2001 Christmas Letter from Art and Ronda King
Greetings! Read on for 2001 highlights in our little family
Jan Bethani is off with the Ring of Fire Bell Choir to perform at the Presidential Inauguration in Washington DC.
Feb Brendens' basketball team won not a single game all season, but ended the year by winning their last game by one point. Caleb turns 5 and practices his imaginary hand bells every day.
March Elissa flies to Hawaii with a group of friends during Spring Break. Sierra, Hannah and Bethani each do fine on their yearly piano exam while Mom and Dad beam proudly.
May Willa's vocabulary takes off. Art completes a 100-year family time capsule. It features pictures, memoirs, stories, and DNA samples. The sealed capsule is supposed to be dug up and opened on January 1, 2100.
June The family journeys to Walla Walla for cousins Michelle Bechtel and Cody King senior graduation. Back at home the strawberries ripen, and full fields await the children's visits.
July Brenden, Sierra and Hannah enroll in the "Summer Splash" everyday swimming program at the nearby pool. Thirty-three family members enjoy a Rose family reunion at a mountain lodge near Leavenworth, WA. Sierra ends the month with a mouth full of braces
August Bethani with the Ring of Fire take their final tour to Palm Springs for an International Handbell convention. Caleb learns to ride a bike. Elissa goes off to Milo Academy for her Senior year. We take a wonderful camping trip to Lost Lake near Mt. Hood. Bethani and Brenden start 8th grade at TVJA.
Sep The morning of September 11th Ronda, Sierra, Hannah and Taylor were packed and ready for a flight to visit cousins in Washington DC. Instead we watch the TV, pray, and cry.
Nov Brenden is elected president of his 8th grade class. Sierra starts French Horn lessons. We trek to the desert and wake the children up at 2AM to see an amazing meteor shower. Elissa is home for a weekend along with six handsome high-school guys. After a car-key mix up, Elissa and six boys must get to church in Art's small two-door hatchback. These are NOT small guys, several well over six feet tall. As they drive along, crammed like sardines, they discuss what to say if stopped by the police: "But Officer, we are just on our way to church." "Oh SURE you are."
Dec Our tree is up and Russian Tea-cakes are in the oven - a real sign Christmas is here. We thank God for so many good things in our lives and children's lives this year. Best of Christmas joy to you!
Merry Christmas!
Favorite Books of 2001
Read-aloud with the children: Fields of Home by Moody, Old Mother Westwind by Burgess, May We Sleep Here Tonight by Koide, The Matchlock Gun by Edmonds
Art: Longnitude and Galileo's Daughter by Sobel Twins by Lawrence Write
Ronda: And Then I Had Teenagers by Yancy, Parnassus on Wheels by Morley
Brenden: SSN by Clancy, The Sword of Truth by Morris
Bethani: The Wakefield Dynasty series and Liberty Bell Series by Morris, More than a Carpenter by McDowell
Sierra: Bonnets and Bugles series by Morris, Canyon Winter by Morey, A Way Through the Sea by Elmer
Hannah: Number the Stars by Lowry, When the Soldiers Were Gone by Propp