Saturday, December 20, 2008

Christmas Letter, 2008





Merry Christmas to all of our family and friends!






My mom is having me, Lydia, write the Christmas letter this year. I have sort of been procrastinating writing it, but I finally sat down to do it! So, here is a brief update on everyone:



Becca:




Becca is 11 years old and is in the 6th grade. She started going to the home-school co-op held in our church building called C.H.A.T. this year. Becca is enjoying it after watching her older siblings do that for so many years. Spanish, choir, and math are the classes she is taking there. She has been excelling in her math class especially, and had a solo in the Christmas choir concert. It has been a big change to be the only one at home with Mommy, but it also has it's rewards, such as being able to go to Starbucks more often! :) As well as piano, Becca continues to play soccer in the Eden Prairie Soccer Club. Making it to State in the summer was really fun, and I'm sure having a good coach (Daddy) helped too! :) This fall, Becca was pulled up to play in an overnight tournament with a higher level, which was very exciting! Being home-schooled gives her a lot of babysitting jobs, which makes it hard to do school at times, but she manages it!

















Lydia:




Lydia is 14 years old and is in the 9th grade. She now goes to school everyday with Nathan and Daddy, having open-enrolled to St. Louis Park High School. It has been a big adjustment, but it has been going well. Waking up every morning at 6 has been tough, but she has developed a routine that makes it easier! She also tested into the honors block, and is in the same Spanish as Nathan. Lydia tried out for the high school soccer team this fall, and made it onto Daddy's junior varsity team! That was fun for her to be with him, and playing soccer helped her to make some friends before school started. When the high school season ended, she started playing soccer with her E.P. team again. She continues to take piano lessons from Aunt Diane, and is in the school choir and on the youth leadership team at church. One major difference she has noticed about going to school is that she does not have the same cash flow that she used to have, being able to do jobs in the middle of the day, but God has been providing for her...at least enough for her to pay her phone bill every month! :)

















Nathan:



Nathan is 15 years old and is in the 10th grade, a sophomore at the high school. He has continued taking advanced classes in school and was elected for student council last year. Nathan has very good leadership skills, and student council and the youth leadership team for youth group at church are good outlets for that skill. His schedule can be a little crazy at times because of homework and sports. He played soccer for the high school this fall, and is going to make the switch for travel soccer from playing for Eden Prairie to St. Louis Park, as he will be able to play at a higher level at SLP. Nathan still takes piano from Aunt Diane and plays the keyboard, as well as sometimes singing, for the church worship team with Mom. It has been cool to see him use his piano skills to glorify the Lord! Nathan got his learner's permit last February and will get his driver's license in two months. SCARY! He is taking pottery at school, and it is fun to see his progress when he brings his projects home!



















Brad:




Brad (Daddy) is still at St. Louis Park High School, Teaching 9th grade Honors Civics and 11th grade World History. He now has two family members in class, Lydia(Me :) !) and cousin Megan. I think it has been fun for all three parties to be in class together. He also coaches JV Girls Soccer and Head coaches Track and Field. Last spring, he had a miler win state! That was very exciting! In the summer he coached Becca's soccer team, with Bri Johnson, family friend. He was not able to continue coaching her this year, though, because of hectic schedules. This fall, Lydia was on his soccer team, which was convenient because there was one less different schedule to try to coordinate. Brad is still part of his men's GOLF (Group of Loyal Friends) group, however Nathan calls it his GOLFTNTTEO (Group of Loyal Friends That Never Talk to Each Other) because they meet maybe once a month. He is apart of the E.O.T. group(missionary support) with Momma still, and runs speed clinics for E.P. soccer players as well.




Teresa:




Teresa (Momma, Mommy, Mom) had to go through the adjustment again of loosing one of her students to SLP, and has had more time to spend on herself and on Becca during the day. She taught the P.S.E.O. Western Civ. class again this fall, and will hopefully have enough students sign up for the second semester so she can teach it again! She teaches four different gym classes every other Wednesday to the same Co-Op as the year before. Teaching some of the younger classes can feel like herding cats at times, she says. Cooking and finding new recipes has become one of her favorite hobbies; the rest of the family enjoys her having that hobby because of all the good food she has been making! Many of her Christmas presents were new cooking gadgets that she needs to do more advanced recipes. :) She is still on the worship team at church on periodic Sundays. The whole family, minus Daddy, was in the worship team for the Christmas Eve service. Teresa helped organize a special number, "The Little Drummer Boy", that the family did with the Schulzs, family friends, and Ethan, cousin.



May God fill you with His peace and joy this Christmas season, and as we thank Him for the greatest gift ever, Jesus!


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!


God bless you!


Love,


Brad, Teresa, Nathan, Lydia, and Becca