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Christmas 2012 Havens’ Mississippi
Tis the season for CHANGE..
Several things have changed in the Havens House in the last year. The biggest for Joan and me has been the move of Kris and Terra and family (well most of them) to Japan before the end of December. This means no house full of kids and grand-kids this Christmas.
Kris has taken a job as the Manager of the Crisis Management Dispatch Center at Yokosuka Navy Base south of Tokyo Japan. He, Terra, Mackenzie and Garytt have left the states to be in Japan prior to Christmas. This was a major increase in responsibility and a jump in career of maybe 10-15 years. We are very proud of his accomplishment and we get to go to Japan for the next 3-5 years. You will notice that Morgan did not go with the family. She was accepted to the Mississippi School of the Arts in the dance program. This is a live-in high school for Juniors and Seniors. She and the family decided that she could not receive this level of education anywhere else so she is staying in Mississippi. Joan and I therefore become guardians for the next couple of years. Morgan will come “home” every couple of weekends and for school holidays. She will go to Japan for the summers. We also got custody of a year old dog, Ravyn.
As for the rest of the family, Clayton took a job as a software quality control of a very fast rising head-hunter company and is working in Austin, TX. His wife, Tisha also found a quality control specialist job in Austin... I’m pretty sure they are settled for a few years. At least they are closer than Colorado Springs so we can see them a bit more often.
David is in Delaware working at Bank of America (same job but different paycheck for the last 12 years). He is earning money to make improvements to his Victorian home. This year he upgraded the insulation, some of the electrics and floors. The next major project will be a remodel of the kitchen, ½ bath and dining areas.
As for Joan and myself, I’m in my 16th year of teaching Air Force student in advanced Pilot training at Columbus AFB. We had the change to Government Service a year ago and things have settled a bit but the training of our nation’s Air Force pilots continues unabated. Joan’s mother passed in May at the age of 96. Joan and siblings were all there. A celebration in PINK was a joyous event with the first ever 4 generation family gathering Joan just had knee surgery and is in the midst of recovery and cookie baking. Earlier in the year she broke her foot but it did not stop us from spending two weeks in St Thomas. We spent one week alone and the other with my cousin from New York. It was a wonderful time... This fall we spend most of two weeks on Hilton Head island... It was our first and not last visit to Hilton Head.. In the off season it is a wonderful place to rest.
Plans for the new year had already included an African Safari in April. Now we have to plan a trip to Japan in the fall.. Joan tells me she is going for 6 weeks. I still have to work (pesky work) so will have to plan a shorter trip.
We hope that your family has had a Blessed Year and we look forward to hearing of your adventures, miss-adventures and near adventures. GOD has blessed my whole family with so many things this year.. HE is so good and His Son, Jesus is the reason for this season of outreach and JOY.
