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Christmas Letter, November , 2008
Anika, Heidi, and I extend warm and cozy Advent and Christmas greetings
to you. May the season be rejuvenating but peaceful. Life continues to
be hectic for us on the East coast, so I’m reminding myself as well as
you to appreciate what the season is about, and not to get too caught
up in our own busy-ness. I sincerely hope you are able to have the same
kind of achingly sweet moments that enrich us all here.
The economic “pre-recovery” that our world is experiencing is affecting
everyone I know. Heidi and I will be feeling both direct and indirect
consequences, and it will be a lean year. But we put our hope in our
new history-making government and the promise it brings.
I wish I had more relaxed time to muse about things instead of having
to scribble away so quickly without thought of composition or flow. But
our story has certainly flowed this year! After visiting family in
Oregon after Christmas, we dove right back into work and school. After
Easter, we surprised Anika with a trip to Disney World – a real treat
that we’re hoping to duplicate this next year.
We had a crazy summer including a trip to Oregon (without Heidi, at
first), where Anika spent a month with her grandparents and cousins
while I participated in the Carmel Bach Festival in California. Heidi
was able to join Anika in Oregon, where they both attended Heidi’s
sister’s wedding, and then flew home. Anika was able to go to a
wonderful church camp in CT for two whole weeks while I stayed in CA;
and, having seriously injured my back in Carmel, I flew back a few
weeks later, limping home for treatment. Heidi continues to put on
wonderful dinner parties, by the way, and you are invited (yes, you
too)! Just let us know when you’re coming.
At school, Anika is at the head of her class, and has been taking
piano, swimming, Karate, and Trumpet. She is in an excellent church
choir in Bridgeport, and has a sweet but powerful lyric singing voice.
She is certainly growing up, as we can see by her interest in pop
music! Anika is a happy, talented, and beautiful young lady, and her
parents are very, very proud.
The Vanderwals’ life is rich and full, and we wish all the joy of the
season at the anniversary of our Lord’s birth to you and all of your
family. But we especially wish for peace: resting from our way-too-busy
schedules for a sense of who we are, where we came from, and where
we’re going. Merry Christmas, and Joy Always.
Updated Feb 2009
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Vanderwal 2009, All rights reserved.
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