Happy Holidays to our family and friends. Others have said "wait until they are in high school!" They were right. This is the busiest we have ever been. In 2014 we ran harder, swam faster, and were busier than ever before! With all the business comes much joy....
Alexis (and Charley) are both Freshman at Central High School in Davenport. Alexis as you may recall likes to run and swim. Alexis participated in the Quad City Triathlon for the first time this spring, she came in second for her age group. This fall she ran Cross Country--"I need it for my kick, Mom!" and was asked to swim varsity during the same season. It was an incredible schedule with workouts, lifting, and meets for both sports. Her passion clearly is swimming. She set and achieved a goal. She wanted to get her name on the board at the pool. She and her relay team set a school record for the 200 freestyle relay! A record that had been in place for 14 years. She qualified for state with her club swimming in winter and again in summer and she is training again now for winter state.
Her other interests include playing the flute for band, violin for orchestra, and chorus. She will travel with the band in February to Disney World. We attended concerts for all 3 this past month and are very impressed. The orchestra especially would be hard to beat!
Charley favors the arts and sampled Central's Blue Devil marching band playing the alto sax. It was a busy fall of rehearsals and competitions for him as well. As soon as marching band ended, boys swimming began. The boys team is small but full of potential. Charley too swims varsity and often swims his favorite stroke, the butterfly at swim meets. The coach has high hopes for a relay team he participates on to go to State. Show choir will go into full swing in the new year! Charley also sings at church leading the responsorial psalm and alleluia. Recently the band director asked if he would take on the bassoon. This adds yet another instrument to his palette! Scouts has taken a back seat since he started high school,he will need to figure out how to finish up for Eagle.
Charley will travel to Washington DC in July and march in front of the White House for their 4th of July parade. A special honor and privilege reserved for the elite. He is a busy boy!
Xavier is a 6th grader at Rivermont, He also swims and does triathlons and scouts like his siblings but enjoys basketball much more. He plays for Rivermont and also on a Central Blue Devil league which gives him more practice.
Xavier also participated on a robotics team for the second year in a row. His team won an award for Best Design (robot). Xavier met his birth dad and half sibling this fall. We hope to maintain a closer relationship with them as time permits.
Joe is a 3rd grader at Rivermont Collegiate. Joe's passion is swimming. He qualified for State as an 8 year old this past summer.
He like his siblings enjoys triathlons in the summer. Joe is a member of the coding club after school and is also in scouts.
Cariyana is also a 3rd grader but at Buffalo Elementary where she keeps her teacher on her toes! She is improving academically but still needs to be encouraged to practice writing and reading and do math. Cariyana has enjoyed a year of good health but was recently started on high blood pressure medicine. We had hoped to avoid this intervention but its not in the cards. More information will be learned as 2015 progresses. Cariyana has determined she does not like to sing but loves to cook with Mom in the kitchen.
Cariyana is happy at all times and a delight to all that know her. She attends all the kids events and is a real trooper about it. Her favorite thing to do is have 1 on 1 time with the parents.
Nick and Angie are safe and secure in Tucson and are contemplating a move back to the Midwest. Angie will finish her masters this spring. We were lucky they went with us on vacation this summer, came home for the Burney wedding, and spent a few days with us at Thanksgiving.
Angie and Nick enjoyed skiing in Montana for Christmas with the Bahls this year. Nick was hired as a regular employee at Ventana this fall. Prior to this he was just contracted. He is experiencing the ups and downs of the workplace.
Its been a very busy year for the kids. Steve "enjoyed" four months of layoff at Deere this past summer while a new paint line was installed at Seeding. He was able to have the full parent experience.
This extra time off also allowed for him to attend Boundary Waters with Charley and other members of Troop 26 including Barry Dolan who kept him grounded while feeling very uneasy in a setting and canoe with inexperienced teens. The trip was challenging to say the least. Like a difficult pregnancy he swore "never again" upon his return!
Karen had a busy year as well with expanded responsibilities at Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences. She and her colleagues accepted the challenge of increased numbers and managed to provide meaningful clinical experiences for all. They continue to graduate bachelor students who pass NCLEX at a significantly high rate.
The family traveled east this summer to visit the Bobkas. This year we used their house for overnights and day tripped to sightsee. Washington DC (so much to see and do!) and Valley Forge were the highlights but we also went to the beach and revisited downtown Philadelphia with Nick and Angie who flew out to be with us for the week.
Wow what a year! God has blessed us and we are humbled by all he continues to provide. Best wishes to all our family and friends during this busy season of love.
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