Meet the Fam

Rather than write an "About" page, I'm just repackaging our last family Christmas letter.

So settle in with a cup of coffee, and meet the fam (sorry-I'm using aliases to protect my minor children!).

Was it Really Twenty Years Ago?

Who’da thought -- we not only made it, but we’re having a great time at it, even after all this time! We have spent many hours lately looking back on (can it really be?) twenty years’ worth of pictures. What a hoot! (Don’t laugh, you are in some of them, with hair as big as ours was!) We still thank our parents and grandparents for modeling the type of grit it takes to make it, and for their faith and prayers for a couple of love-struck kids back in 1985!

Baby Ruthie, 2, is in the Golden Age of Bathtub Pictures, so we would be remiss not to include this one. Definitely the baby, she keeps us constantly entertained with her ever-growing vocabulary of “big kid” inspired words such as “coo” (cool) and “ottem” (awesome). Favorite activities: chewing gum and skipping.

Annie, 4, makes daily use of our rag-tag assortment of thrift-shop dress-up clothes. Most days she’s a princess getting ready to marry Daddy, who can do just about anything. After an unfortunate incident with the scissors (photo not included here!), she asked, “Can Daddy get me some magic gel so my hair can grow?“ Prized possession: “gip” (lip) gloss.

Libby, 8, is in second grade. Loves learning and reading (just started the Narnia series, again). Keeps busy with softball, volleyball, and basketball. Like her mom, Libby likes power tools, and she made some serious money this fall mowing, blowing and leaf-hogging. On her Christmas wish list: spy gear. Most importantly, she loves Jesus, and, with Allie and Neal, was baptized this summer.

Neal, 11, is in fifth grade. Neal’s guitar is never far from him – when we can’t find him, he’s usually holed up in his room working up a song. Of course, now that he has an electric guitar, we don’t lose him all that often anymore. Rides his bike and skateboard everywhere. Favorite sport: baseball, where he plays catcher.

Allie, 12, is in sixth grade. After homework, attention turns to emailing her friends mysterious messages such as: ”waz ^” and “lol.“ Chief resident baker (newest specialty: flaky-crust apple pie). Allie also enjoys photography, crocheting, volleyball, and ice skating. Best of all: she can babysit!

We are still pinching ourselves – how did twenty years fly by so quickly? Dennis is still recruiting by day; coaching and tickling kids’ bellies by night (the blogging starts around midnight). I am still trying - sometimes in vain - to manage the comings and goings of seven people all under one roof (or on Sundays, in one car!). Multitasking has taken on new meaning for us this year, with two in public school, one in a university model school, one in dress-up clothes, and one in diapers. It’s messy, but it works (I like my version of Proverbs 14:4: “Without children the house is neat.”). We both love teaching our newlyweds Sunday school class - it has been the best thing ever for keeping our own marriage on the front burner of life.

Through the years, God has been so faithful to bring people alongside us - you’ve encouraged us to keep building on the strong foundation of God’s Word. Thank you. We can’t do it alone.

Our door is always open…please come see us - the coffee’s always on, and I bet we could even talk Allie into whipping up some pie! As always, we pray you’ll live 2006 knowing all we have comes from above.