2009 Christmas Letter

I decided that since this year I made the Christmas card so bulky that I would just post my Christmas letter here for you all to read.

     Not much has changed for Steve & I.  Steven is still at Walkers and keeps himself busy with his computer business and the rental.  I am still homeschooling the 4 I have left and designing web-sites and blogs.  I also still have my Stampin' Up! business.

Heath and Lois are still living in Nebraska and have blessed us with a beautiful grand-daughter.  On July 31 Miss Katie Lynn Rippentrop weighed in at 9 lbs and 20" long.  You can see lots of pictures of her by clicking Katie in the labels on the sidebar.  So I guess that is one thing that has changed.  We are now Grandpa and Grandma and loving it!

     Kaleb will be 19 in  February and is now a freshman at Ambassador  Bible College in Lattimore, North Carolina.  He is majoring in Pastoral Ministries.  It is hard having him so far away but he is in God's Will and that is the main thing.  He is working in the kitchen and as a mechanic to pay his tuition so he is busy, busy, busy.  It will be tough not having him home for Christmas.  May will not come soon enough!

    Garrett is 14 and in the 8th grade. I think he gets taller every day.   He loves to be behind the camera and is always taking pictures.  When we took Kaleb out to N.C. we took the long way home through Nebraska.  :) We hit 11 states in 11 days.  We visited about 5 or 6 zoos.  Garrett took over 400 pictures.  New Lisbon allowed the home school kids to play Jr. High sports this year so Garrett was able to play football.  He really enjoyed it.  Jr. High wrestling starts in just a few weeks and he is really looking forward to that.  He was in honors band again this year with his trombone and I really enjoy listening to him play.

     Levi is 10 years old and in the 4th grade.  He loves to play soccer.  He has the biggest imagination.  While we were in Tennessee this summer we visited some battlefields and plantations.  I believe Levi could actually see the battles going on.  He is big into history and loved seeing these places first hand.  Levi went forward and was baptized in the beginning of December.  He wanted to show obedience to Christ and publicly follow Him in believers baptism.

     Seth is now 8 years old and in the 2nd grade.  He has grown bit  by bit and keeps us all on our toes.  He loves his bucket hats.  I think he now has about 6 of them and always has to have one on.  He loved all of the zoos we visited and learned so much about the animals.  Since his favorite is the dinosaur he loved to visit the lizard houses.  He was very happy for me that I got to see a panda in real life. He knows they are my favorite.  He has a very big heart!

Shelby is now 7 years old and in the 2nd grade.  Girls are so much different to raise then boys!!!  Even though she is the youngest she likes to be in charge. She is such a princess.  She loves to read and reads everything!  She started taking piano lessons at the beginning of the year and is enjoying that.  Shelby played soccer for the first time this last spring and cannot wait until the season starts up again.

     Even though I seem to be running every which way with my children I thank God daily for the children that He gave me.  I am thankful for the way they look out for each other and the ways in which God made them different.  Most of all I am thankful that they have all excepted Christ as their Savior. 3 John 1:4  "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."  Only true Joy comes from God.  I pray you have the true Joy of God this season and for eternity.

Love,
Steve, Debbi, Kaleb, Garrett, Levi, Seth & Shelby

Band Concert

So this week is program after program. Monday night we attended Garrett's band concert. I once again forgot the video camera so I taped it with my digital camera. This is the Middle School Band.

Christmas Program

 

Our Instrumental group.  They play with the congregational singing on Sunday nights.  They range from all ages 5th grade - adult.

 

Our Teen group singing.

 

Garrett saying his part.

 

Seth saying his part (Shelby's picture did not turn out)

 

Hannah( Shelby's best friend) Shelby & Seth singing

O' Little Town of Bethlehem.

 

Levi Saying his part.

 

Levi's class.

Levi's Baptism

Levi was baptized this morning. Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Katie

Heath sent me this picture this morning via text. Boy is she growing fast. She will be 3 months old at the end of the month.

Final Game

Ok, I promised pictures and special thanks to my friend Susan who walked the side lines taking these pictures as I sat in the bleachers. Wow, was this a great game and it was hard to choose just a few pictures.

Garrett is on the far left.

Can you find him?

Garrett is right in front. You can almost see his #5


He would be the one taking a nap...

Front Right hand side

I think Susan just held the button down to get the pictures in the slide show, but I am so glad that she did!


His team was very happy! (the gray gloves are him)

He even towers over the ref...

Myles, Garrett & Johnny

Birthday Parties

So Saturday Levi & Garrett had a double birthday party. Each of the boys were allowed to invite 4 of their closest friends. I think 8 extra energy boys in the house for the day was more than enough. They all behaved very well and from what I saw, had lots of fun!

Of Course Levi wanted to have an army theme party...what is a "Levi" party without weapons? You can tell his friends know his taste too as they brought him new guns for his gifts. They insisted that I allow him to open them right away so that they could use them to play with.

Garrett had his friends over to play some paintball in the woods. They take it very seriously!

Here the 2 groups meet up...nerf guns against paintball guns. It is so good to see the big boys are not bothered when the younger kids want to do things with them.

This year Levi chose a Transformers Pinata. They had quite a bit of fun bashing it. They actually were more interested in breaking it up then they were in the candy inside.

When the rain sent them inside (and the chocolate mint pie and Rootbeer Floats) they took over the family room and the Wii. We have enough nerf guns to go around!

After the younger kids went home, the teens decided to hang around and play tackle football in the mud while it was raining. I checked on them when ever I heard a loud scream. ;) There was bloody noses and footballs in trees but they were always laughing and having a great time. The party was officially over at 5 but these boys finally went home shortly after 8. I am so thankful for the godly friends God has placed in Garrett's life!

Garrett Football

Garrett is number 5. He wasn't hard to find this year since he towered over most of the other 7th & 8th graders.

You cannot see his number here, but he is the one hitting the other teams guy.

Captains meet. Garrett is far side.

They tied against Royall 12-12 in their first game.