January Newsletter

January 2010 is nearly over and the Johnsons have been in Fort Wayne for 6 months now. If you are wondering about this months newsletter; we just didn't get one made this month. The days seem to be flying by and there is so much to do, and we're barely keeping up with this blog.
As we mentioned in the December news, Don is taking 18 credits this semester, so his time away from studying is very limited. The city of Fort Wayne offers many interesting activities, and we are constantly trying to find a balance between time at home and time on the run.
Corinne is taking an online class at IPFW called "Journalism: Reporting, Writing, and Editing" This class is a perfect match for her interests and has her running around town covering events. She is also taking a Visual Communication (aka Photo-Journalism) class at the college, and that one has her running all over taking pictures of the news. This coming Saturday, the entire family will be attending the Fort Wayne Pro-Life Rally so that mom can 'report' on it. Well, everyone except Summer as she will be on a youth group trip this weekend.
We have started to inquire about houses that might be for rent next year, and we've even begun packing up some things (mostly books that we want to keep, but won't be reading in the next few months).
We are rewriting the business plan for our Ebay store, as Ebay presents a new fee schedule to begin in March.
We still struggle to find and keep good renters in our Scottville property, and are now offering it for rent with an option to buy. We are hoping to have it sold by the time Don is finished with his studies at CTSFW.
Fort Wayne has been particularly cold recently - it is physically painful to go outside. We've been trying to stay inside, but there are some things worth going out for. Like the kids singing in chapel this morning. Of course, Don has to go out every day for class, but the rest of us are trying to stay in and stay warm.
Sorry we missed the print version of this letter this month, we'll try to do better in FEB. :)

Help CTS Help Haiti

While the primary function of CTS is training the next generation of Pastors, there is much more happening within that context. Concordia Theological Seminary is working in the name of Christ throughout the world, and is therefore directly affected by the catastrophe in Haiti. Currently, CTS has a Deaconess serving in Haiti with her daughters, and one of Don's classmates has just returned to his home in Haiti to be with surviving family members.
Here is a link to a report on the situation from Deaconess Intern Alyssa Stone in Les Cayes, Haiti.
ALYSSA'S REPORT
We encourage you to visit the CTS website as they post updates on the situations of friends and family connected to the seminary, as well as plan to send a group of students on a mission there this spring
CTS SITE

Fun in the Snow!

Lots of fun for everyone except Noah.
Momma wouldn't let him out to play.
So, Jacob came and played with him.

Cool Cardboard box trick

You've all heard the expression, "kids have more fun with the boxes their gifts come in ..."
Well, here is a perfect example of one kid (Jacob-age3) making great use of his cardboard box.


Big Girls Rock Too!

Over the years, our Christmas celebrations became a struggle between extravagance and simplicity (we added a child about every other year, had a limited amount to spend, and felt obligated to make Christmas a BIG deal). As a parent, it can be easy to grade the quality of the Christmas experience by the number of gifts under the tree. In past years, we would purchase items and hide them away until Christmas Eve, when we would hide in our room, sorting and wrapping all of the gifts. Inevitably, we would find that some child had too many or not enough and then, have to scramble to get more things. On Christmas morning, the children would tear through the giant pile. One year, there were so many gifts, our children got bored half way through and some of the gifts went unopened for days after.

In our recent move, our VERY LARGE and lovely tree arrived

incomplete. I didn't want another tree, but the kids needed a place to put their gifts, so we made a paper tree. We worked on it together and little by little we continue to make and place ornaments. I think it is the best tree that we have ever had.

Then, there comes the issue of gifts. How do we give our children the Christmas morning present frenzy that we grew up on, and can't bring ourselves to deny our children of, without going into debt to do it?

We have faced this crisis every Christmas, and every year, I dread it.

This year, my husband slayed my dragon for me. He is truly a hero!

The seminary clothing co-op is a God-send as well.

Don signed up the children for the "Marketplace"

Each of the children were given the opportunity to shop and choose a gift for each of their siblings, and for each of their parents. Six children, each choosing 7 gifts (5sibs+2parents) makes 42 presents under the tree - WooHoo! That's a lot. Don and I each chose a gift for each of the children as well (that's 6 more) up to 48. Then, they each chose a present for grandparents. The gift pile keeps growing....

I love that all of the gifts are already under the tree, I love to look at the pretty wrappings, and I get to enjoy them all for a couple of weeks, instead of just one day. We did buy one big gift for the family (something we likely would have purchased anyway), and Don convinced Gramma to give us one big family gift as well.

When we see all the gifts already wrapped and under the tree, it reminds us that there is plenty and that we do not need to shop for more.

I think this may be the first year that I am truly enjoying the Christmas season.

Corinne

Family Photo

We don't have a lot of opportunities to get our photo taken together, usually one of us is holding the camera. So, it's a nice treat when someone else takes a photo of us all.
Here is a shot that our Pastor's wife Terry took of us - I think it's going up on the bulletin board with our names...
we're trying to learn all the names in the congregation, but I suppose it's work for them to remember all 8 of ours too...

So, in case you don't know us all
From left to right
Ethan (7), Jacob (3), Don, Tyler (9), Caitlin (11), Noah (11 months), Corinne, Summer (14)

Imaginary play

I love to watch the kids develop their own creative ways to show what they know (especially when it's stuff I didn't even teach them).

Today, when we had friends over, Summer wrote a script, Caitlin and her friend Elsie made costumes, and they performed their production for the other 8 kids who were here.

It was great fun for everyone!