Annual Review (Excerpt)

"A" is a healthy 14 year old who is constantly on the move and rapidly growing: musically, physically, athletically and otherwise. His feet have settled in at size 13. His height is just beginning to show. This past year he first played saxophone, then guitar in the school band, traded piano lessons for guitar lessons, helped shepherd kids in Sunday School, had a supporting acting/singing role in the spring musical "Guys and Dolls," learned to water ski, began freestyle snow skiing and noticing girls. His hockey involvement has provided many exciting opportunities and experiences, winning a couple of contests and being able to do demos with and receive instruction from an NHL goal coach. This fall, he was drafted (and made the cut) to a Bantam AAA team where he shares net-minding duties with another goaltender. He continues his schooling in grade nine in the National Sport Academy Hockey program. He also mountain bikes, plays video games, is learning to drive (pray for us), and enjoys his social life (when he has time).

We enjoyed a family skiing trip to Whistler, BC at spring break, which included visits with friends and family in the Vancouver area and taking in an NHL game. Summer brought celebrations in Missouri, deepening ties with our Nebraska friends, hiking and canoeing in the Ozarks, visiting with my family and sight-seeing our way home through Grand Tetons, Yellowstone and Glacier/Waterton Parks.

Two long weekends were spent with friends at a resort, relaxing and sailing (well, they sailed and we rode along). We also visited a wildlife park where we got up close and personal with a live 1,400 lb. Kodiak Grizzly bear. A and I also went out with the trailer and camped for a week; hiking and mountain biking. He even managed to talk me into a gruelling mountain bike trek (23 km, 600 metre elevation) which ended up being a most exhilarating single track riding and mother-son bonding experience! We all find the mountains to be a place where we relish in the breathtaking proportions and dazzling glory of God's handiwork.

It was a very good year.