Santora Sentinel...Blog Style

December, 2010
I guess it was inevitable with the plethora of social media and email that our newsletter was destined to go Cyber. I tried to avoid it. Tried to rationalize it. But the fact is, this is more fun, less restraining, more convenient, less expensive, and defnitely cooler!


SO, welcome to the new and improved Santora Sentinel!


As we sit on the brink of another year, we reflect on the past year...the trials, the joys, the beginnings, the endings, the good and the bad.


Last Thanksgiving we had a great time with Lon's sister and her daughters, Lauren and Alena and with Grandma, whose health was declining rapdily. We thought it truly might be her last Thanksgiving...and it was.

"Children's children are a crown to the aged." Prov. 17:6


It was a precious time spent with all the family.


When Christmas came, she was just too weak to try to bring her to our house. We went to the assisted living home and took cookies and guitars. We brought her some dinner which she didn't eat. We all went downstairs and sang Christmas Carols with her and the sweet ladies who were there. It was a special time.


We made almost daily trips to see her and on January 16th when we went  she was not doing well. Hospice put her on critical care and two days later, on January 18, 2010, she heard the voice of her Savior and was freed from her body of pain and suffering. While there are days of sadness and comtemplation that she is not here, we mostly rejoice because she suffered ill health for such a long time and we know she is with Jesus and free. "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." Amen.


 Life marches on and so do we. Lon and I are both grateful that we still have jobs. SO many people are out of work and can't find work. Even though some days are frustrating, we remind ourselves that we have a job to be frustrated with and we are...or try to be thankful!


Lon has been continuing to take computer education classes to keep his skills sharp. He has always enjoyed the classroom and "more learning about things" as we call it.
I keep busy with my job with Linda Barnby. Even though things are slow right now, I've been learning more about social marketing and marketing in general so I have been busy on the internet trying to get our adoption law firm found on google searches and out and about in the community meeting and talking with people.


In early June, Cindy and I met in St. Simon's Island for 24 hours of "Sister Time." We've been dong this for about 4 years and we both look forward to 24 hours of non stop talking, shopping, eating, swimming, shelling and more talking all the while!
 

The view from our Penthouse

On June 13th, Lon and I celebrated our 29th  anniversary! We  got reservations on the West Coast near Treasure Island for two nights. We reserved online and qualified for a free "upgrade." I wasn't sure what that meant, but when we checked in I asked the gal about the upgrade. She checked and said: "oh yes, you have a free upgrade and I think you're going to be pleased!" We were pleased alright. We got Penthouse #6 with a panoramic view of the gulf. It was AAAAmazing! We went snorkeling and swimming and just had lots of fun! Lon discovered that he can float in the salty waters (he is such a sinker otherwise!) so he really enjoyed snorkeling!

In August, we had a most wonderful adventure with three of our children! Kathi, Josh, Michelle, Lon and I went on a 4 day cruise to the Bahamas. We left from Jacksonville Port. It was SO much fun! Fun to go on a cruise, and Fun to spend 4 days with our children, laughing, dancing, basking in the sun, reading, sleeping, miniature golfing (yes they have that on the ship!), karaoke...Kathi, snorkeling in the pristine beach at Nassau, and eating great food for sure too! When can we go again????

Miss Nora

In October, I went on a trip to Charlotte to see my mom and over to visit my dad in Greenville.  I also got to see Tina, Lon's sister, and my friend, Lee! My mom and I drove to Aiken to suprise my sister, Cindy. I wish you could have seen the look on her face when she walked into her classroom after school and we were sitting at the desks! It was priceless! We went to lunch with Don and Pete and then over to visit Sarah and meet my new Great Niece, Nora Elizabeth Soule! She is SO precious!


Thanksgiving this year was a different experience for a couple of reasons. First, we went to Jacksonville and the girls hosted! Secondly, Chris and Ai were not with us. This will be the first year we haven't been with them for Thanksgiving. We're o.k. with that because we realize that we have to "share" and they are going to spend Christmas with us! We are looking forward to going up and spending time with our girls. Josh went along with us and Lon's sister, Tina and her daughter, Alena, were there too!


