January
School started this year with registration on January 2 and the weeks simply flew by after that. We were blessed with snow in great abundance-about 3 ft more than the normal 5 feet of snow each season. Yes, we did enjoy the cross country skiing. But the snow shoveling and snow blowing get old when you have to do it several times a day just to keep your roads open.
On January 21 we went to Charlotte MI for a full weekend of activities with
Trent and his Great Lakes Adventist Academy (GLAA) gymnastics team called the Aerokhanas. Since Trent had an injury, he didn't get to perform Saturday night. But since GLAA did all the weekend worship services, Trent was much involved with all of those. We wished Tucker a happy birthday one week early as he turned 14 this year on January 30.
One highlight of January came on Monday January 31, right at the end of the month. That was the day when the brand new scanning electron microscope was delivered. Andrews University purchased a new Zeiss EVO LS-10 for the SEM lab and what a beauty it is. The photo here shows it still in the process of being set up by the technician. Before I had to leave for Grenada, I had spent 10 hours or so getting used to the software and finding out how easy it is to get really good pictures.
February
February 19: It is a beautiful and blessed Sabbath morning here in Grenada. As we sit on our balcony overlooking the azure Caribbean Sea and listen to the gentle waves roll in, we can't help but remember the creator God who made all this luxuriant beauty that delights our senses.
As we ate breakfast on our balcony last Monday morning and drank in the first beautiful views after a late Sunday night arrival, we noticed a tiny black bird with yellow breast and white eye stripe bringing thin strands of natural fibers, strips of cellophane and what ever it could find. With just a few minutes of searching on the internet I find that this is a common bird called the
Bananaquit. The little quit was tucking and poking strands into and among the tip of a locust tree branch not more than 4 ft from the floor of our second story balcony. During breakfast it had completed poking perhaps a dozen or so of those fibers. It looked like a few fragments of detritus on a tree branch. By nightfall the nest was complete, a round
ball the size of a very large grapefruit consisting mostly of palm tree fibers and dried grass. A hole in the lower half is now where we see the bird entering and exiting. It seems to fly right into the hole without ever stopping. Watching that bird zip in and out makes me realize that we have much to learn about aerodynamics and flight control. And since it isn't an open cup nest but rather a woven nest, we can't see what is going on inside.
After a very snowy and cold winter in Michigan, our week here has been idyllic to say the least. Perfect temperatures, warm sun, gentle breezes, frequent quick rain showers, tropical fruits, everything flowering in rich perfusion - how could we ask for more.
I was invited to come to
St. George's University (SGU) as one of 13 pre-professional advisors from 12 different universities in the US and Canada. Besides our group of 13 (me and 5 others were accompanied by spouses), there were 4 additional members - all employees of SGU who were being oriented to the universities programs of study. Two are recruiters from India and Malaysia, one is a graphics design employee, and another is an administrator from SGU's New York offices. From Monday morning through Thursday evening of this week we were kept busy learning about the university, its programs, and the island of Grenada so we can better advise students back in our own respective schools. St. George's University is primarily a medical school. They take in about 500 students twice a year. Most of the students are from the US and Canada with a sizable contingent from Caribbean nations plus a smattering from about 80 other countries. Besides the School of Medicine, SGU has a School of Veterinary Medicine taking in about 150 students per year. A graduate school offers master's degrees in business and public health. They now have a small undergraduate arts and sciences program serving the local community.
I was impressed by the quality that I see on campus both in infrastructure and in the rigor of their academic program. Most of the students here have a tremendous desire to be physicians and veterinarians but for one reason or another, they simply could not get into a US or Canadian schools (where capacity is only a fraction of the demand). So SGU has developed a strong program and does a superb job of getting the word out - part of my role here.
SGU operates a high end resort facility called
The University Club where we have been housed during our visit. For the 3 days that we spent in the class room or touring the campus and visiting departments and talking to students, Lynn busied herself with reading, getting to know other spouses, needlework, and relaxing by the pool. The entire day Thursday was a bus tour of the volcanic island of Grenada which is 12 miles wide and 21 miles long with central mountains and cloud forests rising to over 2000 ft. The university took very good care of us.
See some of our
pictures taken on campus, at the university club and out on the island tour. I will add more as we now have a couple more days to relax before flying back on Monday the 21st.
