Merry Christmas
Jake turned 15 in September this year, just a few weeks after starting 9th grade. It's so hard to believe that he's in high school; and while we sometimes miss the little boy that once danced in the aisle during the Russian Dance at the Nutcracker, we are so proud of the young man he is becoming. He spent a good part of the year working as a karate assistant 2 days a week at his karate studio. He loves working with the little kids and has really grown up since having a job. He also earned his black belt in May, which was a huge accomplishment that he's really proud of. He had a really busy and exciting summer, spending a couple of weeks at camps and then visiting family in Arizona and Washington.
Jake decided to take a break from working during the school year so that he can concentrate on his studies and try some new activities at school...namely, wrestling. We were surprised when he said he wanted to go out for the wrestling team, but he has really enjoyed it so far. We know nothing about the sport, and it's a really hard sport for moms, but we are having fun with it too. He's also entering into the last semester of a Musical Theater Conservatory which will be putting on the musical "Urinetown" in May.
While the job keeps Lloyd on the road quite a bit, we are lucky enough to be able to go with him sometimes. This year, in addition to Charlotte, we were able to go to Nashville and Phoenix with him. It's fun to be able to see friends and family and experience different things on these various trips. We are looking forward to going to Chicago with him next year and seeing the Cubs play at Wrigley Field.
Despite the hectic travel schedule, Lloyd continues to train for and compete in races...sometimes in the cities he's visiting. This year, he completed 1/2 marathons in Phoenix and Nashville, triathlons in Philadelphia, rural Virginia and a quaint little town on the Eastern Shore in Maryland. He finished the season with a marathon in Richmond, VA. His big plan in 2015 is to complete an Ironman in Cozumel, Mexico at Thanksgiving.
May the peace of Christ be with you this season,
Stephanie, Lloyd, and Jake