This year has flown by faster than most and we have lots to celebrate. In fact it's been so busy we got lazy this year and decided to put the Schrieve Standard online. Those of you who are reading this must really love us...or are just bored!
First things first. If you got this year's picture holiday card or been on Facebook, some of you may be wondering who that lovely young woman with the long dark hair is. Answer? Diana Aslanova, our foreign exchange student from Kazakhstan! It was a spontaneous decision to host her in August after Anna's tennis coach sent out an email asking for volunteers who might want to be a host family for this young woman who was arriving in a week but just found out her original host Mom has six cats -- which caused Diana great anxiety. Luckily we only have crazy Charlie pup so with a quick home visit and background check, kicking Hal out of his room early and borrowing another bed (thanks Browns!) we had a third child. Her English is quite fluent and she has a wicked sense of humor and intelligence to match. She came bearing lots of chocolate, many gifts and some homesickness for her 8 best friends and family back home. We love her and her amazing cooking and maybe by the time she leaves in May we'll be speaking a little Russian or Kazak.
The rest of the Schrieve clan is doing quite well. While we did not take any exotic trips this year, we traveled domestically in fits and starts and had family stop in for holidays. Court got to go skiing with Sister Sara at Beaver Creek -- compliments of American Airlines for a "Road Warriors" trip Sara won in an essay contest. In April a few of us met Court's parents near Santa Fe for a cabin get-a-way compliments of Oklahoma family. Despite a power outage and lack of internet (poor Anna) we had a great time playing games by candlelight, taking long walks and doing a little sightseeing.
Summer brought a part-time job for Hal supervising children at a local summer lunch program while Anna worked on building her babysitting empire. We traveled as a family to the Oregon coast meeting up with Garin's family for a few days beachcombing and whale watching. The California gang returned for Thanksgiving for turkey, competitive Bananagrams and spoilage of Sir Charles. Courtney also got away to go camping with her Canada buddy and family and to North Carolina to visit her high school Mandeville girlfriends. Anna and Court also made a couple nursing trips to Oklahoma to visit family when Nanny had a kitchen fall and broke her femur.
Hal is finishing up his schooling at UW and is thinking about going on to get his Master's in Teaching high school history and English. We couldn't be prouder. His first book also caught the interest of a small publisher and they've
met to talk contract and book tour next year. Anna has proven herself a good driver, and recently applied for her first job at a coffee stand. She also made All State Choir and will travel to NYC in March to perform with her choir at Carnegie Hall.
With the kids moving out on the horizon, Courtney and Garin are finally pursuing their dream to build and design their own house (with the help of a contractor). It has been fits and starts with getting permits (property is on a slope) but we finally have concrete poured and hope to move in next summer -- back downtown where they started this time with a view of the Budd Bay.
We hope to hear from you all this holiday season by mail, phone (so old-fashioned but still!) or Facebook. Blessings to each of you and your family. We are grateful for good health and despite dark times in our country and world, we remain hopeful that the good in humanity will conquer fear and evil and power. Thanks to those of you who serve and have served our country and communities. Thanks for being our friends!
Sincerely,
Garin, Courtney, Anna, Hal, Diana and of course -- Mr. Charlie!
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