Poll: How do you feel about family letters included
with a Christmas card?
a. They
are obnoxious. It's just one more way to
brag about your family's miniscule accomplishments.
b.
Yawn. They make me sleepy. I read them on Christmas Eve when I can't get
to sleep.
c. I can
take them or leave them.
d. I
prefer pictures.
e. I like
the to hear the news from my friends and family. Bring it on!
If
your answer was "a": We apologize and suggest you toss this in the
trash and move on with your life. We promise not to be offended.
If
your answer was "b": Just add this to the stack you are saving for
your next bout of insomnia, especially if it doesn't arrive before Christmas Eve!
If
your answer was "c": Hmmm, we have no advice. Do as you wish.
If
your answer was "d": We are
low on pictures at the moment. Try to
imagine what we looked like last year and add more hair (except for Michael)
and wrinkles on everyone. We'll do better
next year.
If
your answer was "e": Here's
our news!
-->
We are all older! Michael hit the big
4-0, Jenn will reach there soon, Jarom hit 16, Ainsley is 14, Rebekah turned
12, and Holly will complete her first decade at the end of the month.
-->
For those who have not seen or heard, our church opened a temple in Kansas City
this year. This was definitely a
memorable and important time for our family.
Before the dedication, we toured the temple with our kids. Michael and I each had an opportunity to help
as volunteers during the temple open house.
Even more thrilling, Jarom and Ainsley (and 3000 other teenagers from
our area) were part of the Cultural Celebration at Municipal Auditorium in
honor of the temple dedication. It was
an amazing show!
-->This
year, for the first and only time, our kids are all attending school in
different buildings. This has added a
new kind of crazy to our lives!
*Jarom
attends Ruskin High School and survived his first year in the high school
drumline. We had no idea the kind of
time commitment this required, but it was *so* much fun to watch him march with
the band! He plays Bass Drum #3.
Now that concert band has resumed, he is back to spending his time
mostly on the marimba.
*Ainsley
attends Hickman Mills Junior High. She
is an excellent student and was recently accepted into our district's gifted program.
She also continues to play violin in the orchestra and she was elected
to the Student Council! She has been a
little disappointed that they have not had a meeting since the elections, but I am sure she will have them falling into line soon.
*Rebekah
attends Smith Hale Middle School. She is
also an excellent student and she plays the cello in the orchestra. She is the
first chair in the cello section for the whole sixth grade! Since she turned 12 in September, she now
gets to participate in the youth programs at church. She is also becoming a social butterfly, being
the first of our kids to burn up the phone lines & invite friends over!
*Holly
is our last child still at Burke Elementary in fourth grade. She recently starred as Goliath in a video
production of "David and Goliath," performed by the Activity Day
girls at church. She gave a moving and
dramatic performance. She also
participated in the Twelfth Night Feast for school (as an ox horn dancer) and,
we are told, had her picture in the Kansas City Star. She will be available for autographs during
Christmas vacation. You can check our
family website for her schedule of appearances.
-->One
other major event this year: Michael graduated summa cum laude from Columbia
College with a B.A. in history. We are
*so* proud of his accomplishment! He
took a (very short) break and is now working on his master's degree in public
administration.
-->
Jenn is still here, doing the same things, praying for a clone or a little more
brain power to keep up with everyone else!
Enough
of that! From our family to yours, with
*much* affection, we wish you a beautiful holiday season, celebrating with
those you love most.
Sincerely,
The
Ort Family
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