Christmas Letter
King Family News for 2018
Art and Ronda King sending you warm Christmas greetings!
January Art flies to South America for ten days to visit Caleb, who is volunteering for a year in Pucalpa, Peru. We go adventuring together in Quito and Cuenca, Ecuador.
March Brenden and Moeko move from Klamath Falls, Oregon to Memphis, Tennessee. Moeko starts a new job doing cancer research at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and Brenden goes to work for SunTrust Bank. Taylor gets a job with a local rain gutter installer and spends his summer on ladders, learning a lot.
April Most of the children are home to mark the first anniversary of Theron’s death. We hold on to each other tightly.
June Willa graduates from Walla Walla Valley Academy and wins a wonderful violin scholarship to Walla Walla University. Rylee graduates from 8th grade at Rogers Adventist School. Bethani quits her job, “retires”, and flies to Europe, not returning until November. At different times in the summer both Willa and Caleb join her in European adventures.
July Hannah, Willa and Rylee take their Dad backpacking in the Elkhorn Mountains. We make the highest peak and the girls adjust their hiking pace for the wheezing old guy.
August Art and Ronda finish building a “glamping” tent in the backyard. We launch it on AirBnB and guests soon fill the schedule. Sierra starts her second year of her Physician’s Assistant program in Lincoln, Nebraska. Tyler goes to work for the Nebraska Department of Transportation.
September Art and Ronda fly to Alaska for a wonderful visit with David, Elissa, and the four grandchildren. Ian starts Computer Networking classes at the local community college. Hannah starts a new job in Ashland, Oregon. She is an accountant for a fast-growing educational toy company that sells cool stuff like dinosaur poop. Bethani works in a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesvos. Her heart cries in anguish for these downtrodden and desperate people.
October Ronda’s beloved father Grover Rose takes a fall and a few days later we lose him. Greatly loved, greatly missed.
November All ten of our children come home for Grandpa Grover’s memorial service, and most stay for Thanksgiving. We cry together, and we laugh together.
December Our grandchildren in Alaska are just a few miles from the earthquake epicenter. They do a lot of rockin’ and rollin’ but no injuries.
Wrap-up In the last four years, we have lost all four parents and one son. We pray for brighter days ahead. Through our sadness, we still see much to be thankful for. We look forward to getting your Christmas updates! May the true spirit of Christmas be with you and your family.
Art & Ronda, David & Elissa and their children Mossen (10), Cheyenne (8), Ryder (4), Hatcher (2), Brenden & Moeko, Bethani, Tyler & Sierra, Ian, Hannah, Taylor, Caleb, Willa, Rylee
Favorite Books of 2018
- Art: Island of the World - O’Brien
- Ronda: News of the World - Jiles
- Bethani: Factfulness - Rosling
- Brenden: The Spy’s Son - Denson
- Sierra: Scary Close - Miller
- Tyler: Musicians Quest - MacDonald
- Hannah: Daddy Long-Legs - Webster
- Caleb: Unoffendable - Hansen
- Willa: Scary Close - Miller
- Rylee: The Book Thief - Zusak
LINKS kingfamilypage.com
