Feast
of St. Stephen, 2014
Dear Family and Friends –
A very blessed Christmastide to you all from the Wilkinses!
We’ve been not very good about family letters these last
couple of years, and won’t try to catch everyone up now. Suffice it to say that
the Lord is good and sustains us through the trials that are the lot of human
life.
2014 has been a very full year. We are tremendously enjoying
our adorable grandchildren, watching them turn from cute babies into little
people with personalities and opinions. James, who turned two just before
Christmas, is all energy and enthusiasm: running, climbing, singing and
administering giant “huggies” with contagious joy. Windsor, age one, is as
“girlie” as he is all boy, but just as happy, smiling broadly as she explores
the world, dancing to whatever music she hears and “woofing” gleefully at any
furry animal in sight. They both love sitting in laps and reading books, which
makes this Nana one contented grandmother.
It’s been a busy year for the grown-ups, too. Rachel finished her master’s degree program at Southern NH University this fall (just in time, as baby brother arrives next April), Neil is entering the home stretch in his at Antioch, and Steve is well into his at Plymouth State. All this juggling of school-and-work-and-family makes for a lot of stress and some very tired parents, and we are proud of all three of them. Luis is working on his degree through Eastern New Mexico University at Roswell (no alien jokes, please!) and surely making Kathy proud as well.
Aaron started the year putting the finishing details in
place and hiring staff for the brand-new Andell Inn on Kiawah Island in South
Carolina, where he is Manager. Grandparents Barbara and Gerry Wilkins have
already enjoyed his hospitality there, and Tom and I are hoping to get away for
a few days this winter to see the place in person. We miss him but know he’s
doing a job he is terrific at, and that he loves.
Isaac has been a terrific help at the mill and around the
farm this year, making us very grateful for his presence (and him worried about
what we’ll do when he leaves home)! The Marine Corps has recognized his
abilities by giving him advanced training in both martial arts and medical
response (so he can now hurt you more effectively and then stabilize you until
the corpsmen arrive). He’s an involved and indulgent uncle and James adores
him.
As if Becky weren’t
busy enough with her day job in the Vermont Forensics Lab and being Windsor’s
mommy, she completed work on her book this fall. This beautifully illustrated
(but as yet untitled) yearbook of seasonal knitting patterns (and recipes by
her friend Calley) features local Vermont farm products and scenery. It’s
coming out soon from Cooperative Press. Stay tuned for details!
Sally has been putting her skills in service writing the
curriculum for her interdenominational Bible Study: a full year in the Gospel
of John that is proving tremendously challenging and fascinating.
Down at the mill, Tom’s
been super-busy, trying to adjust after the tragic loss of long-time employee
and friend Gary last year. The small
contractors and DIY’ers have started to come around again as the economy
improves, and the cordwood shortage has kept the kiln (and the dump truck)
running non-stop. With the help of the Society for the Protection of NH
Forests, we have finally completed the conservation easements that will
preserve the legacy of forest lands passed down through Tom’s family, and we
seek the Lord’s guidance in planning the future of the business as we enter its
207th year.
May your 2015 be
filled with joy and blessings!
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