2005 Christmas Letter
2005 summarized:
December 14, 2005
Merry Christmas from the Dykstra Family! This is a time of year that I love. I love the traditions, the activities and the peace and joy that come with the season. People often express frazzled feelings during this season, but generally speaking, I’m not one of those.
I write this letter 2 days after arriving home from Arkansas where we watched my sweet Stephanie wed John Mark. It was a beautiful wedding and reception. Stephanie and John Mark will make their home in Fayetteville where Stephanie is studying nursing and John Mark is studying business. Stephanie will complete her studies in May 2006. I am very proud of Stephanie and the choices she has made. She demonstrates wisdom and grace in so many areas. I wish I had been more like her when I was her age.
In addition to Stephanie’s good news, a lot has happened since the last time we wrote a Christmas letter. Christopher will soon be 17. I reveled in my time with him this summer, and again briefly at Stephanie’s wedding. He is quickly becoming a man -- a kind, gentle, patient man. He brings me great joy. He works in the wood shop of his dad’s aircraft interior business and apparently is learning lots.
Two years ago we decided to stop Home Schooling and enrolled the children in the neighborhood Adventist school. It is about 2 blocks from our house. Not only is it super convenient, it’s a wonderful school; we couldn’t ask for better. There are solid Christian teachers, regular worship and Bible memory, a warm and caring atmosphere and small classes. Tuition sets us back a bit financially, but it’s so worth every dime. Coralwood Adventist Academy is a huge blessing in our life.
Rachael is now 10 and in grade 5. She is energetic, responsible, and a voracious reader, and also quite tall. She is an energetic daughter, and a delight to have helping around the house, which she does quite frequently. She is great with little children and looking forward to being old enough to baby-sit.
Hannah is 9 and in grade 4. She is the family clown, always ready with a funny voice or saying. She loves to mimic cartoons they have seen and the kids have their own “inside” jokes. This year she too has become an avid reader. For her birthday, she got a cute little Chihuahua that she quickly named Frodo. She is a good “mom” to Frodo.
Deborah is 6 and in grade 1. She is a very good student. This year she crossed some kind of invisible line. This time last year, her work habits left me thinking we were raising a pig. Every child is motivated by something, and allowance was the key for Deborah. Now she does her chores without complaining and her room is a fair bit tidier. We are all happy about that.
This past summer all the girls went to camp at Gull Lake. It was their first time away from home for more than an overnight with Grandma. They each had a blast and are anxious to return next summer.
Back in 2004 we had a big year for holidays. In February, I took all three girls to visit my family in the U.S. for a month. In addition to visiting aunts and uncles in North Carolina, Florida and Arkansas, it was the girls’ first time to see the ocean, and they loved it. They were just old enough for the trip to be truly memorable, and the girls now have a big place in their heart for all our Southern relatives.
Later in 2004 we spent our summer vacation at Pembina River, just outside of Edmonton. It wasn’t far away, but “getting away from it all” was good. After the first two days of solid rain, and turning our little campsite into “tarp kingdom,” we had seven wonderful days.
This year, summer holidays found us camping at Greig Lake, Saskatchewan. Greig Lake is a beautiful, clean, clear lake and the weather cooperated. It was very hot, but since we were at a lake, it didn’t much matter. Although it was a shorter trip than last year, we had a great time.
Gordon is still a supervisor with Edmonton Transit. He works 10- hour days 4 days a week and the 3-day weekend every week is a wonderful thing. Presently, he is on “holidays” and busy renovating our upstairs bathroom. Goodbye robin egg blue and welcome white. This is a job we’ve wanted to do for 8 years. Finally it’s happening.
I am still working part-time at Pier 1 Imports. I work 9-2 several days a week. I’m home when the kids leave for school and I’m home when they return. I could easily find a better paying job, but I couldn’t easily find a job with hours so ideal. I’m thankful.
I had a hysterectomy in August and happy to have that ordeal behind me. The initial complications cut into our vacation just a bit, but everything turned out well – Praise God!
Our menagerie of pets continues to grow. Deborah is getting a hamster for Christmas. She has wanted one for a couple years and we think she’s ready. She asked for one for her 5th birthday and promised that she “wouldn’t pull his legs off.” Little hamster will join 2 dogs, Frodo and Lucy, our cat Lacy, and 3 charming betta fish.
Our home is filled with love, joy and usually peace. I’ve always prayed that we’d be a family of love, joy, peace, and laughter. Laughter is a wonderful gift and we do lots of it around here. I’m blessed with a husband and kids that make me laugh. So many gifts we take for granted, but laughter is one that I’m acutely aware of and thankful for.
Overall 2005 has been a good year. We are ending the year on a good note; we are healthy, happy and hopefully growing wiser by the year. God has crowned our year with bounty and we give him thanks and glory for his goodness to us.
We’d love to hear from you. Merry Christmas!
