Hello to one and all! If you're reading this, congratulations--you are one of the lucky people selected to receive our Christmas newsletter! This competition is tough, so you are one of the top people that our family appreciates. Probably, you are either related to us, close friends, acquaintances, the mail lady, our neighbor, one of our favorite Walmart cashiers, a random lonely stranger we happened to see on the way to the post office, or a combination of any or all of the above. As you can see, our selection process for our mailing list is tough and rigorous, so kudos--you are some kind of special.We'll not specify exactly what kind of special, but I think that word should cover all of our bases.
Although our past year has been very busy, I have personally been gone for about 10 months of it: between college, working all summer at Camp of the Woods, and then going back to college, I've spent much less time in Chautauqua County than I would wish. In light of that, I have decided to interview each member of the family to have them give you an overview of our year.
Me: Hello! So you are named Mom, and you are sort of between the ages of 40 and 50, right?
Mom: Yes.
Me: So what were some of your favorite activities from last year?
Mom: I liked the ropes course (Holiday Valley Arial Adventure Course), and the mountain coaster. We went there with my parents and Julia, and I climbed trees and I flew through the air like a squirrel. We were all like squirrels, except for Katrina who got off before the first zip line. I also worked hard on planning and running an exciting new Bible School idea with our church this summer. It went really well.
Me: How do you keep yourself busy?
Mom: If I want to do something relaxing, I've been doing quilling...I'm currently making flowers to go with my bird. I've also been playing with my new laptop.
Me: What are you looking forward to this next year?
Mom: Only homeschooling 4 kids--half of them will be done!
Me: Hello, Dad, So you are like between 50 and 60, right?
Dad. yeah, yep!
Me: So what did you enjoy from the past year?
Dad: Hmm. Keeping in touch with Jess and Kevin, seeing Jess at Jenn's wedding, helping with Bible school and the new family ministry at church, skyping to keep in touch with the college kids, watching the kids doing the English/Scottish country dancing and even joining in at the Summer Frolic, brownies on the counter when coming home from work at night, listening to piano players and music practices by my children, and camping adventures out back being made exciting with rainfall, muddy fields, and stuck vans!
Me: Cool. So what are some things that you like to do?
Dad: I've been reading more; including reading The Scarlet Pimpernel, and I've also enjoyed singing in the church choir with my brother Bill and some of my children. I also like working enough overtime as a batcher at Cott Enterprises to keep the checkbook functional.
Me: And what are you looking forward to this coming year?
Dad: Spring, and finding all the tools that Josh and I left laying around before the snow (we run a pretty tight ship around here) Looking forward to seeing what God's grace at work in our family will do this year. God is a God that is near to us, and we are thankful for his presence!
Me: Hi! What is your name, and how old are you?
Katrina: Katrina, and 8 years old.
Me: What did you enjoy doing this past year?
Katrina: I'm not really sure...I don't really remember. Oh yeah, Bible School! My favorite thing about Bible School was probably going out to play in the park for lunch break.
Me: What do you like to do?
Katrina: I like to make up songs in the bathroom, read, and I like to make jokes and make everyone happy, and give gifts, and stuff like that.
Me: Okay, so what are you looking forward to doing this year?
Katrina: the church retreat!
Me: What is your name, and how old are you?
Josh: You already know my name and age!
Katrina: Josh, and 10
Me: So uh Josh, what did you enjoy doing this past year?
Josh: Getting nerf guns. And Camp LiLoLi. At camp, some people came and they could do magic tricks, and one could juggle while he talked, and one made funny jokes. Fishing at camp was fun too!
Me: Did you go to Maryland and play Airsoft with Kevin?
Josh: Mhm, and a lot of other people. I thought it was just going to be the family. I shot people. We were out there for three or four hours.
Me; Are you looking forward to doing anything this year?
Josh: Jessica and Kevin coming (...with my presents!)
Mom: Josh reads a lot too. He has been enjoying reading for school (Sonlight this year). Johnny Tremain was one of the main ones we read recently.
Me: Hi Hosanna! What is your name, grade, and age?
Hosanna: *sound of eggbeater creating a din in the kitchen*
Hosanna: Um, you know my name, my grade is 10th and 11th because I'm doing highschool in 3 years, and I'm 15.
Me: So what were some of the highlights from last year for you?
Hosanna: Encampment [this would be the Civil Air Patrol New York wing encampment], camp, the Florida relatives coming up, and going to Holiday Valley. At encampment, I was the administrative officer in charge, so I did all of the paperwork for the inprocessing, outprocessing, and graduation, and so forth. At camp, one of my favorite things was Heavenbound, which is a giant swing attached to a tree, and you get pulled up really far, and then they let go of the release rope and you swung really high and feel like you were going die--hence the name!
Me: So what are you looking forward to doing this year?
Hosanna: seeing Jessica and Kevin, and going to the church retreat.
Me: So what do you enjoy doing?
