greetings and gratitude Dear Leigh, Joy, Kiran, and Mark, it is such a welcome experience to read your letters. Thanks so much for sharing your insights and concerns with us. I appreciate your honesty in identifying your feelings and can understand that your lives have become intertwined with those with whom you live and share everyday. Quite an opportunity and you're giving it to us as well.
We have a very active Jan. and Feb. in Atlanta. The weather has pretty much precluded time at Cracrow, and we have certainly filled the time here with activities that engage us fully. In March we'll start a heavier travel time - Duke and Durham, twice, New York, and London the first week of May.
We do offer prayers for you. Happy Birthday, Kiran! Hugs from Sue
yum Joy-- Flan and Chicharitas sound really good. And I love the idea of throwing a bucket of water out onto the street. What a cool metaphor. Please give my condolences to Leigh about the disappointing champagne.
Mr. Fields
Happy New Year It's great to read your blog and learn about your experiences in Cuba! The Parkers miss you all! We are spending lots of time sledding these days as we have had plenty of snow. I envy your sunny photos!
I love reading your stories. I'm a bit behind what with a lot of traveling over the holidays so I've just read this one (1-11-11) and will move on up! What a wonderfull experience for all of you and those you touch. Blessings!
my blessing have i been looking for this blog or not, i couldn't wait to hear from you again. you all look great and i think i will jump for joy(lucky girl) as soon as i finish this comment. we are so excited that both of us will be coming in march - i wish it was tomorrow. i may go back to hilton head for a couple of weeks late january and first week in february -time for a gaia beach fix . i love each one of you so very much and really miss you- blessings-
Feliz Dia de los Reyes Magos !Feliz Dia de los Reyes Magos!
!Espero que esten bien, muy bien, y espero que esten continuando saltando para Joy!
I absolutely loved the jumping for Joy photos. Joy is a lucky girl!
Stan and I are fine here, thinking of you, imagining all you are doing and continuing to wish we were there with you. Thanks for including all the photos. I'm so glad you were able to visit La Vallita and Piedrecitas. And all the beautiful services and fellowships in Matanzas seem so inviting, warm and lovely.
Well, we pray for you and miss you and know God is at work in you all and in all those whose lives you touch.
Con mucho amor,
Kim
miss you No doubt, it was my most memorable Christmas EVER! Thanks for sharing it all with us. We miss you (and the warm weather- brrrr) but are so grateful for our time with you. We were at a New Year' Eve Party at my brother's house in Fayetteville and someone asked Graham what he liked about the trip. He said "The people are so generous. They don't have much but they are always willing to share what they have." We are sharing our Cuba stories with the circle this weekend. Will send some of the good pictures down with Ken and Nancy. PS - bought strings for Armando today:)
Memories You all will always remember Christmas 2010 and the beginning of the New Year, 2011 - such a time of giving and receiving among beautiful people with incredible spirits. Neil and I were not reaching out to new friends this holiday season, but we certainly did enjoy deepening the connections and memories with family. Here's hoping the viruses have moved on!
Christmas Hi and hugs to the Sigmon/Siler family.
I have been taking pottery classes in Black Mountain and was there when your Mark's Dad was working on your Christmas gifts from pottery. They were so cute and he took such careful care to make them small so they could be taken and not break. Hope they made it safe and sound. Love to follow your adventure and hear about the ways God is working in your lives and those around you. They are so lucky to have you all there. Hugs, Sandee
Great pictures I just got this contact from Lynn! It was great to see you all having so many new friends. My computer is down but I found all of this easy to see on mt iPad.
I will keep checking it out!
Merry late Christmas...keep well.
Love,
Agnes
merry christmas I just read your last couple of entries...thanks so much for sharing your experiences and photos! I feel like I am there with you guys because everybody's writing is so great! We had our first white Christmas yesterday in Atlanta since 1882 (ah, I remember it well) and now it is 20 degrees, so consider yourselves very lucky in your tropical paradise! On the news front, we got Don't Ask/Don't Tell repealed, as well as the START treaty and extension of unemployment benefits (in exchange for Republicans' demand to keep the Bush tax cuts for everyone, including millionaires and billionaires), so all in all, Obama ended the year on a good note. I got 2 A's and a B in my first semester in the MPH program at Emory (the B is for biostatistics and "boo" but it is a coup for a non-science/non-math person like me :) Lucinda is a cute (and a bit bratty) three year old as of August, and my cat Abby is doing well. Love you all. Happy Holidays!
thanks for sharing I'm at school but they have decided to close school for today. As the snow blows around outside, it was the perfect time to read your blog! Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. Joy, your writing is so much fun to read as always!
