2017-2018 Family Letter (aka Annual Christmas Letter)

Jim & Cathy

We Are Grandparents

and Other Less Important Information

The Very Short Version

• We adore our THREE precious, wonderful, incredible, beautiful, heart stealing grandchildren!
• All three kids and kids-in-love are in their 30s and busy.
• We are still living in Port Orchard and serving at Kitsap Lake Baptist Church in Bremerton.
• Our folks are pretty old now and we’re catching up with them!
• We love vacations and think they are too few and far between.
• We continue our gardening among raised beds and dwarf fruit trees.
• We now have our Medicare cards (so speak up).
• We will be offline April 5-22 but don’t worry. We will be just fine! 

__________________________________________________________

The Less Short Version

They have stolen our hearts!

Selah Grace Marie turned two on October 27. Emma Lynn Marie was born on June 17. Both girls belong to Aaron and Denise.
Levi James was born on August 8. He belongs to David and Jordan.

On being grandparents…

WOW! WOW! WOW! If we had known how great it was going to be, we may have started with the grandkids. It was tempting to just post family pictures in this letter, starring Selah, Emma, and Levi like this one with my parents. It was taken the day after Christmas. For those who wonder: Dad and Mom are doing pretty good for being 92 and 88. Here they are with our three treasures.

They are real adults! 

Adolescence begins at puberty and ends when a person fully assumes adult responsibilities. We have been the proud parents of real adults for some time now and are thankful for phones, etc.

The run down…

Aaron, Denise, Selah Grace Marie, and Emma Lynn Marie (grandchildren get to have their full names listed) Gantenbein live  just 15 minutes away. Aaron works at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton and Denise has recently become a stay-at-home mom, taking care of Selah and Emma.

Shane and Alison Calhoun have embraced the coast of Northern California after moving from Phelan, California earlier in the year. Now, they are just a quick 10 hour drive from us (8 hours closer). Shane is on faculty at Humboldt State University in Arcata and Alison works with special needs students.

David, Jordan, and Levi James Gantenbein live in “warm” Phoenix AZ, just a short 23 hour drive from us (plus stops). Flying is so much quicker. Either way, Phoenix is HOT! David works with Students (Youth) at Foothills Baptist Church. Jordan works, too, but lives to come home to Levi (and David).

A family Christmas…

Although the kids didn’t come “home” for Christmas this year, they did something even better. Everyone travelled to Eugene, Oregon on Christmas Day where we were able to stay together, play together, pray together, and get together with most of Jim’s sisters’ clan (Nancy). The trip provided several special opportunities for my folks to spend time with their youngest great grandchildren. (BTW, in two more months, they will be great, great grandparents!)

For Gantenbein and Poppino relatives, here are most of us who gathered the day after Christmas.

We have other family, too. Our kids aren’t the only ones who married up. I set the example by marrying into the Van Scyoc household. Cathy was able to return to Enid in December for a visit with members of her family, especially Mom who resides in a Christian Senior Adult Living community and continues to live with worsening dementia. Nevertheless, my godly and caring 92 year old mother-in-law continues to have a sweet spirit and loves singing familiar hymns of praise. 

Moving Forward

“When will you retire?” With over 31 years working for the City of Tacoma, we are both looking forward to her retirement sometime before 2020. She’s already working at developing our new business as Plexus Ambassadors, helping people who want to improve their health!

Currently, I (Jim) do not have plans to retire. However, I am fully aware that the time will come when I will not be physically (and/or mentally) capable of serving as the Pastor of a congregation. Until God directs, I will continue trying to make and help develop disciples of Jesus.

Both of us are looking forward to a wonderful time of rest and relaxation as we sail away on the Disney Wonder with stops in the Bahamas, Caribbean, Panama Canal, Central America, and Mexico. 

Woah! I almost forgot the garden. Here is a quick photo from this very successful past season:

Now to close with the latest picture of our family…

We thank God for our family and friends. It is our hope and prayer that you experience the most wonderful year of your life by living it immersed in the love of our Savior Jesus Christ!

In His love,

Jim and Cathy