A Trickle of Random Thoughts: Merry Christmas 2019

Greetings Family and Friends!

We’d like to start off this year’s Christmas Letter with a flashback to last year. After we wrote last year’s letter, we got on the road . . .it was our 15^th Wedding Anniversary and we determined to spend it someplace warm. So, we spent four nights on the beach in Panama City Florida. The locals were wearing coats in late December, but we spent about 7 hours in the outdoor swimming pool on Christmas Day. On the morning of December 27 – our actual anniversary – we renewed our wedding vows on the beach, and then headed for home.

We weren’t home in Chatham long before we were back on the road. Our niece Makenna made her appearance on December 30, and on New Year’s Day we got to go visit her. It’s been a blast being an aunt and uncle of a niece this time.

Karen’s career travails have continued... she started a new job in January with Autism Services Group in Springfield. She started a mere 7 weeks before the owner filed for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy and took off for Aruba with his girlfriend (yes, really). She found a new professional home working for the Sangamon County Government as the Clerk for the Juvenile Court – they are pleased with her background working with youth and mental health. Although this has led to awkwardness as occasionally a former patient shows up as a defendant. Karen’s big thrill this winter has been an appearance in a book written by Dr. Kenneth Carter of Emory University. He’s a professor of psychology and spent several hours interviewing her in 2018. The book is called “Buzz! Inside the Minds of Thrill-Seekers, Dare-devils and Adrenaline Junkies” – names were changed to protect privacy, but she’s called “Gina” with her husband “Ed.” The book discusses her youthful experiences spelunking and rock climbing, and her more adult experiences with the Polar Plunge and Skydiving. The author also touches on our multi-year quest to visit every winery in the State of Illinois.

The boys continue to hit various milestones – I’m reliably informed that Joshua has now matched his mother in height and his father in shoe-size. Joshua is an 8^th grader and has developed an ever-deeper interest in cooking and especially baking. We spent a lot of time this spring “cultivating” sourdough starter and baking various breads, and he tried his hand this fall at candy making. He’s still very active as a Scout and has earned his Life Rank (one below Eagle) – he’s quick to tell you he needs 6 merit badges and his service project and that’s all. He spent the first half of the year serving as the Troop’s Chaplain’s Aide and since August has been the Troop Librarian. He’s beginning to become an advocate for himself regarding his services and schedule at school. I was informed just today that he’d decided to change his schedule for the spring semester, because he was having issues in one class. We’re very proud that he can see changes he needs to make and ask for them to happen.

John has had the biggest year, by far, of all of us. He spent the year as a Patrol Leader, leading mostly younger scouts. In April he wrapped up the last of his Eagle Required Merit Badges and over the summer a few others he wanted to complete. He became an Eagle Scout on October 3, 2019, with an incredible 41 Merit Badges, qualifying him for FOUR Eagle Palms. (One palm is given for each 5 merit badge beyond the required 21. Initially, John will wear a Silver Palm denoting 15 extra merit badges along with a Bronze Palm for another 5.) The numbers are a bit vague, but historically about 5% of eligible youth complete the rank of Eagle Scout. We’re very proud of him. John’s a Freshman at Glenwood High School this year and is enjoying the new challenges that come with High School. He’s most excited about starting Driver’s Ed the first Day of School in January.

Patrick has mostly spent his year providing support to the rest of the family. He’s stepped up a little bit more in the boys’ Scout Troop, teaching cooking to scouts working toward their early ranks and Cooking Merit Badge for older scouts. He continues as a Unit Commissioner, now working with the adults of four troops (all boys, ages 10.5 through 18) and three packs (Kindergarteners through 5^th grade – two of which are “Family” packs serving both boys and girls). Over the year he’s been giving lots of advice and counsel to the various “Scouts BSA” troops locally serving girls. He’s even been given the opportunity to help moderate an online discussion group for leaders of these pioneering girls. Things at IDOT have remained the same, with the agency finally starting to hire a few more employees… now Patrick’s only doing the work of three people instead of four.

The other big change this year was a change of churches. We were spending so much time with scouting at the Chatham Baptist Church that we decided to join the church (it’s nice being able to attend Worship 2 minutes from home)

Hoping our letter finds you in good health and enjoying the season

Patrick, Karen, John and Joshua