Seasons Greetings!

I hope this mass email finds you loved and well. More than one of those "I prayed for you before I forwarded this email, can you feel the love and friendship" generics that you have read a hundred times, I want you to know that I think of you and love you and hope that you are filled with peace and joy--even in times of great struggle.

I am so thankful for this time of year that gives me an excuse to tell you about me, and to brag about my children and put it in a nice little package that makes it look like we have it all together.

The kids are doing well in school. Isaac is in sixth grade and is playing the trumpet now, as well as singing in the choir. He also joined a basketball team, which I can see is likely to be his best sport. He did baseball a few years ago, but he does better with the more active basketball.

Emylie is in Gifted and Talented and last year had the top ten AR points (Advanced Reading). She loves to draw and do art and has now developed an affection for having the radio on all of her waking hours--no wait--she likes to sleep with it on too.

Over the summer all of the kids were able to attend 3 weeks of art camp (no charge) because I was the music/movement teacher. They had a wonderful time and have their walls and dressers plastered with their various projects.

Claire recently had her school Christmas program--we live in the bible belt. We can still call it that. She is coming aong with her vocal range. Like her mother and her grandmother before her, if she has nothing else, she has volume.

Andrew is in his first year of full day shcool--that's kindergarten in Texas. He is transitioning from sweet--lovable to spunk-- independent. Frighteningly, he keeps telling me about various dreams he's had where he marries some girl or fights the bad guys to save her, or maybe just dances with her. I think, at age 5, that is a pretty good indicator of unhealthy levels of testosterone.

I made it through my first full year of being divorced. I have had fun getting to know new people, and travelled as far as Idaho and West Virginia to meet people that I had gotten to know through online dating sites. It is really a great way to meet people. Mostly, I refer to it as cut-rate therapy. I am a better person for the associations I have made.

The year has been full of travel, as I drove the kids in my little Nissan Altima from East Texas to Boise Idaho. We stopped in Kansas to camp on the way. It took about 27 hours of driving time one way. I had a wonderful time visiting aunts, uncles, cousins, brother, sister in law, neices (nephews not available in that region), a distant cousin I met through family history research, and even my dear grandmother. My parents were immensely disappointed that I did not get to see them as planned because of a scheduling error with art camp.

I went to Utah for a business convention in September with 3 other ladies, and we had an absolute blast in a well-equipped conversion van. We learned a lot and even had some adventures--something about 10,000 ft above sea level, roadless hillsides, Komatsu equipment, and said conversion van. If you haven't heard the full story, email me.

Thanksgiving was spent in Connecticut with my sister Devanie and her family (including the three-week-old nephew). There are some pictures and so forth about that at my blog which http://www.devanie.com helped me set up at http://janikasfam.blogspot.com. I do not keep up with it very well, but there are lots of pics that she took.

On my way there, I was able to stop over in WV with my dear friend David Christiansen and his four children. The kids had a fine time getting to know each other. I myself had already met them in August when I first went. Part of my trip was facilitated by David's generosity. What a guy!

My last trip of the year is the 5 hour drive to Austin where I will be spending Christmas with my former in-laws. Matt (my ex) and I get along well and I enjoy his family, so I am looking forward to it--Mostly it just beats being without the kids for Christmas. (I had them for Thanksgiving.)

I also started online college classes this fall. I am working toward becoming a high school science teacher. It is a challenge, but I am very thankful for the online format. The convenience is hard to beat.

As for 2006, it promises th be full of growth, new and strengthened friendships, love, and learning. I am thankful for the association that I have with you, and I pray the best for you in this coming year.

Happy Holidays!

In love and grattitude,
Janika