December 2008
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given… ”Isa. 9:6
Dear Friends & Family:
It is time again to wish you all the blessings of the Christmas season and to bring you up to date with the happenings in our lives this past year.
In our Christmas message last year, we indicated that both of us had medical problems. Carol has fully recovered from her gall bladder surgery in November 2007. Al’s prostate operation in January was successful with the cancer contained in the prostate. Subsequent check ups show that the PSA is undetectable and he is functioning at his previous activity level.
Because of Al’s surgery, we were only able to spend 2 weeks in Arizona in March with friends from Winnipeg. In May we were able to take 3 weeks traveling to see Jason’s family in Drumheller, watch Jeff’s twins (Jessica and Jasmine) play in a national volleyball tournament in Calgary, visit Carol’s brothers and sisters in the Vancouver area, visit Jeremy’s family in Victoria and visit Carol’s friend from nurses training days in Portland. Although this was a lot of traveling, it’s always so enjoyable being with family and friends.
Several months ago, we, as well as Jeff and the children and Jason’s family, all booked flights to Victoria to celebrate Christmas with Jeremy, Rose, Georgia and Bailey.
In February, we will be going with a group from the church to visit our Compassion sponsored 8 year old child in Ecuador. The children that we will be visiting are in 5 projects so we will be doing quite a bit of traveling via an old bus through the countryside on poor roads. This is the 4th year that groups from the church have gone and they have all returned safely. After a week in Ecuador, we will spend a week in Panama visiting with missionary friends from the church, who have spent 35 years translating the scriptures into the Kuna language. We will fly from Panama City with our friends to the San Blas islands, where they spent their early years learning the language. We will do the Panama Canal transit (a 9 hour cruise), tour Panama City and do other sight seeing. We’re also planning to spend March in Arizona.
We are both keeping very busy with church activities and Al finds part time jobs throughout the year.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas,
Al and Carol
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1 comment:
What? You guys didn't tell me you were all invading our house for Christmas! Better bring sleeping bags and a tent!
Just kidding, we are looking forward to having all the Martins here for the holidays and to having mom (Carol) bake some Christmas goodies for us too!
They say we may even get a bit of snow in Victoria before Christmas which would be our first white Christmas since moving here 13 years ago. But I'm not holding my breath considering that I just mowed the lawn and put up Christmas lights on Sunday in sunny 13 degree weather (that's somewhere in the 60's for you Yankees).
Merry Christmas to one and all if I don't get back to the blog again before the 25th!
Jeremy
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