Dearest Family & Friends, December 16, 2011
Merry Christmas to you! I am so excited to be writing this letter to you! This year has been an exciting year for us. We have had challenges, risks, changes and fun all of which have resulted in many blessings!
Melanie graduated from preschool and started Kindergarten this fall. I know, I know, really?! Yes, really! She is five. She enjoys school, is a great student and is starting to read. Her teacher says she is a delight and I must agree, despite her strong-will sometimes in matters relating to eating her meat and brushing her teeth. She enjoys performing, whether is dancing on a stage in front of hundreds of people; which she has done twice this year, or singing with her classmates in school and church programs. People tell me she is definitely a performer and entertainer. She tells us often that she wants to grow up and do Riverdance, the Irish clogging style of dance. Most of the time we find her, blasting her music and dancing or singing her own original songs while playing with her dolls. She played soccer this fall, and immediately took the position of goalie, even though in her age group they don’t play with one. When the other team, would be swarming the ball and taking it down the field, she would run around the swarm and take her position in the goal to protect it. I am not sure if she will want to be a goalie forever, since she really enjoyed scoring goals too.
In April, after much prayer, worry, fretting on my part and encouragement and help on Jason’s part, I decided to resign from Homegrown Organic Farms and start my own produce sales company, Creekside Organics, Inc. It was an agonizing decision, but it was one of the best decisions I have ever made in furthering my career. All of my growers, customers and even my employer were supportive. It also has given me the opportunity to be working in Bakersfield full-time, so I am able to take and pick up Melanie from school, volunteer in her classroom, go to the gym and have lunch during the week with friends. I have enjoyed having this extra-time to do these wonderful things and the challenges of being a business owner are fresh, new and thrilling! Jason is still a pest-control advisor for Paramount Farming and doing his thing with almond, pistachio and pomegranate trees. In fact, right now he is headed to Fresno County to sign a permit on some new acreage his company acquired. That makes his territory span three counties!
In August, Melanie and I visited with my family in Iowa. We were able to meet for the first time, my niece, KellyAnne. She is an absolute joy! Kaylee, Katlyn & Kelsey, are growing up into beautiful girls and Johnny is a mini-replica of his Daddy. Melanie had a great time with her cousins and enjoyed participating in their activities at the county fair. She also enjoyed the kittens and horses at Grandma’s and Pappa Craig’s. After our Iowa vacation, Jason, Melanie and I went to Seattle, Vancouver and Vancouver Island, British Columbia. We enjoyed the Pacific Northwest a great deal. All the trees and scenery were beautiful. We took our first ferry ride, went kayaking on the sound and watched bald eagles soaring above us along the ocean. Melanie enjoyed the aquarium and seeing lighthouses.
In August, we decided to follow a pastor of ours and join his new church. We are both serving
the Lord at our new church, Rock Harbor and we are excited to see God’s kingdom grow.
Last week, my parents were here visiting us and it was such a joy to see them and have them make special memories with Melanie. Mom and Dad were able to see Melanie perform with her dance group at the Kern County Museum (they were dressed as angels), her class at school, where each of the kids wore light-up red noses and sang Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer, and at church, where the kids sang a song about a baby
Jesus and a noisy, scratchy stable. Mom and Dad helped us build a shed in the backyard, and Dad insisted that an extra 4 feet be added as a play house for Melanie complete with a loft. It was so nice to see my Dad no longer in pain, his hip replacement surgery this spring went very well.
We are happy and relieved to report that Jason’s mom, Lynda is recovering well from major surgery this past May and is feeling better than she has felt in years. Dave is doing well as an athletic trainer and is even graciously helping me get my butt in shape! We pray that you will have a Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year!
Love, Brenda
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