December, 2008
Although the colorful falling leaves and the calendar tell us this year is almost gone, it seems to us that it just began a few days ago. Whether it’s age or just keeping busy, time seems to pass faster every year. The weather in our part of the country doesn’t make it feel like almost winter either, as it hasn’t been cold enough to freeze our tomatoes and we are still harvesting corn. While other parts of the United States are getting too much rain, we just wish for a few good storms to soak the parched ground. These days we stay pretty close to home, letting the younger folks in our family do most of the traveling. After getting his airplane instrument rating in Tennessee last January, our grandson, Daniel Adams flew to Bolivia.
For the first six months he taught at the Familia Feliz orphanage out in the jungle, then went to the city of Santa Cruz to work on getting his Bolivian pilot’s license.
He’s also been working as English program director at a Christian television station.
In June, cousin Krista Medina (center) joined a group of young people for a mission trip to Chile. Since Daniel had a few weeks break then, he was able to join her there for a few days.
The first of April found Fred and Diana leaving for a trip which took them to visit friends and family in Washington, Idaho, South Dakota, Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, and Utah.
We were especially thankful for Victor, our Mexican helper this spring as there was a lot of brush to be cleared and burned to make our 120 acres Fire Safe for the long, dry summer. He also helped prepare the ground for our garden. With prices in the stores so high, we were happy to be able to eat from our garden as well as have enough produce to share with others.
The first weekend of May was Betty’s 60 year high school reunion in California, but she missed it to attend the college graduation of grand daughter Kandice Medina in Texas. The graduation was special because this was the same college where Kandice’s parents met and graduated, so they were able to see old friends whose children were also graduating.
After working as activities director in a summer camp in Maine, Kandice is now learning to be an ER nurse at the same hospital in Los Angeles where our daughter Linda works as an ER doctor.
One special treat was an Adams family reunion at Red River, New Mexico which Linda helped us to attend in June. This was organized by the children of one of Celian’s cousins, folks we didn’t know personally, but since Celian is the last of their father’s generation, they were happy to meet us.
While most came from New Mexico and Texas, one flew all the way from Maryland and it was such a joy to share time and family information with them.
We were all thankful that Celian passed his July birthday this year without having surgeries as he did for the past two years. Instead Linda helped us to spend some time at a church retreat in the Redwoods of northern California. We have a tasty reminder of that time when we eat the blackberry jam made from wild berries that friends helped us pick our last weekend there.
August found Linda and Betty flying to Maine for Kami Kay’s baptism which was on big sister Kandice’s birthday.
The next day the family were in New Hampshire to help with the wedding of friends Tiffany and Scott. It was a beautiful setting by a lake and the bridal party walked down the path while Krista played her harp and Ben played the cello. The next day Ben left for college in Nebraska while the rest of his family returned to Maine.
One of Celian’s favorite things is feeding some "pet" foxes in the evening. One of the foxes comes quite close for his sweet treats. Our visitors and neighbors enjoy joining him in this activity.
As this year comes to a close we are thankful for our health, for our family, and for friends like all of you.
~ Celian & Betty Adams ~ |
Even
though they narrowly missed a tornado in Arkansas, after six weeks on the
road, Fred wanted to travel some more. However, Diana was ready to stay home
for awhile and plant her garden. The first trip went so well that late fall
found them driving to Washington, Oregon, and Idaho mostly visiting folks
they missed in the spring.