Yesterday, our first day free to roam, we had an appointment with
Dive Grenada to go out for a morning of snorkeling on a local reef. We enjoyed a brisk 2.5 mile hike to their dive shop, suited up and were out on the reef by 9:00 AM. Typical for a Caribbean reef, we saw lots of colorful fish, corals, and sponges. One of their two dive areas that we visited included some 60 sculptures that have been submerged in 20-30 ft of water. At various stages of being taken over by marine life or ripped apart by hurricanes, they add an interesting touch to the diving experience. After an hour or so of riding the swells, Lynn did some fish feeding of her own making before her stomach settled back down for the rest of the dive. Rafael, our dive boat captain was a skillful boat handler and a courteous, helpful, and watchful caretaker.
After returning to the dive center and a freshwater shower we enjoyed a wonderful meal at
Umbrellas Beach Bar and Restaurant along the Grand Anse beach. Right next door to Unbrellas Is the property of the old SGU campus which housed their first school and now serves as living quarters for a small contingent of students. SGU has a well developed bus line with frequent buses running to and from this place where students now live. So we were able to catch a bus back to our "home base" and not walk in the heat of the mid afternoon.
March
With both of us committed to marriage enrichment, one of our missions is teaching marriage skills to engaged or newly married couples.
Adventist Engaged Encounter is a formal weekend of meetings for couples at various stages from thinking about marriage to recently married. We are one of 4 couples who make formal presentations, assisted by another 2 couples who care for the logistics to make a memorable and important weekend for participant couples. It is a major team effort that we do each March and October here on the Andrews University Campus. Another group in Lincoln NB conducts the same type of weekend once each year on the campus of Union College.
Since we had just returned from Grenada, we spent spring break at home catching up on home projects.
April
Lisa and Kevin came to AU to see the
Passion Play on April 23 and 24. This is a huge Easter production here at Andrews University. Check out some of the
pictures here. Thousands from the surrounding communities come to our campus to participate in this Easter story.
May
Following the other weekend services, May 1 this year is
Graduation day at Andrews University. Getting all the graduates to show up at the right time an place with the right academic regalia has been one of David's tasks for the last few years as he continues to serve Andrews University as Grand Marshal. Making each event appear to be dignified, organized, on time, and orderly is one way to honor our graduates and their families. David's job involves a lot of work behind the scenes to make that happen.
We celebrated
Tuckers 8th grade graduation on May 13 in Lansing where he graduated from Greater Lansing Adventist School. The next day it was on to Cedar Lake to watch grandson Trent perform in the Aeros Home Show. Then just two weeks later we returned for
Trent's graduation from
Great Lakes Adventist Academy which happened to be on May 29, his 18th birthday
June
Every spare minute during May and June, David spent writing, trying to meet a June 30 deadline for his publisher,
Review and Herald Publishing Association. He is writing a devotional book for the currently scheduled to be an adult devotional book for the year 2013. June 30 turned out to be a high day because the manuscript was sent in on that day, completed. What does free time look and feel like?
Just before the book was done, Lynn won the lottery in the Berrien County Court and was put on jury duty for the week of June 20. We skipped all of Michigan Camp Meeting this year.
Oh yea, did we mention that the book was done by June 30? Being a writer is a lonely job. It isolates family.
July
The highlight of July was responding to Connie and Sherman McCormick's request to be their keynote speaker for the Minnesota Conference Worker's meeting July 31 - August 3 held at North Star Camp near Brainerd MN. Connie is the chief educator in the conference wearing the official hat of Superintendent of Schools and Sherman has a dual role serving as Associate Superintendent of Schools with his focus on secondary education as well as being Ministerial Director. So together they have a significant influence on the church's work in Minnesota.
The beautiful North Star Camp in north central MN is managed by Jeff Wines another close friend of our family for more than 2 decades. Jeff is the conference Youth Director. Despite the pressure of giving six talks over the four days, we had a delightful time with the pastors and teachers of the Minnesota Conference. They are a dedicated group of professionals preparing God's people in their state for the Lord's soon return.
