December 25, 2015 Dear Family and Friends, Our “Christmas letter” last year (dated January 3) included these closing words: “We need time to slow down and everyone to be well. We need peace in the world.” Some things don't change much—but at least this year's message to you will be going out on Christmas Day! 2015 passed without hospitalizations of family members, but elder issues with all three remaining parents have been manifesting themselves with increasing frequency and severity. Still, Dad and Mom Teeter (at 88 and 86 years of age) and Mom Kennedy (at 96) continue to soldier on as best they can. This year had two family highlights, the first being the birth (to our daughter Starry) of our first granddaughter (grandchild #3), Emmalyn Patience Ray on March 18th. Emmy has already begun to make her own precious and unique imprint within the cousin mix. The second family highlight was an August visit at the Land of our Minnesota grandson Gavin, which ended with all of our children and many extended family members gathered here. Given our children's home locations of Ithaca, NY, Pittsburgh, PA and Duluth, MN, this kind of “all-family” event is rare, so we are grateful. The feature-event was another drama, The Three Jolly Sheriffs and the Minnesota Kid, written by Shirley and co-produced with grandson Gavin (now 7). It was a great hit! To top off our visit with Gavin, he and his parents, Matthew & Chanti, along with Shirley and me, took in a very impressive showing of Joseph at the Sound and Light Theater in Lancaster, PA. Grandson Toby (Nathan and Hannah's son) continues to wow us and others who know him with his reading prowess and sunny sense of humor. At just two years of age, he already knows (and can read) all the U.S. States and capitals and can identify on a globe all the continents and major bodies of water, along with many of the countries of the world. He continues to surprise us, while out and about, by unexpectedly reading out the various signs and billboards he sees as we go along. As Shirley and I continue working full-time (Shirley still at Ithaca High and I still at the United Church of Painted Post), the remainder of 2015 has sped by at what seems to be warp speed. Christmas this year, for us, will be celebrated in two parts: Nathan and family will celebrate Christmas Day with Shirley and me--along with several of Shirley's extended family members--at niece Kristin's (Shirley's sister's daughter) home in Cortland, NY, a bit more than an hour from the Land. The day after Christmas, Justin, Starry, and Emmy expect to arrive from Pittsburgh, with a second Christmas celebration scheduled for Nathan's and Hannah's home in Ithaca on Sunday afternoon. New Year's Eve is reserved for a special visit with Mom Kennedy in southern Pennsylvania. For many recent years, reading the annual letter from our Taiwan-era Australian missionary colleagues Dr. & Mrs. Cole has been a special part of our Christmas. This year's reading will remind us of the Cole's short-but-sweet visit to the Land earlier this year. So ends another year of challenge, but also of grace. May the New Year bring us all many serendipitous blessings as we seek to follow and honor Christ! Glenn and Shirley Kennedy |