by Dear Family and Friends:
Merry Christmas!
This year’s Christmas finds this writer sadly under-prepared to write the annual letter. What with the last-minute gift buying and marathon wrapping session that’s only now ended, it’s no surprise that this holiday missive is tardy and is, perhaps, destined to be a bit tawdry as well. Friends shouldn’t let me write whilst short on sleep, but seeing as how they’ve all gone to bed already, why shouldn’t I slip the leash a bit, eh?
2010 was an eventful year, right enough, although in truth it seems to have gotten off to a slow start. It must have – I don’t remember much happening in the first quarter of the year. Maybe I should have taken my Ginko Balboa this morning…
I distinctly recall running a half-marathon in March, which was about as much fun as it sounds. Happily I was in good shape and it was a great day to run. The next two days, however, would have been better spent in traction!
Mitch and Jake participated in power lifting at Iola High at the first of the year and have started workouts again for the new season. Both excel at the sport in different weight categories and have already lifted more than dear old dad ever did. If I’m not mistaken, Jake has bench pressed 320 pounds this year (and hopes to go higher, of course).
Over the summer David became a teenager on us, which seems impossible to believe. He’s such a good kid it’s almost like he didn’t turn into “one of themâ€! Meanwhile, the twins got their first jobs at the local pizza place and earned a fair amount of gas money, all of which has been rather efficiently turned into CO2 emissions via their ‘88 pickups.
Mitch was selected as drum major for the Iola band and attended a cool band leadership conference at Sam Houston State University in June while Jake was slinging pizzas (just like his old man did, back in the day) and David was spending a slow sales week with Grandpa and Grandma Woodfin in Fort Worth.
In July we went to Colorado to stay at the Horn Creek Lodge again. Mitch hiked the peak again – much faster without me to hold him up – while Dave and I did it at a much slower pace and got more than we bargained for in the form of a nasty lightning storm. On that subject, let me just say that it’s totally wrong to look down the mountain and see lightning flashing below you, even as you’re being bombarded by hail pellets above. There’s nothing like being in the cool of the mountains when it’s 100 degrees at home!
Fall in Iola is crazy with back-to-school activities, plus band and football. Mitch led the band to an excellent score this year and has high hopes for next year’s state competition. Jake and Dave both played football and their teams had good success as they posted winning seasons. This was particularly noteworthy for the varsity after having three tough seasons lately. Jake excelled at the middle linebacker position and at tight end, where he scored a long TD in the last game of the year at the home stadium.
Monica’s new school year has proven to be a challenging one in many ways. We pray for her to be able to work miracles in the lives of little kids who need it badly.
Marc continues to develop web applications for the Texas A&M University System and recently passed a milestone of sorts, picking up his 5-year plaque and making TAMUS the longest-lasting employer of his career to-date.
We all continue to be active at Iola Missionary Baptist Church. The boys went to a week-long camp with the youth group over the summer, along with various FCA and related activities, including a recent concert with Skillet and Toby Mac, which was excellent! Marc helps out with the youth once in a while and does things with the pre-teens as well while Monica handles the Sunday slideshow week in and week out.
Busy schedules and busy times, no? Sometimes it all seems to be too much to handle, honestly. But these are the days of our lives, lives that are ever-changing, often in ways we can’t predict or control, even if we want to. Life is, it seems, out of our hands.
At this special time of year, then, let us give thanks to God the Creator, both for our lives and for the gift of salvation, the blessing Jesus was born to give to us all.
Love,
Marc, Monica, Mitch, Jake, and David
