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