Christmas Letter
King Family News for 2011
Art and Ronda King wishing you the best of Christmas greetings! This years’ Newsworthy Events chronicled here:
Jan Taylor takes a dive from a hot dirt-bike and needs 20 stitches to put his leg back together. Pictures: photos.app.goo.gl/9JMaMjQtJM3itJTk7
Feb Sad goodbyes and new beginnings. On the market for 6 months, our house in Portland finally sells. My interest in FaxBack Inc is also sold. David and Elissa lose their baby boy – stillborn at 17 weeks. We cry with them.
Mar Hannah’s PAA Girls basketball team goes to the State tournament in Coos Bay. We take the family along to cheer and enjoy. Taylor and Bethani take a memorable Spring Break mission trip to Guatemala.
Apr We move my parents, Frank and Lauretta King from their home of over 50 years to an Assisted Living facility in College Place. They now have seven grandchildren nearby.
May David Green graduates from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry and immediately reports to the US Navy Officers Training. Elissa and our grandchildren spend the summer with us, then the family moves to Chicago.
June More Graduations: Hannah from PAA, Bethani Cum Laude from WWU. Sierra and Hannah head to Big Lake Youth camp for the summer. Taylor to Camp Wakonda. Bethani leaves for a year in Germany. Ian flies to The Ukraine to see family.
July We spend a wonderful week camping at Dwarshak Lake in Idaho, and then another week at Big Lake in Oregon.
Aug Taylor starts his Junior year at Upper Columbia Academy. We find a great new art teacher for Theron.
Sep We say a sad goodbye to Sierra as she leaves for a Student Mission call to an orphanage in a remote corner of Bolivia. Willa falls on a playground and gets 9 stitches in her leg. Ronda wanted Art to go along with the boys to the river one afternoon, "to make sure they didn't do anything too crazy." Check out this 12 second video and let us know if he succeeded. youtu.be/5xDaC67Hl2I
Oct We take the four youngest on a 4-day trip to Discovery Bay, Port Townsend and Seattle, a very belated 8th grade trip for Caleb.
Nov Art’s Mom is back on her feet within weeks of her fall and good as new by Thanksgiving. Rylee makes good progress on her cello. 2 min video: youtu.be/dPr6s16XRdA
Dec Ronda flies to Chicago to see the Grandchildren and be with Elissa during a surgery. Hannah flies to Europe to spend the Christmas holidays with Bethani. Ian arrives home in time for Christmas.
Wrap-up With children in Germany, Bolivia, Chicago, Portland we have only six at home for Christmas. Skype keeps us connected and we are reminded of just how blessed we are! Our sincere wish is for you to have a very Merry Christmas!
With Love from all of us; Art & Ronda, David & Elissa, Brenden, Bethani, Sierra, Hannah (19), Ian (19), Taylor (17), Caleb (15), Theron (14), Willa (12), Rylee (7), Mossen (3), Cheyenne (1)
Favorite Books of 2011
- Art: I’m Not Leaving by Wilkens
- Ronda: One Thousand Gifts by Voskamp
- David: The Devil's Highway by Urrea
- Elissa: Choosing to See by Chapman
- Bethani: Little Princes by Grennan
- Hannah: Unbroken by Hillenbrand
- Taylor: Car & Driver Magazine
- Caleb: Little Britches by Moody
- Theron: Gentle Ben by Morey
- Willa: Hannah’s Hope by Kingsbury
- Rylee: The Donkey Cart by Bulla
- Mossen: Curious George - Pizza Party by Rey
- Cheyenne: Sam's Cookie by Lindgren