The Sunday after Thanksgiving was an awesome experience for me. I have been rehearsing with the Messiah Choral Society and they perofrmed Handel's Messiah at the Bob Carr Auditorium in Orlando. It is the gift to the community of a free concert and a wonderful way to start the Christmas Season! The conductor is amazing, orchestra, superb, the guest solists are fabulous, and the 170 member choir sounds good too! If you know me, you know how much I love choral music so this has been a highlight of the year for me musically.
The whole family was there as well as some people from our church! The "house" was full!


Here's a quick run down on our children:

Chris and Ai...still married and in love (hehe). Chris changed jobs this year...a little scary in this economy but it was a good move...more money in the long term, and more in line with what he enjoys. The company is called DISTI. It's about the development of human interface machine software. It's govenment contractor job. He can't tell us about what he does or he'd have to kill us...ok...just kidding. But he can't say much about what he does because of security. Ai is learning to drive! She's doing a good job! She also is fabulous at making the most beautiful greeting cards and has been keeping busy with that. Maybe it will turn into a little money making proposition for her. Chris and Ai took Grandma's Cockatiel, Goldie, after Grandma died and he is now a part of their family. Ai loves animals and she spoils Goldie real good! But then again, he is use to that! He seems to be happy in his new home.

Kathi...continues as manager at Chick fila in Jacksonville. Her days are filled with work, ministry, projects and crafts and friends. She taught a Sunday School class on women and singleness which was such a blessing to her and those who attended. She has had opportunities to minister to a couple of gals who work for Chick Fila. God has given her some wonderful opportunities to be the hands and feet of Christ and to share His love. She still sings at her church with the worship team on their rotating schedule.

Josh wearing his Curling Hat!

Josh...is in graduate school. We are so proud of him and he will be the first in both of our families to get a Master's Degree! Go Josh!He is moving into an apartment this month as he works at N.A.S.A. while taking his Master's classes. He will begin to work full time and finish up school next December. He loves his job and expects they will keep him on full time once he graduates. He gets to do some really cool stuff! Up close and personal with the space shuttle, sitting in army helicopters, manning the lego tent at shuttle launches...educational classes at Busch Gardens...it's a hard life sometimes...right!?! He has also been spending some time with a certain young lady named Emily...

Michelle...is finishing college and will graduate from the University of North Florida on December 10th!.. She has been interning at the Baptist Hospital in Jacksonville and hopes they will hire her full time after graduation. She continues to work as Assistant Manager at Chick Fila and has done a great job of balancing work and school, which is evidenced by her GPA! Michelle is praying about what God has for her on this next season of her life approaching. She has a heart for the injustice of human trafficking, so will be looking into how she can get involved.  We can't believe our youngest is graduating and we will have no more children in college! WOW! She has worked hard and cannot wait to be finished. But she is finishing well! She will graduate Magna Cum Laude and MAYBE Suma Cum Laude!


I was thinking about our children and how blessed we are that they are so bright and wonderful. Did you know that all of our children got college scholarships? From a financial pespective, we and they got off pretty good! I was calculating the amount of money that has been awarded to our children over the course of each of their years of college and I estimate the total amount to be approximately $129,000.  Thank you Jesus! They (and us!) have all graduated debt free which is an amazing blessing.


As Christmas approaches we are thinking of ways to change the way we think about Christmas. Our church is doing the Advent Conspiracy http://www.adventconspiracy.org/ and we are being challenged to Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, Love all. SO I think our Christmas this year is going to be exciting and different! Some plans we have are picking names and everyone getting just one special gift, sharing breakfast at Denny's on Christmas Morning and sharing Christ with our server, taking goodies to local police and firemen and giving of ourselves in some way to someone who needs it during the Holiday Season.


We are excited that we are going to an NFL game the day after Christmas! The Redskins are playing the Jaguars in Jacksonville! I have never been to an NFL game and I am a Redskin Fan by birth! Of course the girls are Jaguar fans...so game on!!! We'll see who stinks it up more! Look for seven of us in the middle and up high!

We hope that your Christmas Season is filled with God’s Blessings as you celebrate His birth!

We pray you will join the Advent Conspiracy and…

Worship Fully

Spend Less

Give More

Love All!

Merry Christmas!

Lon and Debbie

Visit Debbie’s blog on the web for updates throughout the year! http://lonanddebbie.blogspot.com/