Family Update for Christmas

First of all, we want to say thank you to all of our friends and family who have supported and prayed for us this year. With your help we have made great strides this year toward our goal of being full-time missionaries.

In January 2009, Jeff was immersed in full-time airplane maintenance school. He attended school during the day and night sessions for several months. This proved to be stressful for the whole family but happily resulted in a faster completion date and a 4.0 grade-point average to boot! By September, Jeff had completed all the necessary coursework and passed the FAA exams in order to be a licensed A&P mechanic. We hope that by the end of this year Jeff will not only have completed the requirements of a commercial pilot but also those of a certified flight instructor. All of these things must happen to reach our goal of being a pilot/mechanic on the mission field.

This year Kathy continued to homeschool the 4 kids and work one day a week as a pharmacist. She completed a Bible course by correspondence through Moody Bible Institute. In June, Kathy, was honored to go to Jamaica as a part of a medical mission team, where hundreds of needy people received top-notch medical care.

Graham turned 9 this year and has become quite a football fan. He played Upward sports at every opportunity and his appetite for reading remains unquenchable. Royal Ambassadors is his favorite extra-curricular activity and satisfies his need for running through the woods and making things with his hands.

Cameron, now 7 years old, began 1st grade, and has a real heart to serve. Cameron participated in Upward Sports in basketball, cheerleading, and soccer. She found out that soccer is her favorite sport to play. At church, she enjoys singing in the choir and GA's.

This year was the end to a lot of waiting on the sidelines for Bo. He has watched his older brother and sister play ball for several seasons and now he was finally old enough to play too. When he got his first uniform he wore it instead of pajamas but his parents wouldn't let him wear his new cleats to bed. Bo took the first steps toward becoming a reader this year and by the time Kindergarten starts Fall 2010 he'll be a pro. We are continually challenged by the gratefulness that Bo expresses for each blessing that comes his way.

Whitney is quite a 3 year old. Being the youngest of 4 she has a sense of confidence that is well beyond her years. She eagerly meets strangers and welcomes any and every opportunity for a chat. Needless to say she keeps her parents (and her siblings) on their toes.

As a family, we took the camper to Waxhaw, N.C. to visit the JAARS center and learn about the work of Wycliffe Bible translators and the SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistics). We also camped on Jekyll Island, Ga. for a couple of nights and enjoyed a long family bike ride.

Our church here in Warner Robins, Central Baptist Church, voted to become our "sending" church! They will be a lifeline of prayer support for us in the coming years. We also had the opportunity to participate in a worship service at Unity Baptist Church and connect with mission-minded believers there.

During the upcoming year we hope to continue what has been started. We'll finish up our preparations for applying with a missions agency and keep on nurturing the little ones God has given us. We would like to invite you to come along with us on this journey.

May God bless you this Christmas season.