Christmas letter 2013

Luke's senior photo

What he actually looks like (and my favorite)

WOW. This year has gone by so fast, it feels like it should still be August. Our big event was last summer's trip up the east coast, starting with a week in Duck, NC on the Outer Banks, followed by a few days in Washington DC and then north to Nova Scotia with my parents. We visited five colleges for Luke, and had many adventures on the way, culminating in a mini-reunion with my brother's family while we were in Nova Scotia. It was a great time.

Roger: has now completed a full year in prison. (We still think it's funny to say that.) He spent most of his time guarding the jewels of humanity in Special Management Unit, or the part of prison where you go when you can't follow directions, and is now working in administration. His bailiwick is disciplinary and standards/compliance, which means he doles out consequences for prisoners who've had disagreements with authority, and makes sure the prison as a whole is compliant with national standards. He loves living at home and has been busy with projects - installing a beautiful hickory floor on our main level, putting in a new Trex deck and overhauling a Chevy Blazer for Luke.

Me: I'm teaching 7th grade at Academy; they are a really great bunch of students and pretty high fliers academically. I'm teaching accelerated language arts and pre-algebra and learning as much as the students (at least about math.:) Our school was named a 5-star school this year, and was the only school in the state to achieve both yearly progress and over 90 percent passing on our state standardized testing. We moved into our new middle school wing last month and it is awesome to be under the same roof and out of portables.

Luke: Half-way through his senior year and hockey season already!! Last summer he spent running his own lawn care business  and stocking our freezer with enough salmon to feed a small army.  He's interested in aeronautical engineering and applied to six schools all over the US, and one in Canada. Right now, it looks like it's between Iowa State and a private college in Texas called LeTourneau, both known for very good engineering depts., and both of which have given him substantial scholarships for grades and SAT scores. He'll make a trip to visit both this spring. I'm excited for him, and dreading sending him out into the world. We will miss him so much...

Mary Grace: She is in eighth grade this year, her final at Academy. She's playing on a comp volleyball team and taking voice lessons, as well as performing in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at our church this season. She remains the most patient child in the house, and the biggest help. She's looking at attending Palmer High next year and diving into the strong drama/music program that's there.

Nate: He's in second grade at Academy and spends most of his time talking or bouncing around. He is an Angry Birds prodigy and becoming a fluent reader. I'm very glad I have my Nate to console me as Luke moves on to bigger and better things. :)

This has been a blessed year for us, and we hope for you too! Merry Christmas and Happy 2014!!