Dear Family & Friends,
We are so thankful that you are part of our lives! After skipping our family newsletter last year, we decided it was time to bring the tradition back.
Nathan is now 9 years old and in the fourth grade. He finished out another season of baseball and in his spare time alternates between reading books and playing video games.
Alison is now 7 years old and in the second grade. She loves gymnastics and is constantly cartwheeling everywhere she goes. She proclaims that she will be an art teacher when she grows up, and can often be found following along with online drawing and painting tutorials.
Both kids absolutely love their school (both are honor roll students) and continue to display a passion for learning – something we’ve worked hard to instill in them.
Roland and I celebrated 14 years of marriage, and spent some quality time together creating a family crest. He has finished out another year as a Chaplain in the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division (CID), as well as serving as the lead pastor of our on-post chapel community. I continue to combine my love for organization, technology, flowers, and cakes – working with several wedding industry vendors back in Hawaii.
To recap 2017, a few highlights include…
- Took advantage of mainland living with road trips to: Branson, MO; Louisville, KY; and Pigeon Forge, TN.
- Spent both spring and fall breaks at our family’s happy place, Disneyworld, and met up with Roland’s brother and cousins who currently live in the Orlando area.
- Spent 2 weeks in Maine with my parents, aunt, and uncle at their gorgeous lakeside cabin doing all things nature-related (Roland’s kind of vacation).
- Created a Tennessee Live List (sounds better than a bucket list) and crossed many things off of it: picking strawberries/blueberries, visiting the Parthenon and various Nashville restaurants, hiking Dunbar Caves, staying at the Opryland hotel, and more!
- Experienced the path of totality during the 2017 Solar Eclipse from the comfort of our own backyard.
- I created a blog (maintaining it is the next step): www.adventuresonthehomefront.com
- This year Roland has traveled more for work than ever before (to Germany, Florida, Fort Lewis, Fort Drum, Fort Knox, Fort Leonard Wood, Fort McCoy, Fort Leavenworth, and Redstone Arsenal).
- Roland furthered his passion for woodworking. Among other things, he built 3 beautiful farmhouse tables (for us and friends).
- Trying to embrace more of a minimalist lifestyle as we purge and…
- Prepare to move to Fort Benning (in Columbus, GA) where Roland will serve as a Chaplain in the 316th Cavalry Brigade. We’ll update you with our new address soon.
We hope that this year has been a blessing to you. And we wish you a wonderful holiday season with amazing things to come in 2018!
With Love and Aloha, Roland, Elana, Nathan & Alison