Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many; not upon your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. Charles Dickens
Greetings from Oregon as we reflect on the blessings of 2012~
Penny’s retirement has been on-again-off-again. After sporadic substituting, she returned in February to teach 6th grade math and 3rd grade reading half-time until June, which was fun. There was more substituting this fall and now the four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas she is teaching fifth grade full-time for a teacher on health leave…rewarding and exhausting. How did I do it all those years? (Answer: I was younger!!)
Kevin still manages our church’s finances and coaches high school boys’ golf. He took his sophomore player to the state tournament in May…two promising years ahead! One tournament victory for Kevin this year, and he recorded his second HOLE IN ONE in June at a tournament in Portland!! The last one was in 1982…hooray for keeping at it!
Becky and Jonathan continue to love their life in Washington DC. She is working with autistic children and volunteering at an after-school program in the city. He most recently worked on the Google project that helped voters find their polling place for November’s general election. We visited them in March in DC and enjoyed their presence in Oregon for six weeks this summer. They made a trip back to Oregon for Thanksgiving, which was nice.
Rachel returned from Chile in January and moved to Portland in early February. Living with friends in a fun neighborhood, she is working part time as a medical scribe and part time as a bank teller. She is also an intern at a public health agency…busy girl! Rachel and Hector, a Chilean naval officer, continue their long distance romance. She visited him in Chile in September and he was in Oregon for Thanksgiving. Their future continues to unfold.
Last February we soaked up some Southern California sun in Borrego Springs, visiting friends Jerry and Sara Anderson. We stayed in Oregon this summer: a Howes family reunion at Black Butte, the Portland Blues Festival, camping on the coast with Becky and Jonathan, plays, outdoor concerts and always…golf! In October we spent four days on Maui and twelve days on Molokai, half the time with Kelly and Brian, Kevin’s sister and her husband, the other half just the two of us. Sun…slow pace…deserted beaches…hiking…tropical paradise!
Thanksgiving at Black Butte was BIG: fifteen of us in all! Rachel and Hector, Becky and Jonathan, Jonathan’s sister, Ann, Penny’s mom and all of Kevin’s family. Besides turkey and pie, we opened presents and played “Fuzzy Bunny”. The kids won’t be home for Christmas this year ~ the first “Christmas for Two” in nearly thirty years!
Life is full of change. Our sweet little dachshund, Max, died in May…a short illness at the end of his eleven years. His “sister”, Daisy, is more spoiled than ever! Our youngest nephew, Connor Howes, graduated from high school in June. We bid farewell to Penny’s Aunt Martha and Kevin’s Uncle Bud this year, grateful for the loving memories of them that reach back to each of our childhoods. We are thankful that Penny’s mom and both Kevin’s parents are here in Medford where we can see them often.
May the new year bring you bountiful blessings ~ Penny and Kevin
