Big Year for Us.

2009 has been a busy year for us, I keep waiting for life to slow down but I guess it probably wont…it just evolves from one type of busy to another!

I’ll recap some of the activities of our lives and the comings and goings of our kids…

Nicole (age 23) graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in April. She has moved back home so that she can pay off her student loans, work and pursue a career in the real world! This is not really the best time for new college graduates to be entering the work force, as she finds herself qualified for many jobs, yet competing with others who have far more experience than she does. Although she has been employed since she graduated, she is struggling with “underemployment” in her field. She has worked in photography and graphic design (which is her major). She does freelance work on the side to keep things moving forward and would like to eventually have her own business. She has many friends and enjoys socializing, and it’s been different but fun having her home after her being gone for 5 years!

Sean (age 21) returned home from serving his two year mission in October. It has been really nice having him home. He left for Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah on January 2. He would like to study Molecular Biology and eventually hopes to go into medical research. He is enjoying good health, which we consider a great blessing in his life. One day he would like to find a cure for something (I wonder what that would be?!!!)

Troy (age 19) spent a year away from home attending school in Idaho at the Brigham Young University campus in Rexburg. He submitted his application papers and left in September to serve his mission in the Cauayan, Philippines Mission. He trained for two months learning the Tagalog language in the Provo, Utah Missionary Training Center. He was still there when Sean came home so Sean was able to go see him in Provo before Troy flew out to the Philippines!

Olivia (age 10) is enjoying her last year at the elementary school…she is in the 5^th grade and this fall she ran for the office of student body secretary, which she was elected to! She is a very positive role model for the kids in her school and was recently recognized as the student of the month at a luncheon that was put on by the Auburn Noon Lions Club. She was recognized with the City of Auburn Mayor present, as well as other community leaders! She continues to take piano lessons which she enjoys very much! She has also started taking ballroom dance classes once a week. She definitely enjoys the dance class more than the piano lessons because she gets to socialize with other little people her age!

Dave is still employed at Boeing, which we are grateful for. He and I both appreciate the blessings of having good health and of having kids that we can be proud of! After 23 years of being a “stay at home mom” I decided to take on a few hours a day of work at the Auburn School District. I worked last spring as a para educator and was offered a 6.5 hour a day position. After finishing out the school year I decided that I wanted to scale back on my hours so that I could still focus on my family. This fall I have been cashiering for a couple of hours a day at the school cafeteria! It’s definitely been different going out to earn a little bit of money but it is nice to be able to have flexibility in my day as I continue to be involved with our kids!

We hope and pray that you are doing well and enjoying good health. May God bless you with a wonderful holiday and health and happiness the new year.

With Love,

Dave, Andrea, Nicole, Sean, Troy and Olivia