I've been writing Christmas letters for years. Okay, sometimes, I skip a year and, often, my letters arrive after Christmas. A couple of years ago, I sent an Easter letter instead. No one seemed to mind. In fact, some people commented about how refreshing it was to receive a letter at a time when few other people send them.
 |
| Christmas, 2012 |
Sometimes, I wonder if Christmas cards and letters will soon become faint memories of a simpler time when people communicated via pen and paper rather than electronically. And then, I wonder if it really matters, as long as people make some effort to keep in touch. I certainly appreciate my Facebook connections, because I can keep up with people's everyday lives much better than I would without Facebook. And, I love the photos people post there.
This year, I am going to try something new. I'm going to compose this letter here on my blog, then send it via "snail mail" to friends and relatives who are not able to read it online. I'll do my best to keep it fresh! After all, how many years can I write that Bill and I both love our jobs and are really busy with them? I always say something about Bill's frequent travel all over the country and, occasionally, to places on the other side of the world. That never changes, it seems. Some things have changed this year, though.
 |
| Grandma Janet and Tobin |
Our oldest daughter, Erin, is about to graduate from Claremont (in California) with a doctorate in musicology. Her dissertation is done, and she is busily applying for jobs where she can use her new degree and hopefully move closer to all of us here in western Nebraska. In the meantime, she is still teaching upper level math and jazz band at Edgewood High School in West Covina, CA.
 |
| Erin |
Our newest member of the family is one of the biggest reasons that Erin wants to move closer. Our first grandson, Tobin Lee Stobel, was born on January 29. Toby is a little dynamo; he started walking at 7 1/2 months, and continues to move and grow and get into everything. His Dad, Andy still teaches German and Speech at Gering High School, but Meagan quit teaching for awhile to stay home with Toby. Meagan and Andy are also in the process of building a new house, so this has been an exciting year for them.
 |
| Andy and Meagan with Toby |
Victoria has had an eventful year, too. After waiting for what seemed like forever, she finally had major nose surgery in August at the Children's Hospital in Aurora, Colorado. Finally, her nose is straight, and she can breathe through both nostrils. She even had a cold this fall that did not turn into an infection, so the surgery achieved its goal. She started her sophomore year at Gering High School soon after having the surgery. School has been a bit of a challenge this semester, for many reasons, but we're all hoping for better things next semester. Marching band has been a new experience for her this year, and she also enjoys singing in the mixed chorus. And, Victoria absolutely loves her new nephew!
 |
| Victoria, Toby, and Meagan, with Jackson |
Levi and I both changed schools this year. The brand new Lincoln Elementary School, just four blocks from our house, was completed this summer. Gering's preschool program moved to the new school, so I'm based there now--and I'm certainly glad to be finished moving my classroom, yet again! We decided that this would be a good time to get Levi into our neighborhood school. We both enjoy our new, short commute. We try to walk to and from school at least a couple of days every week, whenever the weather cooperates and we don't have an appointment or lesson of some kind right after school..
 |
| The preschool wing and playground for our new Lincoln Elementary school. |
Levi is in the third grade this year. It took him a month or so to settle into the new school routine, but he's doing quite well now. He is hoping we can fit more swimming lessons into his schedule, now that we've gained a little more time after school. He really enjoys taking piano lessons and art classes after school, too, so those swimming lessons may have to wait for summer to roll around again.
"So much to do, and so little time."
 |
Bill and Levi love to go fishing
|
And, speaking of so much to do, this was the year we finally remodeled our aging kitchen
. It seemed to take forever, but it's finally done. A major kitchen remodel makes me appreciate things like running water and a working dishwasher and range. We survived!
 |
Our new kitchen
|
There have been so many years when allergies have prevented me from being able to sing at all in December, so, this month, I've enjoyed having enough voice to go Christmas caroling with my preschoolers and Cub Scouts and church friends. Our Christmas tree has been up since Thanksgiving, and I'm nearly done Christmas shopping. Erin will fly into Scottsbluff again on Friday, and then Christmas will be here.
 |
| Nativity, a gift from my Grandma Vawser many years ago. |
This week's school shooting in Connecticut has made many of us feel like Christmas has been overshadowed by tragedy. It's not the first time that national tragedy has struck so close to Christmas; December 7, 1941, comes to mind. As we mourn with so many families in Newtown, I am reminded that God sent his Son, Jesus, precisely because of events such as these. Even when our hearts are heavy, we can turn to the One who came to free us from sin's bondage. May Jesus, who has promised to bear our burdens, give you an abundance of his peace and joy this Christmas, and throughout the coming New Year.
Comments
Post a Comment