MERRY CHRISTMAS 2000

I am not sure how Christmas seemed to fall upon us so fast this year.  We are less busy this year and yet more behind.  If I were smart I would just tell you that we intended to send our cards out after the holiday rush so you would have more time to appreciate it.  We have changed the format a bit from the traditional letter.  It may seem a bit more impersonal but hey, this is a mass produced Christmas letter, how much more impersonal can it get???

THE REVIEW OF 2000

THE HOUSE:  We are settled into our new home, we have been painting, decorating, ripping out wall paper, installing new windows, buying new furniture, moving electrical outlets, etc.  While Brian loves working computers, he hates home improvement work.  My parents came out to visit in the Spring.

THE CATS/DOG:  Huey (the black one) still has a heart murmur but it has not gotten worse so the vet is going to monitor it annually.  Jack is still around and available should he need to donate his heart to Huey.  Jack has always cared more about others than himself.  Huey is still our favorite (we don't tell Jack this ­ so mum's the word).  We are in line to be a puppy raiser for the Guide Dogs for the Blind.  It is a big commitment with biweekly meetings and the dreaded hand off at the end of the dog's 12 month stay with us.  We have not broken the news to the cats but we figure they will easily adjust once they hear that it is for a good cause.

BRIAN:  Not much has changed this year.  He still loves his job at Advent Software.  He was promoted and is now in charge of all the servers (some essential piece of computer equipment).  It always seems to escape me actually how he spends his day at work (see monkey photo) but I think he says the same about me.  In November he was sent to New York City on business and my sister and I tagged along.  We did all the typical Thanksgiving week NYC stuff, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, David Letterman, some shows, froze our buns off at the parade, etc.  It was great fun as we had not been there before. 

JENNIFER:  My job with the youth programs at UC Berkeley is great.  This year our programs over doubled in size going from about 130 summer camp staff to over 275 staff.  It was like being at a start-up company!  I worked 80+ hours a week for three months straight.  The most exciting was starting a skateboard camp complete with a 12 foot tall vert ramp!  Fortunately, we have ironed out some of the kinks that came with such rapid growth.  I do some traveling speaking at parks and recreation and summer camp conferences and staff training events.  I have been an advisor with our church youth group since 1997 and my girls are now seniors in high school.  I forgot how much work and worry and prayer went into applying to college.  It will be hard to see them all off in August 2001.  Pictured below from left to right:  My coworkers at camp, 1/3 of my senior girls, me on a my new skateboard (much to my mother's dismay).

WHAT IS AHEAD FOR 2001:  Brian and I will be in Florida the last week of February.  I have a conference to attend and Brian will be joining me and we will say on a week to see Disney World and the surrounding area.  We will have an extended stop over in Chicago on March 4^th from 10am ­ 1:30pm ­ enough time to meet people for lunch (assuming our flights are on time).  If you are interested in meeting us for lunch save that date and I'll send out info as it gets closer.

The Bradley Family is our family away from home.  They Have taken us in and made us their own.  It started on 4th of July in 1995 and we never left.  We now spend all our holidays with them.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

. .to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: the people living in darkness have seen a great light
Matthew 4:14, 16