What a wonderful year!  Life in the Graff family is rolling along.  I know that some of you really want to know what and how we are doing so here is the state of the family, annual report.

Starting with Samantha, our college student working on her English major.  She is studying at home through an accelerated distance learning program and will earn her BA in English in 18 to 24 months.  After she and Paul went on a mission trip to Russia this summer, she came home focused on becoming equipped to better serve the Lord by acquiring more education.  When she is not studying she still teaches ballet, sings with the worship team, serves in AWANA and fills in at the county museum. 

Anna is our rocket scientist!  She has formed a TARC (Team America Rocket Challenge) team and hopes to compete nationally in the spring.  For more info, check out the team’s web site:  www.mvhe-tarc.blogspot.com.  Meanwhile, she is still working at the insurance company part time and is the new administrator for the county museum.  She loves setting up the antique displays and learning more about local history.  Piano is still foremost in her life and she is playing on the worship team with Paul and Samantha.  Did I mention she killed her first deer this year?  Great meat from our mighty hunting girl!

Sara is taking piano and voice this year.  She is my most dedicated student and her favorite subject is literature.  When her work is all done, she can be found in her room painting, reading or working on her book.  In 4-H this year she took the top trophies for art and for the beautiful quilt she made for Anna.  She is a huge help to me in the home as my older girls are too busy for many home chores right now.

Joshua got his first deer this year too!  I have never tasted such good deer meat.  Joshua is busy designing armor and castles much of the time.  He took the top trophies in 4-H this year in rocketry and in archery for the arrows he made.  He is so grown now that he works by Paul’s side cutting wood and helping with the ever present home repairs.   He has become my handy man much of the time.

Emma and Julia are dancing in the Nutcracker this year and enjoy taking ballet from their big sister.  They both like to knit, crochet and quilt.  Emma took the crochet trophy in 4-H! Most days they can be found in their room arranging their doll house or dressing their dolls while listening to a story CD.   

  
Jeremiah and Joe: The boys!  They are all about swords, guns and ambushing Joshua.  They are getting pretty good at getting him to the floor and sitting on him or making him giddy-up as they ride on his back.  Little Joe is not so very little.  He is turning two this December and is adored by all.  When he gets caught being wicked he will throw his arms open wide and ask, “huggie?” in a sweet voice that proves this child is knowingly sinning.  Smart boy, but oh so much work to be done there.  So loved!

Something special happened with Jeremiah this year.  He and Emma were talking over what they had heard in church on a Sunday afternoon and Jeremiah told Emma  that he wanted to be a Christian.  Emma told him to go talk to Daddy!  Paul was taking his Sunday nap when Jeremiah crashed through the door and announced that he wanted to be a Christian.  Paul shot out of bed and they went and had a long talk.  Jeremiah understood that he had sinned and need to repent and ask God’s forgiveness.  He prayed and will now tell you that he is saved, belongs to Jesus and will someday live in heaven with Him. 

What more can we say? God is good and we are so blessed with the family, friends, church and the life we have in Him. 

3 John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”

Merry Christmas and God Bless You