Peace and Merry Christmas to all!

We have had a lot to rejoice about in 2009. I pray that your journey toward preparing a way for the Christmas this year has been fruitful. The journey of the Quads has been going well. At times we have made tremendous strides forward toward opening our hearts and ears to the word of God in our words and deeds. At other times our having hearts of stone and ears covered by earmuffs, but we are on a journey towards God. In the broader journey of 2009 we have truly journeyed.

We started out 2009 in Florida. What an experience to sit outside watching New Years fireworks at midnight wearing just a fleece with 1,000s of other revelers. It was the first time for us to celebrate for New Years in just a large celebration. Coming home from the Florida sun to the winter wonderland was a shock to our senses. Warmth is something we longed for after a long winter.

The warmth is what we experienced on our next journey. We traveled to the Atlantic coast of North Carolina during early August. Talk about warmth, nah heat is the better word. Staying on the coast it was beautiful, but if you go inland any distance you really feel the heat of summer. What a beautiful summer vacation spending good time with family in Marv’s home state. It would be pretty hard to beat the good memories of that summer vacation. That was not the extent of our journeys.

Little did we know in January we would be journeying to Oklahoma in November. Our son found a good opportunity in the U. S. Army to serve our country. So the family and my dad went off to Fort Sill, OK in November for his graduation from basic combat training (BCT). As parents were very fortunate to be able to promote him to Private First Class (PFC). In addition to being promoted he graduated from BCT in the top 10% of his class. Nothing is like Oklahoma in mid-November.

Our son graduated High School Engineering Academy in the spring, was a County Lifeguard during the summer, and went into the U.S. Army Reserves Corps of Engineers. His Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) is Plumber, or as he calls it 21kilo. He will have to learn to how to put up with poop literally and figuratively. He plans on attending university in the spring semester.

The girls journeyed from frosh to sophomores. They went from girls to ladies in their level of maturity. They are doing well in all aspects. They got their drivers license this fall, much to OUR surprise. Drivers licenses gives them level of freedom, this is yet another milestone on their way to adulthood. They is still very active in volleyball, basketball, track, cross country, dance, Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), the Waukesha Health Academy, school with choir, Students Opposed to Drugs and Alcohol (SODA), Peer Power, AP coursework and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) which is a college-readiness program.

We, as parents are so proud of all four of our children.

Peace and Merry Christmas to all of you!