Happy New Year!

We had a wonderful 2017!

As in "we wonder how it got so full".

Yes, the calendar was full, but with two high schoolers, we guess that's really no wonder. It's just an indication that our lives have been really full, full of opportunity, full of good challenges and a few perplexing ones, and full of the connections with people that come with the things we're involved in.  Our hearts are full.

We are doing most of the same things as last year, so we'll just give you the latest. If your new year is off to a really slow start, you can go back and refresh your memory!



Ben

He's 18, now a senior at Eastview HS, working on figuring out that college thing. We'll let you know next year how that turns out. Ben went 10-0 in his conference matches for the chess team this fall, while also enjoying his final season of football, and doing some special performances with the concert choir. He's been making some great memories!



Bethany

She's 16, a junior at Rosemount HS, still investing a lion's share of her time and energy into color guard for marching band. This year they were state champs, and went to Indianapolis for the Super Regional Championships (a change from St. Louis). The band had the honor of marching in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, and they had several once in a lifetime experiences during the few days they were there. Bethany's favorite memory besides the parade is seeing "Phantom of the Opera" on Broadway.



Lee

His age is irrelevant, except when he is rounding the bases after a good hit in softball, still one of his greatest pleasures. His work has been compounded with projects related to the Super Bowl coming to Minneapolis in a few weeks. He is beginning to see the fruit of many months of labor, and it will be nice for him when the crunch time is over.

Tracy

Her age is irrelevant, except when the senior discounts extend down into the "young people whose kids might think they're old" range.  Then she's happy to take advantage. She spent a lot of time this year doing high school senior photo sessions, and loved photographing kids we've known since they were little as well as some new ones.  She went to New York with our adventurous friend Janet to watch Bethany and the band in the big parade, and had a blast.



In other news...

Lee and Tracy enjoyed a trip across Michigan's Upper Peninsula, all the way to Mackinac Island, while the kids were on their mission trip in June.  We highly recommend!

Family travels included some (too) quick trips to Fargo, Duluth and Eau Claire for college visits with both kids.  We spent a fun day at Gooseberry Falls, and a night with Tracy's roommate from long ago when we went to Duluth. So nice to reconnect with her and her family! Also, a cabin weekend with friends in which Lee and Bethany discovered they have quite a knack for flyboarding, while Ben and Tracy excelled in the annual ice cream flavor creating contest.

Tracy's sister Dayna got married in November, so we celebrated with family from all over the country, a truly beautiful and festive occasion.

We just got back from visiting Lee's family in Georgia and Tracy's Dad and Jeannie in Florida over the holidays.  We are so grateful for the time we can enjoy together with them!

Wishing you and yours a year full of wonder--most of all, the wonder of God's grace and peace at work in your life!

With love,
Lee, Tracy, Ben and Bethany


Note: Thanks to Leanne Sandusky Williams for taking several of these photos of our whole family this year! Everyone needs a good photographer from time to time! :-)