Christmas 2010 Letter

December 2010

This year has been an interesting year filled with blessings. Preston is now 14 and in high school (9th grade). Ian just turned 10 in November and is in 4th grade. Both boys continue with their music instruction. Ian plays piano, and Preston plays both piano and guitar. Both boys played basketball last year, and Preston played baseball in the spring. Ian played soccer in both the spring and fall seasons. Summer is swim team season, and both boys improved their times considerably this summer. Preston also played on the church softball team this summer and was able to contribute during most of the games he played. This summer Ian enjoyed the opportunity to attend a summer camp where they learned a mini-musical and performed it at the end of a week.

Scouting is still an important part of our lives as we enter the last year where we have one in Cub Scouts and one in Boy Scouts. Ian is in Webelos with Kanoa as the den leader and Cubmaster. Some of the activities that he has enjoyed are the annual Pinewood Derby (where he took 1st place overall), a rocket derby, the NCAC Grand Centennial Parade, a Cubmobile derby, and attending resident camp for a week. Preston has attained the rank of Life and is eagerly working toward the rank of Eagle. He has been active in the Order of the Arrow, a Scouting honor society to which he was elected last year, by participating in the Spring OA call-out; and within his troop, he is the Patrol Leader for the Hippo patrol. Highlights for this year included a trip to the Outer Banks in January, the NCAC Centennial Camporee, a trip to Natural Bridge, summer camp at Bayport Scout Reservation on the northern neck, a troop movie night, and working at the Boy Scout Christmas tree lot. A planned trip to Valley Forge in February was canceled due to the storm of the century here on the East Coast.

In addition to homeschooling the boys, Kanoa continues to actively volunteer in a variety of capacities. She is a co-leader for Ian's Webelos den and Cubmaster for Pack 1187 on the Cub Scout side, and a merit badge counselor and Troop 161's publicity coordinator on the Boy Scout side. She also helps out at the district level by serving on the Cub Scout Roundtable staff. This summer she spent two weeks at summer camp. In June she went to Shepherd's Spring with Preston and Ian and spent a week as a counselor for one of the girls' cabins. Then in August, Kanoa and some of the other Cub Scout parents took the Webelos to Camp William B. Snyder. At church, Kanoa is a Sunday school teacher for the Middler class for 4th through 6th graders, she is finishing her term as Educational Coordinator for the church's Leadership Team, and she will be working with the Youth Advisory Task Team in 2011. David continues to co-teach an adult Sunday school class, he and Preston run the sound system most Sundays, and he will be joining the Church Leadership Team in January as the Group Ministries Coordinator.

After nearly 15 years with Lockheed Martin, David's business unit was sold due to changes in federal law – he now works for a company called the SI Organization, Inc. Other than the dorky name, his job has so far remained the same.

After a winter of exceptional snowfalls, our family and David's mom decided to take a trip to Florida where we rented a house with a pool in Davenport. We enjoyed a trip to Downtown Disney, a visit to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, a tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright buildings at Florida Southern College, a bike trip at Circle B-Bar Reserve (aka Alligator Alley), and an evening at the movies before returning home.

In May David's father turned 70, and to celebrate a surprise party was planned. However, the week before his birthday he decided to cut down a tree in their yard. In the process a branch knocked him off the ladder to the ground. As a result of his injuries, he was airlifted to Inova Fairfax hospital, where he spent a few weeks. After that he spent a few weeks at two different rehabilitation facilities. Everyone is grateful for his remarkable recovery.

This fall was busy. At the end of August, the family traveled with David's parents and Kanoa's mom to the West Virginia cabin – a great time was had skeet shooting. Next came Abingdon where a couple of days were spent riding the Virginia Creeper Trail. The family and Kanoa's mom rode the 17 miles from White Top to Damascus. After lunch Kanoa's mom, David, and Preston continued on to Alvarado while David's mom took Kanoa and Ian back to White Top to get the van. The next day Kanoa's mom, David, Preston, and Ian rode 9 miles from Abingdon to Alvarado. This sequence strategically takes advantage of the downhill portions of the trail. David also decided to visit Grayson Highlands State Park in an effort to hike to the top of Mt. Rogers. The Ratliff reunion was also held in Abingdon – everyone enjoyed visiting with the family at the reunion as well.

In November Kanoa planned a field trip to Charlottesville that was well received by all who attended. The group began the day at Monticello where they toured the house and estate. After lunch came a tour of the Rotunda and Lawn at the University of Virginia. After nightfall it was time for a program at the McCormick Observatory. It was a long but enjoyable day.

Also in November Preston traveled with his grandfather on the annual hunting trip for the first time. Since David's father is still unable to drive after his accident, David's mother drove them down to the Thompson Valley and stayed to cook for them. In the afternoon on his first day of hunting, Preston shot his first deer. After a few more days, the hunting party moved to the West Virginia cabin, and David's mom and Preston returned home, with Bob and his cousin Jim coming back to Nokesville just before Thanksgiving.

Our photo this year was taken on our trip to Florida in February to escape the snow. The Lego sea serpent is in the lake at Downtown Disney. We hope that everyone had a merry Christmas and that 2011 will bring you blessings.

Sincerely,
The Ratliff Family
David, Kanoa, Preston, & Ian