Merry Christmas

I'm not sending a letter out, nor will I be making phone calls. I don't get phone calls from anyone but Kenji and I'm sick of being on the phone after I'm on the phone for 12 hrs of the day during the week so I don't want to touch it after I get home.

What has happened this 2009 year with Nathan and Karen?

January 2009...we went to San Francisco, CA to visit Nathans growing up stomping grounds. That was awesome.
March 2009...Karen claims the #1 spot at work and has proudly and diligently held on to that spot. She holds the most enrollments for March as well which is easily breakable, but we'll see :o)
July 2009...we moved from west Phoenix to east Mesa as Nathan landed an awesome position as Title I Director for a Charter School District. He loves the position and is learning TONS from the state and with their help and insight, he might just move over to a state position. Keep that option for us in your prayers.

We went to UT for the Haymore/Wicke family reunion. It was beautiful and awesome. We were able to stay with aunt Kelly and uncle Paul and with the Haymore/Wicke family. We had a wonderful time.

August 2009...we inherited a Chinese exchange student who is an absolute delight. She is hilarious and is always smiling. She goes to a private school and doesn't really care for it. She hates the theology class and wants to take Dance but her counselor said that she has to take the ESL class, which by the way, the teacher is foreign too and he can't even speak English so what difference does it make?

September 2009...we were asked to be Bear Scout leaders. We were just released this Sunday too for many reasons that we don't need to go in to. We loved the boys and they were such good ones too. They are so hilarious. When boys are 9, they rock! To bad, they can't stay that way for a long time :o)

Cherrys parents came for the weekend from China to CA and with her brother, they drove out and we were able to spend time with them. We didn't understand a word they said so all we did was laugh and have lunch. The food was entertaining for sure. Her dad tried to teach me to use chop sticks, well, that went over, not so well. It was hilarious.

October 2009...I was able to take Cherry to General Conference and stay and visit with my friends Tiffany Harrison and Maricela Burningham (oh terrible, I can't remember her married name, oh well). We were able to spend time with them at conference and at dinner. We had a long weekend and Karen ended up getting sick so it was a miserable drive home. We even missed the turn to Page and ended up in Las Vegas so Cherry got to see that too.

November 2009...we were going to go to San Diego, CA for Thanksgiving and didn't go because last minute Nathan got extremely sick. I was so frustrated with the entire thing that he and Cherry went to his brothers house for turkey and Kale and I stayed home and did absolutely nothing. I did take Cherry down to Nogales, Mexico though the next day and that was awesome. That was fun. Nathan also graduated with his Masters of Education/Curriculum and Instruction degree. That took place at the University of Phoenix Stadium. That was awesome to be a part of. His parents came and we were able to spend time with them.

December 2009...Nathan finished his degree. He is now a MAED/CI graduate. We have been slammed busy with things going on this month so far. We went 13 straight days with stuff happening for church, community, family, whichever you want to call it. We want to call it BUSY.

We are slowing teaching Cherry the gospel. Her knowledge of a living God just isn't there but is growing. We want to send her to girls camp in June when school finishes so she'll probably go home after that.

We have testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We know that by living the basic principals of the gospel, there are blessings that are poured out on each of us individually and collectively. Karen lost her home this fall and because of paying additional tithes and fast offerings, we have been blessed with a peace of mind and kind and gentle creditors. I, Karen knows that when we forgive others, Heavenly Father will forgive us of our wrong doings too. I have seen that in my life and my recent experiences. I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can be a peace with anything that comes our way and that we can be at one with our Savior.

May Heavenly Father bless each one of you with the promptings of the spirit to be guided, directed and prospered.