August
As soon as the Minnesota meetings were over Wednesday afternoon we headed to Maine to hook up with Joel and Lacey who had reserved a week in a cabin on the edge of Acadia National Park. Having never been to Acadia, we were really looking forward to a restful vacation - but first we had to get there. Should be a beautiful drive - right? Right but a very long drive. But then we didn't have to meet them until Sunday afternoon. With several days we started out east across Minnesota to Duluth. Then made our way across Wisconsin hugging the south shore of Lake Superior. What a beautiful drive. Then on across the length of Michigan's upper peninsula entering Canada at Sault Ste. Marie. From there we jumped on the Trans-Canada Highway along the northern shore of Lake Huron, to Sudbury, down through North Bay, and on across the north border of Algonquin National Park. There we took a south bound detour on a dusty gravel road to see the
Brent Crater and Cedar Lake. On the
rim of the crater, we stopped and made the couple mile hike down to the floor of the crater with its two lakes. The crater is a circular depression about 2 miles in diameter believed to have been caused by the impact of a big meteor. Lots of interesting geology, limnology, and biology in that crater. Once back on the Trans-Canada Highway we continued on to Ottawa, Montreal, and then returned to the US at the tiny town of Derby Line VT.
Our original plans were to find a nice place to stay over Sabbath, August 6, the 44th anniversary of our wedding, a special day for us for two reasons - what could be better than a Sabbath anniversary? Two high days rolled into one. Unfortunately, Friday evening late caught up with us somewhere between Ottawa and Montreal. There are precious few places to stay along that stretch of highway. As it got later and later on the eve of our anniversary, all we could find that even resembled a motel was truck stop that rented a few rooms on the second floor above their restaurant. Since we had driven a very long day and needed to stop, we did. But Sabbath morning we thought we should continue our drive at a leisurely "Sabbath" pace if we were to have any chance of getting to our cabin by Sunday afternoon.
Within an hour or so we were in Montreal and traveling at an unexpectedly leisurely pace - actually slower than a walk (of a centenarian with a walker equipped with tennis balls on the back legs). As it turned out, there was major construction on a bridge so we sat in gridlocked traffic moving only a couple miles in as many hours. Remember it is a double high day. We got in some good Sabbath reading and tanning of one arm out the window. After getting out of Montreal it didn't take too long to find the US border crossing so we could start looking for a nice motel where we could hike and bike and spend the rest of the day as a Sabbath/anniversary should be spent.
Mile after mile of VT and on into NH. Nothing but an occasional Mom and Pop motel 3 or 4 feet off the road with roadside parking. Not exactly what could be called a romantic getaway. About mid afternoon we rounded the corner coming up into Dixville Notch NH and there it was. We had never seen it, never heard of it, but there it was, sitting behind this beautiful little lake a magnificent castle like place, a grand resort called
THE BALSAMS. What a Sabbath blessing to find that. What an anniversary blessing. We stopped. They had room with a free upgrade for a couple road weary anniversary celebrants. We couldn't have asked for a nicer place. We hiked, we canoed around the lake, we celebrated Sabbath and our 44th anniversary within an easy day's drive on to the Bar Harbor area.
After a leisurely breakfast and exploring the resort Sunday morning, we drove further East and South to our appointed meeting place, a
rental cabin in Southwest Harbor, a quaint little town on Mt. Desert Island (MDI), (pronounced like the sweet last course of a meal) a little south and west of
Bar Harbor ME (MDI's largest and best known town on the island). And what a glorious week of hiking and biking it was. You can enjoy pictures
here.
September
There's a wonderful State Park within a half hours drive of us;
Warren Dunes State Park. Lynn's aunt and uncle and several cousins decided to have a family gathering/campout there and invited us to join them the weekend of Sept 23-24. We divide the meals up between families and eat wonderfully for camp fair. The dunes are between the camping sites and the beach on Lake Michigan. It's funny how long you can ignore such nice places in your own back yard! The hiking trails offered wonderful Sabbath activities. The only down side was that a four lane highway is fairly close to the camping area on the other side. It's actually quieter here at home! We did have a great time together making memories sitting around a smokey campfire in the rain trying to dry our firewood.
In September, David started mentoring his replacement as Chair of the Department of Biology. With retirement looming, he has decided that 12 years of stressful administrative duties is enough. So he is bringing that chapter of his life to a close.
