play and her real life. She loves to play office, where she runs multiple businesses, including a Caribou Coffee Shop that is set up in our play/bonus room. In her real life, she does the babysitting and dogsitting with Lydia, so the two of them definitely have the most expendable cash in the house. Becca is in 5th grade, so that makes her old enough to join the City Lights group for 5th and 6th graders...finally! (she has waited years to be in it, having watched Nathan and Lydia get to do all the fun stuff and outreach with the group.) She is on the puppet team for City Lights and was recently in the church children's Christmas play. Becca decided to try-out for the Eden Prairie Soccer Club, also, this year. She enjoys it a lot, especially since Daddy is one of her coaches! She has gotten very good at piano and is excited to be able to play songs she knows and can sight read new songs. It's been a different fall for Becca, with Lydia at C.H.A.T. parts of two days per week and Nathan at school all day.

Brad: Brad and the kids ready to go on our Superior Hiking Trail Backpack trip.

Brad is in his 21st year of teaching Social Studies in the St. Louis Park High School District. (who can believe it's been that long!?!) He continues to enjoy not only teaching the students, but coaching, as the head Girls' Track and Field coach, as well as the J.V. Girls' soccer coach. Brad's expertise is sought out also in the kids' Eden Prairie Soccer Club, where he coaches various teams of our children and runs Strength and Conditioning clinics for the club at large. With Teresa, he is active on the church's Missions' Oversight Team, E.O.T., and in a bi-weekly homegroup. Brad also has a monthly men's small group that he enjoys, as well as his regular Friday breakfasts with 3 other guys who have been teaching as long or longer than he has. His biggest change this year is having Nathan going to his school, being able to spend valuable time together in the car, in the classroom, and having lots of shared inside jokes, knowledge of students or teachers, and daily happenings.

Teresa:

Teresa and Lydia on the backpack trip in August.

Teresa continues to homeschool Lydia (8th grade) and Becca (5th grade) and is adjusting to not having Nathan at home during the day. (There were lots of tears from all 3 "girls" at the beginning of the school year!) She has added a couple more teaching duties to her schedule, in tutoring a Northwestern College P.S.E.O. class, Western Civilizations, on Tuesdays at C.H.A.T. and teaching two physical education classes on Wednesdays for another local homeschool Co-Op. She is on the church worship team with Nathan, playing on periodic Sundays. Lots of chauffeuring the kids to their events, E.O.T., homegroup, expanding her cooking horizons, and running the household take up the bulk of the rest of her time. She was able to squeeze in an excellent class taught by Chuck Porta this past year on the life of Paul the apostle. Teresa was also able to go to Oregon--by train, plane, and automobile-- in January to help celebrate her mom's 70th birthday, which was a blessing. Going on the backpack trip this summer was a great start of a dream to help other families work together on such outings and see the fruit of strengthening relationships through shared experiences and teamwork. Another highlight was singing special music at Brad's dad and wife's church over Thanksgiving with all the kids: Teresa on guitar/vocals, Nathan on keys/vocals, Lydia and Becca also on vocals...such a blessing!

We praise the Lord for His great faithfulness in our family and His tender mercies to us, which are new every morning! At this time of celebration and holidays, we pray that you will take the time to consider the true reason for this season, Jesus. May He fill your life with His love and glory so that your new year will be overflowing with true peace and joy. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

With much love,

Brad, Teresa, Nathan, Lydia and Becca