Newsletter

In my effort to not stress out about things and overwhelm myself this past Christmas season, some things didn't get done on time... this newsletter is one of them :)



2009 was kind of a big year for us.  It started out with me planning a "COA Retreat" in which people at all levels of the our agency came together to work on our self-study... the biggest step in the reaccreditation process with the Council on Accreditation.  While the retreat was not all what I though it would be, it was a valuable learning process for me, as well as a chance to "bond" with some of my coworkers.

The first 3 months of the year, Tim was quite busy at work, helping to stage a huge project that would eventually be shipped to Saudi Arabia.  There were many MANY late nights and weekends working in order to get it out the door, but they did it.  Tim was privileged to be there when they shipped it and to help clean the facility they had to rent to stage it in... somehow I don't think he minded the cleanup.

In April, Tim began his frequent travels to the Kindgom, with trips lasting 2-4 weeks at a time.  I did my best to keep busy, and I am so thankful for my friends, co-workers, and church members who were so helpful and supportive while Tim was gone.  It saw very clearly in many ways how the Lord is with me ALWAYS.  HE is my protector and provider...He just lets Tim help Him out :)

In between trips overseas, we managed to make a couple of trips home for a wedding and two graduations.  Tim's sister Emily and my brother, Sven, both graduated from high school this year.  We also made it out to Nebraska over the 4th of July weekend (leaving right after I mailed our COA self-study) to visit with family.

Other highlights of my summer include a weekend trip to Indianapolis to catch up with some good friends from college, and also a weekend trip to Britt, IA with my friend Katie to participate in my first-ever walking race.  We spend the remainder of the weekend at Lake Okobojii, getting very sunburnt :)

In August, once Tim's travel schedule finally slowed down, we bought a house.  Septemeber was a very busy month of packing, preparing to move, and also preparing for our COA site visit-- a 4 day visit from "peer reviewers" who read our self-study and came to interview people and tour facilities at all 5 campuses.  The visit went very well, and at the end of the week, Tim and I moved into our new home!

October brought us another new adventure-- Jynx, a two-year old cocker spaniel that we adopted.  While she definately has had challenging moments (LOTS of accidents, fleas, and general mischief) she has been such a blessing to me, especially as Tim continues to travel quite a bit.  She's my little side-kick that always wants to "help out"... especially when I'm in the kitchen.

For Thanksgiving we flew out to visit Tim's family in PA and had a great time visiting them, as well as other family and friends.  We packed a lot into that weekend, but it was relaxing and didn't feel rushed.  Christmas week was spent in Ohio with my family, and it was a full week of our annual Holiday Table Tennis Tournament, dinner and games with lots of friends, and sleeping around the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve.

We certainly have a lot to be thankful this year...steady jobs that we enjoy, a new house, a new job, faithful old friendships, as well as blossoming new ones, FABULOUS family that loves and supports us continually, and the unending grace and assurance that Jesus Christ is our advocate, and that He has NEVER failed us.

We pray that as we enter the new year, we will walk faithfully beside our Lord and do the work He puts before us cheerfully.  We know that to whom much is given, much is expected, and the Lord certainly has given us many blessings, so please pray that we will be faithful stewards of His treasure.

May God bless you in the new year!