The Year in Review

I've been working on a facelift for our blog - hope you like it :-)
This is no small feat for this technologically challenged blogger, so I am quite proud of myself!!!


Instead of writing my annual update on the family and including it in the Christmas card this year, I'm going to put it here, and since you all have our blog address now, you'll be kept apprised of all the goings-on here at Corny Clan. Our theme for 2009 is Learning New Things.


Brent - The fearless leader of Coyote Kitchen, Inc. has learned many things in 2009. The main one would perhaps be learning to rely on God in uncertain times. The business is doing well and we're so thankful, given the current economic situation in our country. It's growing and so the problems or challenges we face are good ones. He's learning how to turn it from a mom & pop company into an organization. We've doubled our staff and he's now more of a deal-maker rather than a supervisor. He finds it hard sometimes to let go of things and trust that they'll get done the right way, but he's learning to build up his employees and trust their skills as well. In addition to business, he's learning the "girly ways" of his two daughters and wrestling them as frequently as possible. He's working on re-organizing his daily routines to include workouts and church meetings as he is now, or will be soon, a church elder. He continues to be a supportive and encouraging husband, and I love and admire him a lot!


Gracie - Our oldest daughter has certainly enjoyed learning this year as she started kindergarten at our neighborhood school. She frequently says to me, "Mom, I just want to be able to read." She's close as she knows all of her letters and sounds and can work out simple words and books. She constantly asks me how to spell things, and she can report the day's schedule pretty much hour by hour. P.E. is one of her favorites along with her time on the computer. Tag is her favorite game to play at recess and she wants to invite many friends over to her house to play. She continues to learn about being a big sister and a good example. She is pretty patient with her sister and enjoys her company for the most part :-)
She's learning to let Hope do as many things for herself as possible instead of jumping in and then causing Hope to emphatically scream, "I want to do it myself!" I hope she will always have the enthusiasm for learning that she does now. Our best conversations happen in the car where she'll give me a run for my money - questions about heaven, communion, Santa and God. She's a delightful 6-year-old girl.


Hope - Our youngest daughter actually describes herself using the word "mischievious" - She's heard me call her that plenty of times that now she can say it. She definitely fits that definition. Hope is full of life and pretty much happy most of the time. She loves to learn as well. Specifically, she loves to learn personal histories. This usually results in numerous questions about names: "What is your friend's name? What is her mom's name? What is her dad's name? Why are those their names? What is her grandma's name? What is her grandpa's name? Why is that man saying that? What's stinky over there?" She keeps me answering all day long that at times I am known to say in the evening, "Okay, you have lots of good questions, but Mommy needs a question break. I'll be ready for more in the morning." Oh, she is funny. She enjoys her preschool class twice a week and attends Bible Study with me and plays with other children there. She's my little sidekick for errands while Gracie's at school. It was a little emotional to send Gracie off to school, and I think Hope might be hard too because then I'll be all alone - but then again, I'll be all ALONE, to do whatever I want!!! :-) Okay, back to Hope. She keeps us in stitches with her funny looks and sayings - a very special 3 1/2 year old.


Michelle - Learning - wow! I've learned a lot this year. I'm still teaching English online for a community college in our area and really like it. It's a perfect fit and I'm thankful to have it. I attend a women's Bible study at church on Thursday mornings and find I'm learning more and meeting new ladies. I was just thinking the other day about what I appreciate about my Bible study and I realized that I've gone through phases of reading and studying the Bible. When I was a young girl and teenager, I learned the stories and the characters. When I was a college student, I learned the deepness of my faith - the logic, facts and appreciation for how it all came together. And now, as a wife, mom and teacher, I'm reading it and realizing how personal it is - how it speaks to so many concerns we all have and has comfort all throughout. Anyway, that's a pretty spiritual sidebar, there. But what do you expect from a P.K.? :-) I learn new things through my book club with some fun women. It keeps me reading - and reading things I might not ordinarily choose. I'm learning how to be a mom of a school-age child and what a kindergarten teacher's life is like :-/ Yikes!



It's a fun life, full of ups and downs. We've had the chance to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, milestones like starting kindergarten and retiring from 40 years of full-time ministry (my parents). We are thankful for all the days of 2009 and look forward to 2010 with eager anticipation. May God bless you and yours!