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We are settling in to our new lives in Evansville, Indiana, and here are some highlights from the past year.
Natalie - finished up her 2nd grade year with Ms. Johnson and began her 3rd grade year with Ms. Courtney Rueger. Natalie is doing very well in school this year, after some serious struggles last year, and we are so proud of her! She has become quite the avid photographer, and you can see some of her beginning work in another post here. This spring she spent after-school hours on the soccer field on the Red Fire team of the NEYSC girls division (Dad served as assistant; that's another story altogether!). In early August, Natalie and Michael attended the "Just You and Me Kid" camp at Merom camp. This fall, she has joined a Girl Scout Troop, and is now looking forward to her first cookie sale starting in just two weeks (email us with your orders!). The Christmas program at Highland Elementary this year featured the third grade, and you can believe that Natalie loved being on stage. She's already planning her audition for the 4th/5th grade choir next year! This year, Natalie played the Innkeeper in our congregation's "Walk to the Manger" Christmas Pageant.
Kennedy - after a great year with Ms. Lynn, Kennedy has moved to 5th grade in Mr. Woebkenberg's class. Actually, she spends half the day in his class, and half of her day in Horizons, the gifted and talented program at Highland, taught by Ms. Lois Ciepley. Kennedy competed in the local National Music Federation competition this fall, and earned an Excellent rating in her near-perfect performance of two pieces for piano. During the spring, Kennedy played soccer for the NEYSC Mutiny, coached by Dad (the story's coming!). Kennedy spent her first full summer camp week at Merom camp in mid-July. In August, after much begging and an incredible show of responsibility, Kennedy adopted Shadow. In November, Kennedy competed in the Vanderburgh County Spell Bowl, a team written-spelling event. The eight members of the Highland Team took home the first place ribbon in their division, with Kennedy earning a near-perfect ribbon, missing only one of her assigned words. Later in December, Kennedy won first place in the Highland Spelling Bee, earning her a chance at competing in the county-wide Spelling Bee in February. Kennedy is now in our congregation's newly formed 5th/6th grade Sunday School class, and graduated out of a costume and into a reading role in the Christmas Pageant. Kennedy is now planning a two-week trip to Alaska next June with the People-to-People program.
Kennedy and Natalie spent a full month away from home this past summer, leaving home on June 7th, and returning exactly one month later on July 7th. First, they went to Bear's house in Griffin, GA, enjoying the Atlanta Zoo (and the baby pandas!), the World of Coke museum, FDR's Little White House, and a trip to the top of Stone Mountain. From there, they went to Gramma's house in Fair Play, for a week on the lake and in Athens. Then, it was off for a week in Montreat for the annual Music Conference. Then, a couple of days stay at Nana's house in Montreat, and Kathy and Michael picked them up for a week's vacation at Uncle Jay's house in Arlington, with trips to Mount Vernon, and the fireworks on the National Mall in Washington, DC, as well as a full day sailing on Chesapeake Bay. Wow! In addition to that, the girls and Michael spent a week in August at Nana's house with Dillon, Timmy, and Kady, the Vermont cousins; there they rafted, hiked, hunted waterfalls, rode horses, and enjoyed many games around the dinner table.
Kathy has just celebrated her first anniversary at Families Through International Adoption. She began in the Vietnam program, one of the smallest and most tenuous programs, and was moved to the Guatemala program in the middle part of this year. She is expecting a trip to Guatemala to escort a baby to the U.S. sometime next spring. A sad note to report this year for Kathy and all of us: Kathy's grandmother, Granny Maude, died on May 13th of this year (obituary). Even in death, however, she was able to draw her entire family together for one more celebration and meal. This past summer, Kathy, Michael, and Natalie traveled to Indianapolis for the annual FTIA family picnic. This fall, Kathy began serving as the sound tech for Bethel's Connections contemporary worship service.
Michael volunteered to coach soccer this year, and found himself coach of Kennedy's team, and assistant for Natalie's team. It was a real joy, and a learning experience. He's now completed 18 months of ministry at ; the largest project this year has been the transition to a new worship model and schedule. More meaningful though, was a June trip with three other adults and eight youth on a mission trip in conjunction with the Appalachia Service Project. In the spring, he made an initial presentation to the Evansville-Tristate Association on the difference between the modern and postmodern worlds.
We have had several opportunities this year to see friends and family. Spring Break saw Michael, Kennedy, and Natalie in Georgia for a brief visit with Barry and Cathy. An annual April trip to "Thunder Over Louisville" allowed us some brief time with Lee and Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty and their two children, Garrison and Emme. For Mother's Day, we enjoyed a visit from Kathy's sister Betsy, which included a trip to New Harmony and a pre-Mother's Day (Saturday) meal at the Red Geranium. We also enjoyed a visit with Nancy in August for Natalie's birthday (and another trip to the Red Geranium), and a visit from Sara and John as well. Barry and Cathy made a trip in mid-December to celebrate Christmas, and we ended the year with another visit from Nancy and Betsy & Grayson at Christmas time.
So ends another year in the Erwin family. As you can see, we have received many blessings this year, and look forward to another year of life and love.
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