It has been hard to get started on the newsletter this year, since I didn't quite know how to handle some of our “news.” Most of you already know that our son, Andrew, died in September as the result of a tragic accident. For those who haven't heard, I apologize. We could only contact so many people in a short amount of time. I have talked about it so much to all the people who have reached out to us, that I'm tired of talking about it. Suffice it to say here that we are strengthened by the sure knowledge that we will see him again some day. Andrew was committed to Jesus Christ, so we know exactly where he is. Though we don't understand the “why,” we cling to the promise of that beloved scripture verse “...that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). We have already seen glimpses of the “good,” and wait expectantly in faith as God unfolds his perfect plan in our lives. Never-the-less, there is a large empty space in our family, as you can see by the missing person in the Christmas picture. I don't think we will ever “get over it,” but I trust the sadness will fade as we treasure all the wonderful memories we have together. For those of you who want to know more, Ted has written an epitaph.
    Life doesn't stand still. Andrew's death feels like the defining point in our year, but I don't want to make it a huge part of this newsletter. I find that I can look back over the last year and enjoy most of the memories. We can even still laugh. Andrew was all about making people laugh, so I have included a funny story at the end in his honor to lighten your mood. I'm also claiming an exemption this year from creativity, the result being that I will only walk you through our year, mentioning the highlights. So here goes:
    Monthly Review