Happy Kwanzanukkahristmas Everyone! And a Merry Christmas, too!
We hope this newsletter finds you safe and well and wonderfully blessed this
holiday season.
It has been another adventurous year for our family, full of summer travels
and a number of changes on the horizon. We write this with coffee in hand and
dogs at our feet realizing just how fast time is disappearing. Finn is so tall
and READING now…wow! Little man is in pre-K and was a Christmas angel in his
school pageant. Imagine…our wild man an ANGEL! Wonders truly never cease.
Finn is taking second grade (still at
Muddy Creek Charter School) by storm.
She’s doing so well! She has learned to read quite well and amazes us every day
with how much she’s advanced. She’s discovered a love of math this year after
it being her least favorite subject last year. She’s also kept up with her
regular horse riding and has learned to work with our friend’s larger horse It
has truly been beautiful to watch her confidence blossom. She still enjoys
family bike rides to/from her school bus stop a few miles away. Her fascination
with art and science is only deepening and she continues to fill our home with
her many art and science projects. You can follow along on her classroom blog
(a bit dated) at
http://missmelissaclassblog.wordpress.com/.
Little man (Jeremiah August) is still at
Good Samaritan School but now in
Pre-K three mornings a week. He is LOVING school and all the friends he’s made
there. He’s had a big year, learning his numbers and letters, how to fish, ride
a scoot (bike without the pedals) and fallen in love with Legos and his teacher
Ms. Meagan. One day as Cat picked him up from school and they were walking
home, he turned around and yelled “goodbye Ms. Meagan” then turned to Mummy and
said “she sure is beautiful”. You can find photos of his school year at
http://www.goodsamschool.org/media-gallery.php
.
Cat’s year has been filled with BUSYNESS. With Finn in school full-time and
Jeremiah in Pre-K three mornings a week, work has been a bit less crazy of a juggling
act. She’s still works from home to be available for our kiddos but her work
has only increased. She loves directing the Family Violence Prevention program (part
time) and has had the privilege of advocating for clients who live outside the
state of Oklahoma. Additionally, she’s a still teaching women’s studies courses
online for Oregon State University. It can be a crazy busy life at times but
she loves the diversity and flexibility of being able to volunteer at our kids’
schools while teaching and growing her work for women’s health and safety of
her tribe. Check out her program’s website at:
http://fvp.estoo-nsn.gov/.
This has been an outstanding year for Jeremiah. After a hectic first year in
his second Masters program, this one in the
Public Policy program at Oregon
State University (he took two years of course work in one year) he’s busy
writing his thesis while applying for PhD programs…oh and publishing journal
articles, blogs (
NotQuiteConvergent)
and presenting at and organizing science communication sessions at national
meetings. Currently, he’s working on renewable energy policy, public perception/opinion,
and potential impacts of renewable energy development on natural resources. He
also teaches undergraduate classes. Despite the busy school schedule, he still
reserves plentiful time for his family, playing with kiddos, making meals
together with his beloved bride, and enjoying the fall harvest and bounty the
Pacific Northwest offers.
After school got out last June we all began a summer of adventures. In July,
all four of us (and our eldest dog, 10yo Quinn) floated the
Grande Ronde River. It
was four days on the water…beautiful sunshine, lots of splashing and wonderful
fishing. We then spent a few days camping on the Oregon Coast with a large part
of our family. In August we spent two weeks in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri
and oh what a time we had! We visited family, went to the
Eastern Shawnee Children’s Pow-Wow,
toured/explored limestone caves, excavated salt crystals, visited where
LauraIngalls Wilder lived as a little girl
in Kansas and where she
lived as an adult
and wrote her books in Missouri…we even got to see Pa’s actual fiddle! We
caught fireflies with family and had a wonderful time getting to know our
cousins better over late evenings of visiting and hot sultry days of junior
high school softball games. We came home in September so the kiddos could start
school then all four of us took two weeks and went elk hunting in the
Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness area. What an experience that was, cold mornings
but warm fall afternoons to explore the woods together and spend quality family
time.
For those of you that love updates about our furry children, they are both
doing remarkably well. We often forget how old they really are as they are in
such good shape. Quinn will be 11 years old this Christmas and Sidda will be 9
in February. We
have noticed Quinn
slowing down a bit, not so much on hikes or backpacking adventures, but in the
evenings after big days of exertion. He tends to sleep a little longer, prefers
to sleep by the fire, and sometimes grunts a little bit when getting up, old
man that he is. Sidda is still as crazy fast as ever and never seems to find
anything but high speed gears. Only occasionally will we be able to fully wear
her out…and usually only after she’s worn blisters on her pads. Stinky pinky,
our sweet furry girl. They do grace and bless our lives so much. It’s hard to
imagine them not being a part of our lives in the relatively near future.
Perhaps we can clone them…
Our family has had an amazing adventurous year. God has truly blessed us!
And we wish the same blessings on you and your families this coming year and
beyond.
