As you might be able to guess from this photo, Kelly Jo and Dustin Haug bought a house this year (making Gramma Debbie and Grampa Dewey very happy; roots are being placed)! In other news: Kelly Jo took the first steps of doula certification, has launched a website (www.uffdadoula.com), and has been blessed to serve six families. Dustin started his 9th year of teaching at the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists and performed in several dance productions, including in the Fringe Festival. Anawynn, AKA SweetCheeks, turned 3 at a Princess Party, where all the guests got to be royalty.
Curtis and Abbey Roth are halfway through their 2nd year at Crown College, in St. Bonifacius, MN, where they are majoring in international studies (with emphases on cross-cultural ministry and humanities, and minors in pastoral leadership and worship, respectively). If you would like to make a financial investment in the life of ministry these two are preparing for, please consider participating in their GoFundMe campaign (https://www.gofundme.com/curtisabbeyfund). Curtis continues his youth and worship work at a small church in town, while Abbey is making the best coffee in Chanhassen. They are already looking forward to the fall semester of 2017 when they plan to be both studying and serving in the Dominican Republic!
Shonda and Johnathan Hall had two major changes in their lives this year. They moved from Arkansas to Travis Air Force Base in Northern California, and then, just a few weeks later, on September 28th, they were blessed with the birth of their healthy, cute-as-all-get-out son, Maverick Ethan! Gramma Debbie was able to fly out for a 10-day visit...just long enough to fall in love and make it terribly hard to go back to the Sacramento airport for the flight home. Another treat was having Shonda in Minnesota over Memorial Day weekend for a baby shower and much-longed-for visit with siblings.
Angel and Phillip Stanley, having moved to Elko in 2015, had a less-eventful calendar year. Jesse started attending an interesting preschool this fall, where they spend the majority of their time outdoors, and then he turned five on December 4th. Thomas (turning three in a month-and-a-half: February 15) has really amped up his verbal skills and has gotten used to being in daycare without his big brother. While Phil is still teaching art at Rosemount High School, there has been one big change: after 12 years of teaching first grade, Angel accepted a position of Reading Specialist at her school, so now, instead of riding herd over a classroom all day, she is spending time with a series of small groups of students as they come to her for her Master’s-degree-level help.
In April, Dewey went from being on a 9-month contract to Permanent Big Shot Employee with Ricoh...very grateful for the steady income! Also in April (maybe in March...I don’t remember) Giant Step Theatre’s founding director, writer, and Life Force, Pete Martin, let us know he was retiring and that February 2016’s production of Wizard of Oz was his last. We still don’t know whether there’s any future for Giant Step...it would take 3 or 4 people to take Pete’s place, even IF we could find someone with the needed skill sets...but the free time in September and October felt kind of nice, to be honest. We even took a trip together in October out to Debbie’s siblings in Wyoming...first time in 3 years! Debbie went to the speaker’s training conference in Grand Rapids, MI again (and has already signed up for 2017, but in the writer’s track), and I was able to “work from home” at Mom’s house. What a pair of blessings. Debbie continues to seek (and accept) speaking and singing opportunities. Please suggest her to anyone planning a women’s retreat or event (http://www.restinhimministry.com). Dewey continues to write a pair of blogs, one inspirational, one humorous. Please suggest them to anyone who knows how to read (http://www.almostthetruth.com).
Be well. Be at peace. BeYOUtiful. May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be filled with the love of Christ and family.
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