Happy New Year - 2017!

Happy New Year to all of our family and loved ones! We’re on the second day of the New Year here in the future, Japan, but hopefully we’re still barely catching you all celebrating the first day of 2017. We enjoyed a busy but peacefully happy Christmas season thinking about our Savior and then some leisurely/sick days winding up 2016. We miss and love you all and are grateful for your influences in our lives.  Feel free to visit us in Japan at any time!  As a repeat of our nightly routine and last year’s letter, we’re sharing with you our answers to: “What was your high, what was your low, who did you serve, and what do you know?”

Love, Marc, Natalie, Madeleine (8), Sophie (6), Claire (2)

-- in Kyoto, Japan

-- in Sapporo, Japan

Our 2016 Highs Surfing • having Natalie’s parents visit for the month of June and going to Kyoto  and Tokyo with them and having them with us here in Misawa • Madeleine’s baptism • snow skiing • week long camping trip on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and seeing the new LDS Sapporo Temple • becoming debt-free • #LIGHTtheWORLD advent activities during December •  wonderful two week visit to Utah to hang out with our families in October  • girls’ first Suzuki recital – Sophie on cello and Madeleine on violin • days at the beach • Madeleine was a snowflake in a children’s play on base • having great neighbors and friends on base, and still loving the culture and people of Japan • snow skiing for 3 days right after Christmas • having our friends, the Bunkers, visit us in Misawa • Madeleine and Sophie lose lots of teeth • Claire is a snuggly, smiley girl who is very social • Sophie LOVES Japanese school

Our 2016 Lows Madeleine acts like a terror getting immunizations • Natalie will lose her driving privileges for 30 days due to an unbuckled seatbelt • missing family in the States • Marc’s paddle for his paddleboard broke and he had to send in his wetsuit for repairs so he couldn’t surf for about 4 weeks • the U.S. election was a huge let down for Natalie • saying goodbye to some really dear friends who moved away from Misawa • Claire and Madeleine had severe eczema flare ups • Sophie can recall no lows

How we served Madeleine donated 8 inches of her hair for women battling cancer • Claire was an open, kind, sunny toddler during visits to a nursing home • Sophie collected money for a charity her school supports • Sophie draws many uplifting pictures for friends and family •  Marc is learning service in a new way as Bishop of our small military congregation • Marc maintains status as champion dishwasher • Natalie has been busy concentrating on small daily acts of service • Natalie babysits for the base chapel women’s group

What do we know/learned Claire snow skis for the first time, cute as a button and brave • Sophie learned to ride her bike • Madeleine has [mostly] learned her times tables • Madeleine devours chapter books, her favorite is Harry Potter • Marc passed his Certifying Exam and is a true Radiologist • Sophie is learning to read • Natalie learns that she doesn’t care about gray hairs • Natalie and Marc have learned better communication on roadtrips with little to no navigating mishaps or contention • the girls (including Natalie) are all expanding their Japanese vocabulary