Christmas 2007

Dear Ones,

Well, it is almost Christmas Eve and I still have a few presents to get, Christmas Eve service and dinner (it’s a Brainerd chili year!), green goop to make (don’t ask – it’s an old family recipe), and I’m just starting to write our Christmas letter! I bet all of you are completely done and resting in the joy of the season. No???? Well, there is always next year to finally be organized and on top of it all! Hope springs eternal!!

Starting with the youngest, Sam has grown 5 inches since coming home 2 years ago! He still continues to charm and make us all laugh with his quick wit. He is doing pretty well in school, especially considering “it’s soooooooo boring!” This year’s struggle is Geometry – which is unfortunate because neither Glen nor I ever even took it! But God continues to resource us in large and small ways and He has provided Paul (McConnell) to tutor Sam. We think maybe Paul is working harder at it than Sam! Sam has joined JROTC, having consistently told us he wants to go into the Army after high school – well, now he says the Navy. The youth group decided to sponsor and host a community Thanksgiving dinner this year and Sam voluntarily was at the church at 5 am and worked all day. He is great with little kids and adores his Grandpa Brainerd. What could be better!

Jessica is thoroughly enjoying the perks of American life – the makeup, the shopping, the professional pictures! She has continued to work at Kohl’s and has reaped the rewards of gainful employment: a laptop computer and a trip back to Russia to visit family and friends. She graduated with honors from high school – a feat no one thought she would be able to do - and is starting college next month. Her latest new experience is learning to drive! It’s also her dad’s latest “experience.” Prayer would be helpful! Seriously, she seems to have really started settling into her life here since returning home from Russia and we are proud of her many accomplishments. Plus she now loves cheeseburgers and is okay with Mexican food! Thank you Lord!!

Nathan has turned 20! No really, he did! We weren’t sure at times that he would make it to 20, but we also aren’t sure what happened to that adorable baby we had yesterday! He still adores all things Disney and anything that has to do with the ocean. He loves having a sister and tolerates a pesky brother pretty well! Overall, we see some progress in his maturation due to having siblings and two other teenagers in the house. He has a really good heart and is a joy to us.

As usual, I (Cyndy) travel the most and have had an eventful year in that department. My sister and I started off the year by visiting my parents in Florida and even got to see my brother and two of his kids. Aunt Beth and I both are working on our nephew, Thomas, to turn him into a Chargers fan – so far to no avail! In May I went back to Philadelphia to celebrate my favorite 7-year-old’s birthday, Olivia! I went with a bad allergy attack which turned to bronchitis and I got stuck there for a week longer than planned. Finally, in November, I attended the wedding on my brother and met my new sister-in-law and her four children. Our family is expanding at a fast clip! One of the best parts (sorry Don!) was getting to spend time with my niece, Morgan, who is a Navigator missionary at U of Minnesota.

As a family, we all traveled to Philadelphia to eat the REAL Philly Cheesesteak, see the Liberty Bell, New York City with the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and stand in line for DAYS to go up in the Empire State Building, and, oh yeah, visit the Clark family! That was great for all of us! Sam flew to Florida in August – a superb time of year for Florida – to spend two whole weeks with his grandparents and uncle and family.

For Glen and me the best part of the year was celebrating our 30^th anniversary in Lake Tahoe with NO teenagers (our eternal thanks to Aunt Beth, Uncle Frank and Cyndy’s parents!). We liked it sooooo much, we went back in October to spend time with Scott and Terisa ----- again with NO kids! It’s a toss-up whether it was the scenery or the no kids part that made it heaven on earth!

Glen and I continue to try to keep up and yet be open to whatever or wherever God leads us. We continue to be amazed by the many and varied blessings with which God has showered us. Mostly we are truly grateful for each of you. You have added more to our lives than you can imagine. We hope each of you experience a blessed new year!