Happy Holidays to our Friends and Family,

Our loving and generous God has blessed our family this past year. Serena (15) is attending Mt Carmel High School with Dad and Toya (13) is in 7th grade at the middle school by Stacey’s work.  This has been a year of medical challenges, allowing us to put our priorities in perspective. Serena has been diagnosed with a disease in the autoimmune family call Uveitis.  She is receiving treatments every 5 week (7 long hours) and is responding very well to the drugs.  Although this will be a life-long process, the hope is to have her treatments spaced out to every 8 weeks and for a shorter amount of time.  It is amazing how God provides opportunities for us to evaluate and appreciate the gifts and blessings that he has given us.  Despite her medical troubles, Serena continues to playing waterpolo and participates in dance projects with Mojalet Dance Collective. 

Toya continues to be the family social butterfly with the cell phone available at all times.  If you ever need to get in touch with us, just call or text her phone.  We have not determined if this is good or bad thing, but it sure gives us leverage as a parenting tool.  Just mention the phrase “gives me your cell phone” and that child transforms into the perfect daughter! She continues to work on her lacrosse skills, but was unable to participate this year due to a broken foot ~ yes, walking and talking should be banned for middle school age girls.  

Our summer started out by attending our 13th year at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Sport Camp where Jose served as the wrestling coach.  Both girls attended as campers for the first time, leaving Stacey with great plans to roam around the University of California Santa Barbara.  However, plans were interrupted by the Santa Barbara Fires.  July, had us traveling north on a trip to Cascade, Idaho to celebrate Grandpa Stauber's 75th birthday.  Before heading home, we headed west to Oregon for a quick visit with Jose’s sister, Jackie.  We ended up bringing her three kids back to California with us…Jose is still a bit traumatized by the whole ordeal.

Jose will finish his 21st year at MCHS and being an assistant coach for the Wrestling team.  He also continues to pursue his passion for motivational speaking. In addition to several local opportunities, this year he had the honor of giving the chapel message for the Kansas City Chiefs football team when they were in town to play the SD Chargers. Stacey continues to works on her "Computer Nerd" image by serving on the board of Computer Using Educators, taking on the task of managing the Mt Carmel website and teaching other teachers to be techie nerds as the Technology Trainer for Poway.

As the year comes to a close, we reflect on how our family has been blessed by the many friendships, family and opportunities to be an influence.  Even though the world tells us that our lives are in turmoil, we are confident that the Lord is in control and will continue to provide what we need. It is our prayer that God continues to bless you and your family, making 2009 a year of appreciation.

From our home to yours, may God’s grace be with you. We would love to hear from you!