Hello all!

We skipped last year’s holiday correspondence so we wanted to get back on track this year. Sarah has just come back from a semester abroad in South Africa where she had a great experience in her junior year at Azusa Pacific University. She is working on an elementary education major with a Spanish concentration. Beth is completing her senior year at Seattle University as a creative writing major and drama minor. We got to see her perform in a play this fall in Seattle. The big news is that Beth is engaged to a wonderful man named Walter Helmick. They first met in our church youth group. Lieutenant Helmick is currently deployed in Afghanistan where he will spend the next year. They plan to be married in May of 2012. Mike was on sabbatical this spring and he and Judy traveled together to New Zealand with a group of US and Puerto Rican educators who were learning more about how technology is used in schools there. We also hiked to Phantom Ranch in the Grand Canyon, something Judy has wanted to do for many years.

Wishing you God’s blessings in the coming year,

Judy, Mike, Beth and Sarah Charles

Sarah’s blog about her experience in South Africa: http://sarahsouthafrica-scharles.blogspot.com/

Beth's blog about mental health, creativity, and hope: http://bethmcharles.blogspot.com/

College girls	Judy at Mt Cook- New Zealand Mar 2010
Beth and Walter	Mike and Sarah at Bright Angel Creek Aug 2010