Top Ten News Items (that wouldn't fit in a standardized Christmas letter)

Andy asked me to give the year-end update for our family blog. I’m pretty nervous; I haven’t honed my “blog-voice”. I either tend toward too much verbosity in general, too much impractical prattle, or not enough deep thoughts. But here goes…

Top Ten News Items from Rudd 04

Jaelyn (5) began kindergarten and Addison (4) began preschool for a few hours a week. It’s been a weird adjustment for Jaelyn to start “real” school, but she does enjoy it. She and Addison both attend the Child Development Center preschool and Kindergarten at Malone, so it’s nice to have them close and integrated into a classroom with other Malone community members. Jaelyn is obsessed with gymnastics, and Addison loves swimming right now.

Speaking of our community...actually, communities, I guess. We love our church. Both Andy and I have greatly enjoyed observing the church year calendar with the congregation at Akron Christian Reformed Church. This year’s Advent season was especially meaningful to me. It’s really rewarding to watch our kids learn the rhythm of this calendar also. It’s soothing and anchoring to us. Out of our church, we have a smaller community of Malone people who have started a Bible study here in Canton. We enjoy and grow from the conversations and care we gain from that group.

Another key community would be our Babysitting Co-op which has made our ‘dual-parenting’ model so much easier. We have three families, with two kids each, that rotate some day-care and at least three date nights a month. It’s a win-win for everyone. The kids love being together (they are all in the same school), and the parents get free babysitting!



Andy participated in NanoWrimo month. For those uninitiated, during the month of November, 50,000 people, connected via the Internet, wrote a 50,000 word novel. He worked really hard and completed it by 11:58 p.m. on Nov. 30. Now comes the editing part.

Andy got tenure at Malone and took on the duties of department chair for three years. He has done a great job, but isn’t necessarily tantalized by the ‘power’ of administration. He remains very ambivalent toward institutionalized life.

I started a new job and thus a new phase of our family life. In October I was hired as the Literacy Center Leader for Timken Senior High School in Canton. It’s an urban high school with many of the problems you would expect, but I’m so excited about the opportunity. I feel like it’s kingdom work that is intimately connected to my academic passions. There is so much work to be done, but we will have a new building and hopefully an excited staff and student body by next fall. (I can always dream!) Since Andy has received tenure, he has been able to adjust his schedule a bit more, so that hopefully, the kids will still be with one or both of us more than without us.

Our families are doing well. Andy’s entire family has nestled in Muskegon. Bill is still at Calvary Church as senior pastor with Gloria serving as the first lady of the church. David is at Calvary also, working as youth pastor; Marianne works part-time as a nurse. Their kids, Emma (8) and Liam (5) are favorites of our kids. They love being together. Daniel is a senior pastor in North Muskegon and Andrea works in OB at the hospital there. Ryan works in Muskegon and Angela is a music teacher at Calvary. Yes, we are the only ones not there. We seem to have missed that “all-call”.



My Coshocton family is doing well also. My dad is working as the “Grounds-keeper” at a local high school, but he is truly the man with the power. You know what they say about the custodians and secretaries. He runs that school. My mom is enjoying her first year of retirement. She has traveled a bit with my dad, but mostly takes care of my nephews while their parents work. My brother, Brian, works on a corporate hog farm and his wife, Kristy has started a greenhouse business on my parent’s farm. Keith (6) and Marcaus (2) are also favorite people in my kids’ eyes.

My cousin Jan got married this June. After she and Adam got engaged, I was able to fly to Minneapolis and spend a weekend with her, going shopping and preparing for the wedding. It was great to spend time with Adam and get to know them as a couple. He is a great complement to her spiritually and seems to love her in ways that she needs. Their wedding was such a great celebration; I’m so happy for them both. They both work in Minneapolis, actually with the same type of students. I’m so glad that God brought someone in her life who can share the same passions that she has.



There are so many other details…we all have them right? They all seem mundane, until they are stacked together. Then you begin to see God’s hand moving in very subtle, yet distinct ways. We said good-bye to students and friends this year, but we also welcomed new ones into our hearts. Thank you for your part in our lives! Please get in touch when you are able!

Lynn, Andrew, Jaelyn, & Addison