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Sunday, December 31, 2023

2023 in Review


One of these years we will send a Christmas letter that will be an actual physical letter and photo, but this year is obviously not that year.  I think we were too busy having fun!  

We still love the exercise of thinking back through a year and recounting the blessings of the Lord.  This year there have been many!  There have also been hardships along with the highlights, and while here you will just read the highlights, we are grateful that the Lord gives us His own presence and also faithful friends and family members who share our highs and lows.  You know who you are!

This year saw our oldest turn 30 and our youngest two graduate from college.  There was a mission trip to Greece, an epic graduation trip to Europe, and fun little trips to camp in Canada and to watch the Vols play in Alabama. 

Terry is still flipping houses but has changed his business model to renting first, then selling.  He also finally finished fixing up our basement apartment and Sprinter campervan to rent, and both efforts are going well!   This year Terry has taken up two new hobbies during the waterskiing off season- sculling a one-man boat and unicycling.  No injuries yet!  We are so blessed that the MS he was diagnosed with ten years ago continues to slow him down very little.

I am still working from home as a therapist to dyslexic students.  I see about ten students for one-on-one sessions about  twice a week and love the challenge of figuring out how each of their brains are operating and how to best help them. 

Rebecca and Joseph are still living in Virginia with their two small children (who shall remain nameless on social media).  Joseph got a nice promotion this year but is still hoping to relocate to East Tennessee when he gets the chance.  Rebecca does a little photography on the side but is mostly living her childhood dream of being a full-time mom of these two:


Nathan is still working as a nurse in the trauma ICU.  His big news this year is his girlfriend, Hannah, also a nurse and a sister of one of the guys in his Bible study.  He's got a big hiking trip to Machu Picchu planned for 2024. 


Caleb and Meredith have settled in Knoxville.  Meredith is working as a nurse in Oak Ridge, and Caleb took a job as a tax accountant with Pilot Oil.  They've renovated their kitchen this year.  They have been great babysitters to our dog, Piper, when we travel, but last week they got a puppy of their own - our first granddog - Rocky!


Noah graduated in May with a degree in theater and psychology (with minors in deaf studies and studio art).  He took a job with the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina  in Hilton Head, SC.  He’s been enjoying doing a lot of painting. 


2024 is going to start with a bang!  We are headed to Greece on January 10th to work at the Mavrovouni refugee camp on Lesvos.