2014 Family Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas from the Mountains of East Tennessee!

We hope this letter finds you rejoicing in the wondrous birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! He is Emmanuel, God With Us. As one of our favorite Christmas songs says, "you could have left us on our own...but you're here, hallelujah you're here." Praise the Lord!!

As always, it has been another eventful year, full of blessings. A few highlights were the trips we took over the summer to Hilton Head with friends, and then to Branson with Erin's family. The boys had a blast on the beach with their buddies and making memories on the lake with their cousins!

Aaron is still loving his job at First Baptist Church, leading both the Worship Ministry and the Senior Adults. One of the highlights of his year was the opportunity to serve on mission in Italy with the Tennessee Men's Chorale. During his free-time, you will find him in sports fan heaven as a result of his beloved Kansas City Royals making it to the playoffs for the first time in 29 years, ending up in the World Series nonetheless! This not to be overshadowed by his Missouri Tigers who played in the SEC Football Championship game for the 2nd year in a row!

Erin is still working for both hospitals here in town, serving as the Creation Health Coordinator for Greene County. As of this fall, she is also the head volleyball coach at Greeneville High School, where her team was the 2014 District Champions! This winter she will be coaching Anderson's Upward basketball team for the 3rd year in a row and as always, she and her sisters continue to run volleyball team camps during the summer, in addition to sending evangelistic balls to missionaries through her sports ministry, Worthy of the Prize. One of their volleyball teams has won the state championship in Texas two years in a row now!

As for Anderson (8), he is still loving all things sports and continues to play baseball every spring/fall and basketball every winter.  He was baptized in January after giving his life to Christ last year and he sang his first solo, helping Daddy lead worship on stage at church, in November. We are so proud of him and cannot believe how fast he is growing up! He is in second grade this year, and seems to be thriving in all areas as he has in years past.

EJ (6) continues to remain interested in all things art and music. He spends his days painting, drawing, singing, dancing and keeping us entertained while Anderson is outside playing ball. He participated in his first piano recital last spring and we love hearing his sweet little voice sing, "Where Are You Christmas," one of the songs from their school Christmas musical, A Very Grinchy Christmas. He started Kindergarten this fall and we are happy to report that he is truly loving it and doing well!

Looking back on another year, we thank God for all of His blessings, and for you. We hope you and yours have a magical Christmas and a wonderful New Year! May God bless you as you seek Him in 2015!

With Love,
Aaron, Erin, Anderson and EJ 

 “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. 
(Matthew 1:21)