Hosanna: I've been crocheting, and I still take piano lessons. I also like reading and playing with cats.
Me: Hello Lydia. What is your age and grade?
Lydia: I am 17, and I'm in 12th grade.
Me: Ooh, so you're graduating this year!
Lydia: Yeah. [Reference: Mom's favorite thing for this year, apparently.]
Me: Okay, so what were some of the highlights from last year for you?
Lydia: Camp. It was a lot of fun, even though I had a cold during it. Holiday Valley--cause that was just incredible. I didn't do anything last year. Oooo oooo ooh, I enjoyed teaching the smoothie class for Living Word Fellowship at our church. And I enjoyed starting a new literature curriculum (Sonlight). I also enjoyed running the stand at Billerio's Fruit Farm over the summer.
Me: So what are you looking forward to?
Lydia: I am looking forward to leading a book discussion on the book Eternity in Their Hearts at church. I'm looking forward to seeing the third Hobbit movie, to graduating, getting my license, and that's about it.
Me: Oh hi, who are you?
Joanna: I am Megan.
Me: You realize this is going to our whole mailing list, etc, right?
Joanna: Yes. I can be the joker. Are you typing what I'm saying?
Me: Yes. I am like a stenographer. I write everything you say.
Joanna: Like in a court thing?
Me: Yes. This will help give you practice if you ever have to go to court for crime. Then you will be comfortable a little bit.
Katrina: So what's your name? What's your age, and grade?
Joanna: I am in 12th grade...
Katrina: She is in 8th grade!
Joanna: I am a 13 year old genius.
Me: Well then. What did you enjoy from last year?
Joanna: Camp! And the rope climbing place...Holiday Valley. And it's my favorite more than all the others. I got to fall and a rope caught me on purpose. I was thirty feet up. Seeing Jessica and Kevin and going to Washington DC in October was pretty fun.
Me: So what do you enjoy doing?
Joanna: Gymnastics! I have a competition coming up in March, and I'm hoping I get my floor routine before that. I am happy for the ball, and Jessica coming up for my birthday!
Katrina: Finally!
Joanna: Yeah.
Katrina: How about you do you?
Me: Would you like to interview me?
Katrina: Sure!
Me: Okay, I'll type, and you ask me the questions.
Katrina: Ok! What is your name and grade?
Me: I am 22, and I am a senior at Houghton College.
Katrina: *claps* What has been most highlighted in the past year or days?
Me: Well, I had a lot of fun working at Camp of the Woods for the summer. I also enjoyed helping out with Bible School when I was home, and seeing various friends and family when I was home.
Katrina: Oh yeah. What are you looking forward to in the future?
Me: Definitely graduating, and hopefully getting a good job. I always look forward to seeing people, and Jess and Kevin will be coming up in February, so that'll be good.
Katrina: Ooh I think I zoned out...
Me: Hello. What is your name, age, and grade?
Annetta: My name's Annetta Snell, my age is 19, and I am a freshman in Houghton College.
Me: What were some of the highlights from last year?
Annetta: What happened last year? Um, working at Camp of the Woods, where I worked as a cook in the main dining center. We prepared meals for roughly 700-900 people per meal. Jennifer got married in October, so attending my friend's wedding was fun. Starting college at Houghton in September has wonderful, thrilling, etc. Yes. I think that's it...I mean, what else has happened?
Me: What do you enjoy doing?
Annetta: I enjoy working, and studying...that's all I do. [Please note that our parents were nearby.] I also enjoy reading, going for walks, and drawing/painting.
Me: And what are you looking forward to next year?
Annetta: I am looking forward to my second semester of college, and umm...what else are we doing next year? Yeah.
So as you can see, apparently my family went to the ropes course at Holiday Valley, which was a blast. Lydia, Hosanna, Joanna, and Josh attended a week of camp at Camp LiLoLi, which is in Randolph. Annetta and I stayed pretty busy working at Camp of the Woods from June through August, and then heading to Houghton for her first year and my last year. Jessica and Kevin are still...hmm, well, I guess we're not entirely sure what they're doing, but we know they're alive and well down in Mt. Airy, MD. And, my family has been able to gain another member for a time--my friend Nancy needed a place to stay after a difficult family situation. She has brought a wonderful sense of humor, excellent baking and cooking skills, and impressive crocheting and crafting skills to our family, and has been blessing our church by singing in the choir. We're not sure how long she'll be with us, but we sure enjoy having her here!
As seasons change for our family, we are increasingly aware of how blessed we are to know so many wonderful people. We've celebrated weddings with some of you, and gone through tough seasons with others of you. But through it all, we're constantly reminded that although many things will change and may even crumble, faith, hope and love will remain, and the greatest of these is love. We look forward to sharing another year with you, and hope that you will walk with us in the light as He is in the light. Let's share the love of a Savior who became a baby with the world.
Love, the Snells
1 comment:
Love it! Thanks for the update! (although I'm pretty sure that picture was not taken a week ago...) :D
Jenn
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