Hello friends & family!
We hope this letter finds you well! We have been so blessed to have you as a part of our lives, and you are in our hearts and prayers daily.
Our 2018 has stretched and grown us all. Last year, I compared our year to riding a unicycle on a tight wire. This year, I felt like it was a bit more like a bullet train, hurtling towards the future. Alas, my efforts to slow time down have been all for naught! So I've had to change strategies in order to accept the track we are on....I'm learning that the best way to win at life is to make the most of moments when you have them. Here are some of our moments we'd like to share with you!
Bronius has been enjoying his projects at work, and his time playing in our community symphony. He is the patient caretaker that brews the morning coffee, tends to our plants and animals, and math homework meltdowns. And maybe some of Julia's meltdowns too. A highlight for him this year was working with a group of men from our Focolare group this December in working with Habitat for Humanity to construct a playhouse for a family in need, which the children painted together. He is especially looking forward to our upcoming trip to West Texas, where we hope to re-enact the trip we took as newlyweds 15 years ago, staying at the CCC built Indian Lodge to hike the Davis Mountains, visit the McDonald Observatory, look for the Marfa Lights and enjoy the vastness of nature together - this time, with the boys!
Julia became part of a new studio community this year and is teaching a class centered on physical training by using dance fundamentals. It is a happy and creative learning curve to be on, and she is enjoying it immensely! Julia enjoys helping at the boys' 3 schools whenever possible, on field trips and coming to events, and loves helping on the youth group meal team. One highlight from this past year was the trip to the beach over Thanksgiving break which was such a fun and relaxing haven of reconnection time for the family. Other highlights are the bible study she helps coordinate and the book club she makes it to once a year (new years resolution to be continued!!!) She is most frequently seen driving the van all over creation - taking people to school and activities, and is strangely looking forward to Dominic getting his driver's license in 2 years so she can have some back up! ;)
Dominic has grown about a foot taller and maybe 10 years older since the summer. We don't know how it happened!!! But he is the same sweet, polite, considerate, honest young man that we have always known. The teen years have been gentle on us, so far! Dominic is a straight A student, and is balancing the demands of excelling in two instruments. He was selected for Region Orchestra this year and really enjoyed the experience of the competition. He is still our entrepreneur, stunning us with new business ideas and following through with them with persistence! He is currently working on building websites, and mastering several gluten free baked good recipes, on which we depend!!! He serves at our parish as an altar sever and looks greatly forward to youth group after Mass every Sunday! He is looking forward to joining the youth choir in the new year and playing tennis... and beginning high school!
Milo has had a growing year as well... while maybe not in inches, he has grown by leaps and bounds in his 5th grade year. He has learned how to manage the expectations of multiple teachers and advanced classes, as well as adding the violin to his musical endeavours. 5th grade is such a transition, and we are so proud of him. Milo astounds us with his love of drawing, his helpful and loving heart at home, and his loyalty to his friends. We had a break through in his health this year.... after years of chronic tummy pain, we pulled gluten from his diet and found a huge change in how he feels! We were so thankful to have made that discovery. He is currently gearing up for basketball season, and had the cool experience of playing a short game during the Texas Aggie's Basketball game half time show! Milo is also blessed to serve as an altar server at our church, and is enjoying the 5th grade youth group!
Jonas also has had a growth year! In his second year of dual language, his understanding of the Spanish language has really expanded. We love watching how Jonas' classmates help each other to learn. He went from not enjoying reading at all, to inhaling the Geronimo Stilton book series, and has gotten his whole class hooked as well! He was chosen to participate in his school's spelling bee, and though he was reluctant, he did it! Jonas is our entertainer. He is always acting, singing, dancing or animating something! He is enjoying making lego movies currently, and I love listening to the storylines (when he doesn't realize I'm overhearing!) Jonas has some fancy footwork and has rekindled his interest in soccer, so we're excited to see him bring his personality to the field this Spring! ;) Jonas is receiving his First Holy Communion this Spring and surprisingly, looks very much forward to our one-on-one time on Sunday mornings as we teach him faith formation from home. It has truly been a blessing to our family to have those slow Sunday mornings so that we can come back in the evening for youth group and Mass.
Living close to our Senele has been such a gift to us these almost 16 years now! She feeds us, prays for us, gives us date nights and so much more. And after at least 50 years, is still providing her gifts of teaching to our Bryan/College Station community. We look forward to another year ahead of adventures with her in our lives!
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We are so grateful for the way the Lord provides lovingly for our family's needs...in the happy times, the sad times, the stressful times, the growing times! We hope at the end of this year, that you, our friends and family, know how dearly you are loved, and that you enjoy a very joy, love and peace-filled Christmas and Hannukah season. May you look forward to good health and great joy in 2019!
