home

Christmas 2009

For many years we traveled around these United States in a 1993 blue VW Eurovan. Chances are good that if you have known us for a while we parked that van in your driveway at some point in time. Over the years as we managed to pass through 47 of the 50 states, the kids began calling the van “Kronk”. Sixteen years down the road, it was time for Kronk to retire and he was traded in for a new pick-up truck for Steve. In our lives, we’ve moved around so much that we don’t really get sentimental about too many things, because chances are good we won’t have them around for long. However, trading that old VW van in was a little bit difficult for us.

In reality though, we’ve had a fairly routine year. No moves, job changes or family trips overseas. We are just putting along here in the greater DFW area, dealing with the normal ups and downs of life.

Steve and Joyce managed to put quite a few miles on their motorcycles on weekends and got a trip in to Illinois for Janice’s 80th birthday celebration. They also rode the “Three Sisters” in the Texas Hill Country and the Talimena Scenic Byway in Arkansas.

Lynne, Ben and Alanna were able to come and visit a couple of times, and we greatly enjoyed having them here. Alanna will be two in February and is into everything. She is especially good at pulling sticky notes off of the pad, one at a time. They will add a new little Slates to the family in June next year.

John began his senior year at ACU. Or perhaps we should call it his senior “year and a half”. He expects to graduate this time next year with a degree in computer science. He continues to work as a contractor for Siemens.

Philip went to ACU for one semester then took a break. He’s hoping to head back next month and give it another go. In the mean time he’s been helping out with the youth group at church and plays guitar with the youth worship team.

Cara is half way through her senior year! She’s hoping to attend ACU as well. She still has her nose in a book most of the time, though she does take it out to baby-sit for a weekly ladies bible class and to hang out with the youth group.

Come and see us if you’re in the area. The house is nice and stable because of seven piers that were recently installed to curtail the sinking of the foundation, which Steve swears happened because of Joyce’s books. Just promise not to look at the master bathroom that has been torn up waiting to be redone since April. Perhaps we’ll be able to report it as finished and available for tours in next year’s missive.

Until then,

Happy holidays!

The Kramars