Merry Christmas.

I wanted to write a Christmas letter again this year. I will update everyone on how everything is going of course. The first thing is to say Merry Christmas from China. I would write it in Chinese, but I don’t know what that is in Chinese, and also don’t know how to write in Chinese, yet.

I hope your last year has been great. Our family here has done very good. We have not even had to have DJ at the hospital for IV or anything this season. My side of the family, in the USA had a hard time this past year. My little brother died this year, so please keep his wife Tina, and daughter Kim in your holiday prayers.

Susan is 14 now. She is in her 11th grade year of school, and is still being home schooled. She is doing great in school. When we go back next year, then she will stay with her grandparents in Camden, and finish home schooling there. She will get her drivers license. She is also going to do her first year of college online. Then she can go off to college and study to be the Vet Tech she wants to be. She is growing up to be a beautiful young lady also. She helps out so much with her little sister. She makes sure that our dog, Spot is fed and walked also. I think he will miss her when she goes back.

DJ is growing so fast. She is 2 now, going on 4. She is at the age to repeat almost everything. She can do alot of things herself also. I wish that potty training was on her to do list for this year, but sadly I am not sure that it is. She is still in diapers, still wants her bottle (although she uses a sip cup a lot). She is starting to learn how to eat with a fork and spoon, but her hands are faster. I am hoping this Christmas will be good for her. Last year, if you saw the pictures of her with Santa, then you know that she screamed for him. This year, she has helped me put up Christmas decorations with pictures of him. She also has a stuffed Santa doll. I am hopeful that this year will be different. I guess we will not know until Santa shows up, if she will be scared or not though.

Carl is still working at a private school here in Jiamusi, and at a public school also. He has one day off a week. We are hoping to move to a warmer climate next year.

I am doing fine. I stay at home and watch Susan and DJ. I help with things etc. I got a teaching certificate this year online, so I can teach ESL (English as second Language). Here in China, you technically need a college degree, that certification, and 2 years of experience to be able to teach. I would only have one of the three criteria. There are some schools that will hire people with only what I have.

We are trying to find a job where I can work also. We also want a warmer climate. If it works out where I won’t be working, then I will try and take the girls and go back to the USA around the first of May to visit. I would like to have a Chinese person come in, after we come back from the USA, and start to teach DJ some Chinese. Then, when she is about 5, she would start in Chinese classes, but still home school her like we have done Susan. I think that will work better, than putting her in Chinese school. That would maybe make us learn Chinese better also. She can practice with us, and we will also be able to control what all subjects she learns.

We have posted pictures of the Christmas decorations here at home and at Carl’s school. I wish everyone a happy Christmas. See you next year.

Also, if you would like to see what all it has taken and will take to get home schooling things done in China, then feel free to go check out my blog at kitchens-homeschool.blogspot.com .

Merry Christmas

Carl, Debora, Suzanne, Destiny, and Spot Kitchens

Jiamusi, China