Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
Dear Family & Friends,
We pray this Christmas greeting finds you well and that you are able to celebrate the gifts Christmas brings. We often just focus on the infant Jesus this time of year, but it is important to look ahead to the reason Christ came to earth. He humbled himself, became human, took on our sins and died on the cross, all because of His love for us. Because of that invaluable gift, we are able to spend eternity with Him in heaven. That gift is the reason we celebrate!
We’ve had a great year of growth as a family. This season of life is full of milestones, firsts and lasts. Through it all, we are remembering to enjoy all the little moments. We thank God for this family He has given to us. Here is a little of what we’ve been up to…
February – Luke, Lilly and Tiffany traveled to Florida to celebrate Luke’s 5th Birthday and Lilly’s 10th birthday with Grandma Kusch. Lilly missed her chance to take a 10 year trip with Grandma because of COVID. So, we tried our best to make up for it this year. Honestly, this trip was planned mostly by Luke. We went to Legoland and Sea World. Highlights included, Luke’s first time on a rollercoaster, feeding sharks and going behind the scenes in the shark tank and dining with orcas.
May – Summer brought camps and day camps for the kids. Lilly attended HEAR camp again. Liam and Lilly both attended horse camp. Luke attended farm camp. Liam went to technical camp as part of drama camp and computer camp at Concordia Lutheran High School. We took a weekend get-away with the Hart cousins and Grandma Kusch to Toledo and enjoyed the zoo and science museum.
June – Lilly and Tiffany got the opportunity to accompany Grandma Kusch on her Thrivent trip to Xcaret, Mexico. Lilly loved the unlimited food and swimming in the all-inclusive resort.
July – Grandma Kusch turned 70 this year and to celebrate she treated us to a Disney Alaska cruise. There are hardly words to describe the majesty of Alaska. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience, that we will all cherish forever. We learned about the goldrush and sled dog racing, saw orca whales and humpback whales bubble feeding. We were in awe of the glaciers! We took a tour of totem poles and enjoyed the small towns at port. Not only did we take in the wonder of Alaska, but we had so much fun aboard the Disney Wonder. There was something for everyone aboard the ship. Luke and Lilly enjoyed the kids’ clubs. Liam loved the independence of exploring the ship and watching various entertainment. The dining was phenomenal. Luke swam at every possible moment, even when everyone else was glacier viewing. We all loved the unlimited ice cream. At the end of the month we also added a new furry baby to our family. Luna is a standard bernedoodle. She is sweet and beautiful. She is currently very much a puppy, but she has been a great addition to our family.
August – With the start of school, came milestone years for all the kids. Luke started Kindergarten. Lilly started Junior High in 6th grade. Liam started his 8th grade year and last year in elementary school. So, between the three of them, we are experiencing a lot of firsts and lasts.
September – Tiffany started a new job as a vacation planner with Magical Travel, in addition to working part-time time with Thrivent and substitute teaching. Although she specializes in Disney and Universal Studios, she can plan trips to just about anywhere, including Beaches/Sandals and Royal Caribbean. If you want her to take the stress out of planning a vacation, let her know. She loves organizing and planning vacations, so families can make lasting memories.
October – Lilly attended Outdoor education at Camp Lutherhaven. Dave chaperoned Liam’s class trip to Washington DC. It was a whirlwind of a trip. They took in a lot in a short amount of time… Gettysburg, Ford’s Theater, Spy Museum, Mount Vernon, The Holocaust Museum, all the monuments and Arlington National Cemetery, to name a few.
November & December – These months have brought us school activities and time with family. We are enjoying this season of life and living by the kids’ schedules.
In addition to all that, here’s a little bit about each kid –
Luke is taking off with his reading and writing. The world of language has opened up to him and it is fun to watch. He took swimming lessons this year after completing a season of gymnastics. He started soccer this fall. He is a natural athlete. It is good to curb his competitive spirit into activities.
Lilly is working very hard in school and made the honor roll during the first quarter. She still enjoys taking horse lessons and playing the piano. She is artistic. She is playing basketball again this year and it has been fun to see her feisty-ness come through.
Liam continues to take piano lessons and plays percussion in school. He would like to add guitar to his list of instruments before starting in high school. He is our tech savvy child and has become a voracious video gamer. He helps with technical aspects of drama performances at school.
Feel free to keep up with our family through our blog – https://www.davetiffanyliamlillylukeherman.blogspot.com
We pray you know how much you are loved and appreciated. We are so blessed to have you in our lives. May you have the merriest Christmas ever!
With Love, The Herman Family
