Of everything in our lives (aside from family itself), house guests top our list! So November was a great month, with a visit from Grandparents Douglass, a brief stop-over by our camp friend “Sage” and the continued company of Ciely our honorary oldest daughter. Are you next? We’d love to have you here at the foot of the Alps, one hour north of Venice!

On the swim front, the girls enjoyed the Spooky Splash Meet on Halloween weekend and on Thanksgiving weekend, bested many of their long-distance times at the European Forces Swim League’s Long Distance Championship (events ranging from 400m to 1500m). Matti even had one podium finish with a 5th place in her 800m swim. Zoe dropped the better part of a minute in her 1500m swim – that’s a whole mile!! Gwen? She was a great coach’s helper and enjoyed paddling around in the warm-up pool.

Back home as we enjoyed Thanksgiving with friends and a game of Catan, we were blessed to be able to share our plenty through Compassion International’s fund for unsponsored children, joining countless donors in stepping into the gap where food is scarce as a result of a perfect storm: the war in Ukraine (a leading food producer for Africa), economic depression in the wake of Covid, severe weather, etc. We’d love for you to join us in this, if God so moves in your heart.

Moving into the Christmas season, we pray that each of y’all will enjoy the warmth of family and friends, which point forward to the Family of God with whom we’ll one day celebrate eternity – all because of Jesus, whose birth we celebrate now.

Thank you for your partnership in petition – our request for resolution within our church continues – and let us know how we can walk with you in this way as well.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

A hike to the “Eagle’s Nest,” the building in the background, the place Hitler had built outside of Berchtesgaden, Germany. Yes, that is snow…