Christmas 2002 

What a whirlwind year this has been.  Not just for myself but for all the loved ones around me.  Is life moving faster for all of us or is it just me who thinks that time has sped up, its texture and tone changed somehow from last year? 

I know that I have grown in ways that opened doors I didn't even know existed.  Mostly I am so grateful for all the wonderful friends that for some strange reason are kind and loving towards me.  Their strength has helped me to move forward through the sad and frustrating times that life sometimes offers. 

 

Andrew is so tall I have to look up to see him.  At 15, he is very confident and poised for his age.  His love of Math has drawn him to the Mu Alpha Theta club (Math club) where he has made new friends in high school. We are very proud of him.  His grades and scores on PSAT and SAT continue to amaze us and his teachers.

 

Spencer, at 12,  has yet to hit the growth spurt that his brother experienced this year.  We expect Spencer to shoot up in this next year.  This year he won the Spelling Bee for his sixth grade class and then went on to be Runner-up for the school.  Beating out 7th and 8th graders to get there!!  The trophy is huge! He was also in the 6th grade play of the classic Christmas Carol. His grades are also excellent.  

 

Lee continues to astound with his amazing displays.  This year he has begun to preserve his display pieces in fiberglass so they will not be damaged by people touching them.  His layered trees are just too cool!  We have also begun to gear him up for his new career as a farrier. His special touch with horses has been noticed by several vets and farriers in the area.  Their encouragement and mentoring have really provided him with the motivation to attend farrier school.  We are so excited.  We continue to save and buy the tools he will need.  Hopefully his forge and anvil will be in hand before he attends school in the spring.  Sadly, Charna, one of our horses has gone lame, so we are unable to ride together.  We hope to breed her and purchase another horse sometime next year so we will once again have happy trails!! :)

We have a new friend in Mona, our puppy - found at Big Dog Rescue.  She is a gallant warrior and protector of children and kittens.  Her one white paw she uses like a hand and actually places her weight on it differently then her other three paws.  Visitors always inquire how I managed to find a dog to match my cats.  Her brindle coat is a very close match to my tortoise-shell coated cats. Her energy and playful spirit has helped some to heal the loss of Mr. Hobbes. 

The business is really picking up  thanks to Bob Ahern who came on board in November - all the way from Tennessee!  His enthusiasm and endless drive have kicked us all in the butt <grin> in a very good way. We are all very happy to have him on board and are thankful to the angels who steered him and his family to our door. 

More exciting news came from Orlando and my sister, Debra!  She became in engaged to a wonderful guy named Bob.  That name seems to be cropping up a lot lately - anyone noticed that?  They will be married in the fall of 2003.  It is so lovely to see her so happy!

I'll close by wishing you and the ones you love a very Happy New Year filled with laughter and joy. May peace be with all.

In spirit,
Andrea

Here are the thoughts, images and lifenotes of my life. 
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Recent Photos
Drew's birthday cake was a stack of glazed donuts! His favorite!	Lee made homemade Gingerbread cookies from scratch for the Christmas Party
Our Annual Christmas Eve Party - was the best ever.  The Angels stopped the stormy rainy weather at 3:00 pm and the party began.  Our bonfire was huge, the baked oysters were just awesome, and friends and family made this year one to remember!!
Tim the OysterMan! The star of the party for sure!	Doug samples the baked oysters!
Our neighbor Marcia and her family	Chris & Ang; Bob & Ginger
Tami	Susan and her Dad, Bob and Mom, Marilyn!
Joy	Maria & Chris
Here is where you go to read past Lifenotes

I just finished a new book by Dean Koontz One Door From Heaven.  A wonderful novel about a boy, a dog and a crippled girl.  My favorite part of the book was learning that the boy was not human.  That one of his special gifts was to be able to enter the dreams of dogs.  A gift that he hoped to give to anyone he met who was willing to learn.  The perspective given on why dogs are the way they are and why we bond with them is very cool.  There is a great deal more to the story but I won't ruin it by saying much more. If you're looking for an excellent and fast-paced read, I highly recommend this book. You can buy any of these books online. If you haven't had the pleasure of having a book delivered to you...try it and save money at Amazon you'll love it! I do :)

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