CHRISTMAS 2007

Dear Family and Friends,

As 2007 comes to a close, we look back on a full year.  Our children are growing up, and Duke and Elizabeth are settle into their professions.

Anna (16 yrs) is now a Junior in high school.  She remains very studious and has joined the very fine choir at the high school this year.  She continues to play piano and is a high purple belt in Karate.  Anna, Ben and Sarah all play in the hand bell choir at church as well as sing in the youth choirs.  Anna traveled for a second time to Cuba this summer and enjoyed strengthening those friendships.

Ben (15 yrs) is a Sophomore in high school and has settled into an active social life.  He auditioned for the Wind Ensemble at shoool and is one of 3 tubas in this 40 member group.  He continues with his guitar lessons.  He and Anna went to Colorado on a mission trip in July where they repaired homes.  He is also a purple belt in Karate. 

Sarah (12 yrs) is now in the 7th grade and comfortable in the middle school.  After 7 years of gymnastics, she hung up her leotards this year after competing at State.  She is playing violin and enjoying her free time.  Sarah traveled to the Florida Keys this summer with her maternal grandparents.  She also had a great time at a middle school ecumenical camp in Wisconsin last August.

Jonathan (10 yrs) is in the 4th grade and has started learning the bass violin.  He also joined a local treble choir and has enjoyed the chance to sing even more.  Jonathan also sings in the church choir and plays chimes.   He joined Sarah this summer at the Baptist Church Musicians camp in Wisconsin, staying with their maternal grandparents.  Jon is an orange belt in Karate.

Rebecca (4 yrs) is in nursery school and looks forward to her 3-day-a-week class.  She had a great time in swimming lessons at the YMCA last summer and fall.  Rebecca loves drawing, painting, and singing songs to her baby sister.  She is very accomplished in signing her name, filling in the open spaces in many letters of her signature.

Rachel (1) has a natural affinity for music, bobbing her head up and down whenever she hears a good beat (radio, CD, Ben's guitar).  Having opted out of the traditional baby crawl, she carries on her Papa's and Uncle Gordon's baby scoot.  she get around very nicely and quickly.  Rachel is curious about everything and indicates her interest in something with a royal sweep of her arm.

Elizabeth continues in private practice with her two colleagues.  After almost three years the practice continues to grow.  Elizabeth looks forward to next year where, after bringing in a medical practice consultant, new options will be evaluated and adopted.  She continues her passion for cooking, always looking for the oddly colored or shaped vegetables and fruits at the local farmer's market.

Duke survived a round of lay-offs last February and his department moved to better lab facilities (though worse outside amenities) closer to the main corporate park.  Abbott soon recognized its error in cutting Duke's group by 50% (the group discovers about 70% of the chemicals that feed Abbott's drug discovery pipeline) and so most of the headcount will be restored by next year.  Duke mostly reads and continues his passion for hating to wash dishes.

We wish a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you.