October
We enjoyed the Fall Break at AU by traveling south with Walt and Carol Williams. Stopping off at Cumberland Falls State Park in KY, we were amazed by the
Moonbow (supposedly the only such phenomenon in the western hemisphere). Then it was on to spend a couple leisurely days at
Dollywood. The National Southern Gospel & Harvest Celebration was in full swing with lots of crafts and gospel singers giving performances. We do enjoy being with friends
The weekend following Lynn's birthday, Lisa, Kevin, Trent and Tucker drove down from Grand Ledge. Sabbath afternoon we all loaded into the Honda van and headed down to
Jasper Pulaski State Park to see the annual Crane migration. After watching thousands of Cranes flying into the gathering area to "socialize" before going to roost we stopped for pizza on our way home.
November
Early in November David flew to Jamaica as part of a GC evaluation team to review an application for a new program at
Northern Caribbean University. As soon as he returned we helped with another Engaged Encounter weekend, our 5th since joining the AEE Team.
Thanksgiving day was a busy getting-ready-for-winter day! Fortunately for mom, she was invited to go with the St. Claire family to celebrate the day at Lynn's cousin's home in Goshen, IN. She really did have a Thanksgiving dinner instead of grabbing a quick sandwich between tasks. Then on Friday afternoon we drove up to Lisa's for our Thanksgiving/welcome Sabbath celebration. It was quieter than usual, because Trent and Tucker were in MN visiting friends.
December
With just one week of classes and then finals, the semester ended on Dec. 9th. Mom flew that same day to Lynn's brother's home in Yuma, AZ to join many other Snowbirds! We had our first snow of the season that morning of the drive into Chicago to deliver her to the Southwest airline gate.
Dec. 15th we went up to Grand Ledge to help Lisa and Kevin load the Penske rental truck for their move to Durham NC. Lisa was hired to work as a surgical nurse in some new cardiac surgery units currently under construction at Duke University Medical Center in Durham. She was to begin orientation on January 3 and learn their routine so as to be ready by the time the facility opens. So Lisa headed out on the 16th towing Trent's car, while he drove her Dodge Ram truck with Tucker as co-pilot. Sunday morning with the help of the pastor of the Five Oaks church and a few of his members, the truck was unloaded in about 2 1/2 hours into the 3rd floor apartment that Lisa and Kevin now call home! They also have a garage where lots of "stuff" went into "storage".
After attending a wedding on Sunday the 18th of Dec. we headed south ourselves. We spent the next several days in Candler with David's parents, just missing mother's 92nd birthday on the 16th. They are still in their home thanks to the devotion of David's brother Philip. We loved seeing Philip and Phyllis and most of their family before driving over to Durham on Friday afternoon the 23rd. What to our wondering eyes we saw that Lisa was "settled" even with a Christmas tree and stockings knitted by Grandma B in place! Joel and Lacey came in about an hour behind us. We all awaited Kevin's arrival, but he didn't get away from Grand Ledge until late that afternoon. We were so thankful to see him before we left for Sabbath School the next morning! What a special Christmas all together there. The only family members missing were Justin and Gage. We missed them. It was fun to explore the Durham/Raleigh/Research Triangle area - new to all of us. Then on Tusday as Joel and Lacey were headed back home we all went up to see David's brother and his wife. Claude and Donna have renovated an historic home in Timberlake, about 45 minute north of Lisa's. There we had a fine time greeting most of Claude's family (17 of the 23), within just a couple hours of when most were headed back to their homes.
Trent left the next morning for Lansing, MI, a long solo drive. We enjoyed welcoming in the New Year there with Lisa and Kevin and Tucker. Then on the 2nd, we took Tucker back up to meet his dad in Marshall, MI so he could be at school the next day in Grand Ledge. We did cross paths with Justin and Shallie west of Columbus, OH and had lunch together and delivered the six loaves of pumpkin bread Lisa made for him. Justin is a truck driver now hauling loads for Werner Enterprises.
It was nice to have time to recuperate before classes began for second semester on the 9th of Jan. Sorting through the mail and then reading all the special letters/cards from many friends was a treat. Now, finally, this long Martin Luther King holiday weekend, we are finally getting "our ducks in a row"!! by finishing up this blog of last year's happenings.
What a blessing it is to review how God has been with us throughout this year.
from the Steens last year?” Our answer: We spent three days last Christmas as
volunteers with “Your Best Pathway to Health”,
Phoenix. Then after a few days in Yuma with
Larry’s family, we rushed home to begin serious remodeling on our Silver Point home. That big several-months major work project is now
