KELLY (19, College Sophomore) – Feeling a little left-behind by her married siblings, Kelly Jo is filling in the gaps by writing some great music with a college friend (Get a taste at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7CtyVwgGYM). Speaking of college, she is still a music education major, and if your local PBS station carried “Christmas at Luther,” you may have seen her smiling face in the choir with the green robes. July was her first trip to NYC, parents in tow, for a great visit with Curtis, Christine, and the musical, Wicked.

CURTIS (21) – October 11^th will go down in history as the date of one of the most fun wedding receptions EVER! Curtis and Christine were wed in Edmonton, Alberta and we all danced the night away. The happy-but-poor couple live in Astoria/Queens, NY, and are auditioning for whatever theatre work they can find. Curtis is still pulling a paycheck as a doorman at The Russian Tea Room, and Christine teaches music to preschoolers of parents who have more money than they know what to do with. We are looking forward to trying to catch a glimpse of Curtis in Assassination of a High School President, scheduled for wide release (finally!) toward the end of March.

SHONDA (25) – moved to Germany with Air Force firefighter hubby, John, in February. Thank goodness for instant messaging and magically-free phone calls. They’re renting a house in a little town about 15 miles from the base, getting a taste of real German living – between their landlord and her mother. Shonda works with a before-and-after school program for the children of the service men and women. We don’t think there’s a stateside visit from them in the works until sometime in 2010.

ANGEL (28) –is teaching first grade for the 5^th year. Husband Phil is a high school art teacher. Both are working on their Masters and raising two cats, Emma and Elroy. This summer they spent a month in Mexico…kind of a Teachers Without Borders thing…not really a missions trip, but selfless service nonetheless. Yea, Phil & Angel!

DEBBIE – Two milestones this year: turning 50 in September and becoming cancer free for 10 years in December. You can see how she celebrated WITH A SKYDIVE at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa61ZZ-NJFU. Debbie still works with disabled young adults (both in the school system and helping with a choir, Special Delivery). Rest In Him Ministry is planning a new CD, Drenched in HOPE, with recording scheduled for March and April of ‘09. (Check it out, and think about donating to the cause, at http://www.restinhimministry.com)

DEWEY – became a published author this year with the release of Almost the Truth about Youth Ministry: Salesmen, Secretaries, and Smart Alecks, available at lulu.com and amazon.com. Also new this year is an almost-weekly, mostly-humorous blog that you can read or subscribe to at http://www.almostthetruth.blogspot.com. None of which means he can quit his day job with Harris IT Services or his gig with Giant Step Theatre.

Our miniature Chihuahua, Edgar, is a little less lonely now, with the addition to our family of another mini-Chi, Connor. He just arrived December 20^th, so we’re still going through a transition period of the two 4-year-olds trying to see who is boss. Little do they know that it’s neither one of them.

We apologize for the lateness of this letter, but not for the tender thoughts and warm wishes that come with it. May God bless you with a happy and healthy 2009.Happy New Year!