My annual letter!

GUESS WHAT, GUESS WHAT, GUESS WHAT, GUESS WHAT???????????????????

It’s time for the 2008 Family newsletter!!! Whoot, whoot! So…. sit yerself down on that there futon, crack open a Diet Pepsi (or your beverage of choice), and enjoy the ride!!
Where to begin, where to begin? Okay, the most important stuff first. The dogs.

Since I’m old, I mean, busy and can’t have a baby, we adopted a puppy in May, about a month after our party-gal Jen Jen (aka, Donkey- she looked and acted like Donkey in the Shrek movies) died from a brain tumor. Sorry to dump the heavy stuff on you right off the bat, but I promise that’s all there is the whole letter. Now put your happy face back on and keep reading. Our pup is a Swedish Elkhound mix whom we named Allie because it was the only name that no one in our family hated. She is the NEW party gal… party at midnight, party at 3 a.m., party a 6 a.m. *sigh* I remembered after the adoption that there was a reason I wanted to have all my kids while I was young. Maggie, our 14 year old Maltese mix, pretty much takes Allie in stride, except for when the pup gets near her food bowl. Kind of reminds me of my dad: easy going until you mess with his food. Heidi, (below) our 7 year old German shepherd/corgi mix, helped us pick Allie out, and I’m sure she spends many of her hours asking, “What was I thinking??” To add to the insanity that is now my life, I take Allie to doggie daycare. But truly, it’s wonderful. She’s exhausted when she comes home: the older dogs get a reprieve, and I get a full night’s sleep. This summer she attended puppy class, which is more like, “School for Idiot Owners Whose Dogs Control Them.” She graduated, with a diploma, a cap, and a ball as a graduation gift.

I like to joke with Brittany that even the dog graduated before she did. For some reason she doesn’t laugh when I say that. Anyway, Britt’s a senior in high school, finishing up her Cosmetology program at the vo-tech school. It’s been an interesting year, seeing all the colors her hair has become and smelling all the “cool” chemical odors that waft out of the bathroom. But please don’t light up a cigarette within 50 yards of our house. There could be a very loud “kaboom”, and then you’d owe us a house.


Bethany is 22, will graduate from East Stroudsburg U. in May, and will be looking for a teaching job so she can make more money in one year than I did in the first 40 years of my life. She likes working with children with autism, but she likes a traditional classroom as well, so we’ll see where God plops her. All we know is that Bethany and electronics/machines… not a good match. Just in this past year: Car = slides on ice, hits wall, dies. Computer = crashes, dies…twice. Phone = falls in glass of iced tea, dies. Let’s just say Beth has done her part to keep our economy going. (she's on the right)

James is now 23. I know what you’re thinking... how can I, who looks so INCREDIBLY YOUNG, have a son that old? I know, I know. I can hardly believe it myself. James finished college last December, spent 3 months in Madagascar with his Uncle Bill and family, walked at his graduation in May (even my parents were there!) and now still lives like a college student. He’s renting an apartment near the college over a BAR that serves HOT WINGS, so needless to say, James has all the essentials within walking distance. Oh yeah, and his girlfriend lives across the street from him. Another essential. Right now he’s working for a pizza place, paying his bills, and just enjoying life until some things work themselves out so he can plan for the future. He likes to visit his dad in VA where they can hit the beach,go out on a boat, or play golf.


Rachael is soon going to be 22, and a BRIDE. I know what you’re thinking…. How can I, who looks like a young bride herself, have a daughter that’s old enough to get married?? I know, I know. I can hardly believe it myself. On June 13, 2009, my little girl will become Mrs. Bryce Baldwin and will desert her incredibly young-looking mom to live in Rome, NY. Bryce is working for, or more like, in ministry with Fellowship of Christian Athletes. You can check out more about their ministry on-line if you’d like to know what they do and how to support them in prayer and financially. He also substitute teaches to pay off Rachael’s rock. Rach will graduate in May and will look for some sort of human services job. She had an internship this fall that was very enlightening to her as to the human condition outside of Christ. I try not to focus on the idea that she’ll gone from my house forever, not just for a semester any more. Instead I think of how her little bedroom will become my laundry room sometime in the near future, isn’t that right, dear?!!

Denny continues to amaze me with his super-human ability to be able to rise before the sun and hit the gym. I hope the insanity isn’t contagious. I think my fat is safe. He still works for the Dept. of Welfare doing accounting work. Better him than me! His mom still lives about 1 ½ miles away in the house in which Denny grew up, so he spends much of his “free” time helping out her and my parents, while taking care of our fleet of cars. I SURE hope he has time for that laundry room installation.

I’m in my 3rd year as a Reading Specialist for grades K-5, and I still love it. I hope I can keep it up until I’m 65, but I found I have early onset of arthritis in my knees and back issues which will result in a spinal fusion within the next few years, so we’ll see how that goes. For now, I’m thankful for good medical care that has kept me pretty pain free since July. Denny and I have a new, permanent church home at Carlisle Reformed Presbyterian Church in America. We’re SO blessed to have solid, Biblical, reformed preaching and teaching, plus new friendships and a small group in which we study God’s Word, pray for each other, and do a lot of laughing! It’s pretty amazing, and humbling, how God has blessed us!

I hope 2008 has been as fun and exciting for you all as it’s been for us. Thankfully there’s been a few dull moments thrown in here and there. Please be in touch. I truly love to hear from you all. I’m on Facebook, and my e-mail is Nancee22@comcast.net. My blog (which I don’t write on as often as I’d like) is http://mostly-sunny.blogspot.com/. If you want to come visit in person, we have EMPTY BEDROOMS J and we’re just 3 miles off I-81. Come see us!! There, you have no excuse. Have a blessed 2009, and we hope to see you soon! Nancy