With Love,
The Gordon Dykstra Family
December 14, 2005
Merry Christmas from the Dykstra Family! This is a time of year that I love. I love the traditions, the activities and the peace and joy that come with the season. People often express frazzled feelings during this season, but generally speaking, I’m not one of those.
I write this letter 2 days after arriving home from Arkansas where we watched my sweet Stephanie wed John Mark. It was a beautiful wedding and reception. Stephanie and John Mark will make their home in Fayetteville where Stephanie is studying nursing and John Mark is studying business. Stephanie will complete her studies in May 2006. I am very proud of Stephanie and the choices she has made. She demonstrates wisdom and grace in so many areas. I wish I had been more like her when I was her age.
In addition to Stephanie’s good news, a lot has happened since the last time we wrote a Christmas letter. Christopher will soon be 17. I reveled in my time with him this summer, and again briefly at Stephanie’s wedding. He is quickly becoming a man -- a kind, gentle, patient man. He brings me great joy. He works in the wood shop of his dad’s aircraft interior business and apparently is learning lots.
Two years ago we decided to stop Home Schooling and enrolled the children in the neighborhood Adventist school. It is about 2 blocks from our house. Not only is it super convenient, it’s a wonderful school; we couldn’t ask for better. There are solid Christian teachers, regular worship and Bible memory, a warm and caring atmosphere and small classes. Tuition sets us back a bit financially, but it’s so worth every dime. Coralwood Adventist Academy is a huge blessing in our life.
Rachael is now 10 and in grade 5. She is energetic, responsible, and a voracious reader, and also quite tall. She is an energetic daughter, and a delight to have helping around the house, which she does quite frequently. She is great with little children and looking forward to being old enough to baby-sit.
Hannah is 9 and in grade 4. She is the family clown, always ready with a funny voice or saying. She loves to mimic cartoons they have seen and the kids have their own “inside” jokes. This year she too has become an avid reader. For her birthday, she got a cute little Chihuahua that she quickly named Frodo. She is a good “mom” to Frodo.
Deborah is 6 and in grade 1. She is a very good student. This year she crossed some kind of invisible line. This time last year, her work habits left me thinking we were raising a pig. Every child is motivated by something, and allowance was the key for Deborah. Now she does her chores without complaining and her room is a fair bit tidier. We are all happy about that.
This past summer all the girls went to camp at Gull Lake. It was their first time away from home for more than an overnight with Grandma. They each had a blast and are anxious to return next summer.
Back in 2004 we had a big year for holidays. In February, I took all three girls to visit my family in the U.S. for a month. In addition to visiting aunts and uncles in North Carolina, Florida and Arkansas, it was the girls’ first time to see the ocean, and they loved it. They were just old enough for the trip to be truly memorable, and the girls now have a big place in their heart for all our Southern relatives.
Later in 2004 we spent our summer vacation at Pembina River, just outside of Edmonton. It wasn’t far away, but “getting away from it all” was good. After the first two days of solid rain, and turning our little campsite into “tarp kingdom,” we had seven wonderful days.
This year, summer holidays found us camping at Greig Lake, Saskatchewan. Greig Lake is a beautiful, clean, clear lake and the weather cooperated. It was very hot, but since we were at a lake, it didn’t much matter. Although it was a shorter trip than last year, we had a great time.
Gordon is still a supervisor with Edmonton Transit. He works 10- hour days 4 days a week and the 3-day weekend every week is a wonderful thing. Presently, he is on “holidays” and busy renovating our upstairs bathroom. Goodbye robin egg blue and welcome white. This is a job we’ve wanted to do for 8 years. Finally it’s happening.
I am still working part-time at Pier 1 Imports. I work 9-2 several days a week. I’m home when the kids leave for school and I’m home when they return. I could easily find a better paying job, but I couldn’t easily find a job with hours so ideal. I’m thankful.
I had a hysterectomy in August and happy to have that ordeal behind me. The initial complications cut into our vacation just a bit, but everything turned out well – Praise God!
Our menagerie of pets continues to grow. Deborah is getting a hamster for Christmas. She has wanted one for a couple years and we think she’s ready. She asked for one for her 5th birthday and promised that she “wouldn’t pull his legs off.” Little hamster will join 2 dogs, Frodo and Lucy, our cat Lacy, and 3 charming betta fish.
Our home is filled with love, joy and usually peace. I’ve always prayed that we’d be a family of love, joy, peace, and laughter. Laughter is a wonderful gift and we do lots of it around here. I’m blessed with a husband and kids that make me laugh. So many gifts we take for granted, but laughter is one that I’m acutely aware of and thankful for.
Overall 2005 has been a good year. We are ending the year on a good note; we are healthy, happy and hopefully growing wiser by the year. God has crowned our year with bounty and we give him thanks and glory for his goodness to us.
We’d love to hear from you. Merry Christmas!
With Love,
The Gordon Dykstra Family
Labels: 2005, christmas letter
posted by Valerie Dykstra @ 1/06/2006 12:25:00 PM
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