Miss you all! Thanks for another wonderful blog post - I loved being able to hear each of you describe your experiences
I can hear each of your voices!
We miss seeing you in the flesh but enjoy reading about your adventurous lives in Cuba. I hope the holidays are wonderful and memorable ( I feel sure they will be).
Love you guys!!!
Lynne
We're excited! I'm so grateful for the updates on your lives there. It sounds full, rich, challenging, trying and fun. Mark, i can't believe you are navigating that burro that pulls left and right! At least it is predictable.
Christmas experiences Greetings and thank you for a wonderful blog from each of you! You all sound very busy and productive--music, knitting, teaching, and enjoying your new friends there. We will be in Memphis Dec. 15--Jan. 2nd. Mary O.'s family comes the 18th. Oni is crawling now, so she will keep us all busy! They have had a large amount of snow for November! We eat our Christmas meal together with Lee, Marian, and Bob on Thursday. We all miss you, but feel good about all that you are experiencing. Joy, your birthday did sound very special! MERRY CHRISTMAS! Love, Paul and Louisa
love the pics Dear, dear dears,
This is a great blog. I love seeing your pictures. It's great to see a glimpse into your life there. Your house looks very nice. I love you.
May
a good visit what a great blog - i stilll get teary each time one arrives, but it is tears of thanksgiving for each one of you and the wonderful people around you. i truly feel i have had a visit with you - thank you - it is snowing here now but i don't think much will stick - the birds are so very busy- it seems they are preparing for the snow - dad has been at julia's for the week writing and keeping their dogs while they are in jamaica but is coming home today. we are so excited that jeanine and peyton will see you soon . i loveeeeeeeyou.
from Sandee Dear Sigman Siler family, Lynn sent me the link to your Blog and I am so excited to catch up on what you are doing and your experiences. I plan to read them all over the next several days. Miss you and send you many hugs. sandee
Happy Birthday Joy,
Thinking of you all day and each time expressing under my breath or outloud my joy over you, Joy. Love you, love you, love you. Hope you are letting in all the way, way down in your heart how much you are delighted in by so many.
honoring joy IT IS A CAPITAL LETTER DAY TO HONOR MY DEAREST, DARLING JOY ON HER 12TH BIRTHDAY. I LOVE ALL OF YOU MORE THAN I CAN SAY BUT FEEL SPECIAL LOVE FOR YOU JOY TODAY. IMAGINE I HAVE YOU ON THE MASSAGE TABLE AND THE HEATING BLANKET IS TOASTY WARM AND MY LOVING HANDS ARE GIVING YOU 12 MASSAGES. CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER AND I HAVE DECIDED THAT I WILL COME IN MARCH WITH MY PULLEN CHURCH AND I AM EXCITED THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO STAY WITH YOU.
food for body and spirit It was wonderful to hear from you again. I smile at the food accounts because to this day I still enjoy going to the grocery store. I am sorry you don't get more fresh produce. The service sounded very moving. Mark, we will be thinking of you on Nov. 22nd when you start your teaching. I just came back from Spokane and enjoyed that smiley 6 month old baby Oni. Vance was very patient with her and me! We are off to Junaluska this afternoon for a Peace Conference meeting and a walk around the lake, of course. So glad you are doing well. Glad the music lessons are going well for Leigh and Joy! Love, Louisa and Paul
Sue Williams
non-member comment
greetings and gratitude
Dear Leigh, Joy, Kiran, and Mark, it is such a welcome experience to read your letters. Thanks so much for sharing your insights and concerns with us. I appreciate your honesty in identifying your feelings and can understand that your lives have become intertwined with those with whom you live and share everyday. Quite an opportunity and you're giving it to us as well. We have a very active Jan. and Feb. in Atlanta. The weather has pretty much precluded time at Cracrow, and we have certainly filled the time here with activities that engage us fully. In March we'll start a heavier travel time - Duke and Durham, twice, New York, and London the first week of May. We do offer prayers for you. Happy Birthday, Kiran! Hugs from Sue