1998 Family News from Ronda and Art King
Merry Christmas from our little tiny family! Here are some newsworthy events from our year.
Dec. 31, 97: At 6PM New Year’s Eve we said, "Yes, we will take him!". At 9PM our new son, 10-day old Theron, arrives at our house! What joy! * The story of Theron's Adoption
Jan: Ronda & Theron fly to Phoenix to visit her parents. An ice storm and a power outage bring adventure.
Feb: We enjoy a fine piano concert by Michael Allen Harrison. We spend 4 wonderful days at a winter cabin on Wallowa Lake.
Apr: We celebrate Ronda’s birthday, Bethani’s gift to her Mom is taking Theron’s night feeding. Hannah learns to ride a bike. Ronda attends her UCA alumni weekend. We enjoy the Easter sunrise service at Bald Peak. We go spring skiing with 4 older children. Elissa enjoys her school trip to Washington DC. Bethani and friends stage a fine play. There is an outdoor Jell-O fight at Brenden’s birthday party.
May: Art’s company moves to new office and throws a party. The family visits Elonni’s grave and remembers what would have been her 13th birthday. Elissa travels to Vancouver BC with her school bell choir.
June: We proudly celebrate Elissa 8th grade graduation and soon after take a memorable vacation to Riggins Idaho were we white-water raft down the Salmon River, and enjoy time with Art’s parents and brother Larry and family. Later we tent-camped with our church friends at Merwin Lake. Once during the weekend Ronda mentioned that she felt a sore throat coming on. Art delivered a stern lecture to her that it was simply out of the question for a Mother of eight children to get sick on a camp trip. She dutifully listened to the sermon and stayed well until after we got home.
July: The twins spend a week at Big Lake camp. Sierra goes to Tillikum camp. Brenden harvests his onions. Bethani enjoys her music camp.
Aug: We enjoy a day at Detroit lake with a rented jet ski. We receive Theron’s adoption court decree* and have a celebration with our forever son. The children enjoy their annual swimming lessons. Taylor swallows so much pool water he throws up and they chase everyone out of the pool – twice. We host a Rose family reunion with 29 people at our house for five days.* Three generations, with all 20 Rose grandchildren attend. We have a Music fest and late-night marathon basketball game.
Sep: Bethani has the opportunity to tour Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru with her Grandparents and Uncles. They share many awesome experiences, including a visit to Macchu Picchu.
Oct: Theron takes his first steps. We can 172 quarts of applesauce. Annual children’s portrait taken.*
Nov: Our Thanksgiving celebration is extra joyous with Grandpa Frank & Grandma Lauretta joining us. We cut a Christmas tree and the house fills up with Christmas delights. We can’t wait to celebrate the Birthday of Jesus.
Wrap-Up
A new baby boy arriving New Year’s Eve reminds us how very Blessed we are. Theron has added immeasurable joy this year. Elissa and Brenden are attending and enjoying school at Tualatin Valley Junior Academy. The other children are sharing homeschool experiences. Bethani excels at her piano and oboe. Caleb’s soft singing voice is heard as he shadows his mother. Thank you for your friendship. Our warmest Christmas Greetings with Love.
Merry Christmas from Art, Ronda, Elissa (15), Brenden (11), Bethani (11), Sierra (8), Hannah (6), Taylor (4), Caleb (2), and Theron (1)
Merry Christmas!
Favorite Books of 1998
Read-aloud with the children: Paris Underground by Etta Shiber, The Carp in the Bathtub, They Loved to Laugh, The Day Lincoln was Shot by Jim Bishop, The Chronicles of Narnia (with Sierra, Hannah, and Taylor), Molly’s Pilgrim, In Search of Perlas Grandes
Art: On my Own at 107 by Sadie Delaney, A Bully Father: Theodore Roosevelt's Letters to His Children, Stones from the River
Ronda: The Color of Water by James McBride, The Power of Mother Love by Brenda Hunter, Jan Karon Mitford series