Rowen Albertson Family Christmas Letter 2009
December: that time of year to figure out “What did we do with it?” and “How did it fly by so fast?” For us, 2009 included:
Rowen working at Carestream Health as their best (and only) microscopist on the plant site, painting the outside of the house with the help of the family, keeping cars and truck in running order, gardening, spending lots of his "free" time being a wonderful Treasurer for the Johnstown Historical Society.
Janet homeschooling in the 20th year, making three new quilts (!), sewing, training young people, succumbing to the need for bifocals.
Jeffrey finishing homeschooling his senior year, but electing not to “graduate” in favor of going on a TLC (Touching Lives for Christ out of Hobe Sound, FL) Mission Trip to Haiti in June; starting work at Johnstown ACE Hardware Store in August; going on another mission trip for two weeks in October/November to Ukraine.
Beth homeschooling now in her junior year; spending 3 ½ weeks with her cousin Shari’s family in Eure, NC in July/August helping with two preschoolers and 2 month old twins; cleaning weekly for the Chamber of Commerce; babysitting for a 2 year old little boy that we all love; cross stitching and crocheting, sewing when she has time; publishing God’s Girls’ Newsletter, now in its 6th year.
Jason homeschooling now in his sophomore year; passing up everybody in the family in height except for Dad and Randy; taking lessons and learning to play cello beautifully; refreshing listeners’ hearts by his devotional piano playing; working only in the neighborhood this summer rather than for the lawn company; shoveling snow this winter without Jeffrey being along; learning that vacuuming the house for Mother is one of his favorite chores!
Emily homeschooling now in her sixth grade; growing about four inches this year; having her prayers answered for a violin and taking lessons; finding out she has a natural ear and talent for playing violin; becoming a prolific writer of “chapter fiction stories” (not yet self-published, but headed that direction); helping out with cleaning the Chamber of Commerce office with her sister; doing a sewing project “almost all by herself”.
Our family has had the opportunity to help out with a children’s ministry in Federal Heights (north Denver) on Sunday evenings. We are enjoying getting acquainted with the children and challenging ourselves to remember the names and faces of forty some children who come from time to time. It is also a blessing to us to fellowship with Ben and Marlene Reynolds and family, and the other helpers who come up from Colorado Springs: Steve Cunningham, Tonya Sickler, and Judy Hunt.
Lately we have had the privilege of sharing Sunday morning worship with our friends, the Kaus family, coming over for Hobe Sound Bible Church online and spending part of the day and sharing a meal with us.
We gained a precious grandson to the family this year, when on January 26, Micah Rowen was born to Randy and Joy Albertson. Janet got to fly and spend a week with them to help out during that busy time. What a blessing that the children were able to do what needed to be done so that she could be gone without feeling like they were stranded!
As a family, we made three trips to MO: a fast trip over Mother’s Day weekend, a long trip in July (which included helping with the Joplin Vacation Bible School and celebrating Janet’s 30th high school reunion), and Thanksgiving, gathering with all the Scoles clan in Columbia, and then the weekend at Joplin.
In a few days, Randy, Joy, Quil (2 1/2), Micah (11 months), Tim, and Brenda are coming to spend Christmas week with us. We are excited especially because having just seen the little boys over Thanksgiving we are thinking they will remember that we “belong” to them. Quil knows us best from video-chatting online. We are his family in the computer! We are thankful for the technology to be connected though many miles apart!
God has been very good to us this year. We are trusting Christ, and Him alone, to keep us through the upcoming year and uncertain future. We are rejoicing in the sure knowledge of His first coming, His rule in our lives, and His soon return! Our prayer is that each of our friends and family know Him and be ready to meet Him when He calls or comes.
Have a Christ-filled Christmas season and blessed New Year!
The Johnstown Albertsons
Rowen, Janet, Jeffrey (18), Beth (16), Jason (14), and Emily (11)
