Holiday News

Happy Holidays from the Swanson Family

We have had an amazing year.  We are so grateful for the precious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.  His mercy renews us daily and gives us hope for a future.  It is exciting to celebrate the birth of Jesus who provided the way through death on the cross and Resurrection from the dead. The greatest gift we could have on earth beyond our relationship with Jesus Christ is to have all of our children following Jesus and loving Him more than anything in life.  We are humbled and grateful.  We pray and hope that you will find peace and joy this holiday season through relationship with Jesus Christ.

Karl had a busy year.  He went to Newport, CT to Officer Candidate School in March for a grueling 3 months.  We were so happy to have all of us (and Karl's girlfriend Sami) fly back for the Naval Officer Commissioning Ceremony.  He spent the next 6 months in Charleston, NC where he completed Nuclear Propulsion Power School.  He now lives in Clifton Park, NY for the next 6 months at prototype school.  He will be working on and learning the ins and outs of the Nuclear Propulsion systems that will be on future submarines.  

 Claire is busy with senior year responsibilities such as college applications (she currently has chosen and applied for 6 colleges), scholarships, AP classes, and SAT and ACT tests.  She is on the high school cross country ski team currently and is part of student council and National Honor Society as well.  She is a leader in Christian Community Church Youth group and leads the worship music. She also sings on the Sunday morning worship team regularly.  She just completed Choral All-State (3rd year) where we had the privilege of  watching her participate in incredible and difficult music performed by the top musicians in Alaska.

Kirsten is finishing up her senior year at Point Loma Nazarene University.  We have been blessed to have her home every summer.  She works multiple jobs each summer and enjoys being in Alaska. She will graduate with a degree in Music Education and will continue on at some point to get her M.A.T. in elementary ed and complete her student teaching.  She has a couple of singing opportunities in the 'fire' which could land her a job performing for a few years.  We will see how it all pans out.  We were all so thankful to fly down to San Diego for her final college recital.  We were blown away.  She has matured vocally into quite a singer.   We also got to follow her jazz band (she is the vocalist) and watch her perform at Magic Mountain.  She lives off campus with 4 other girls and enjoys her house mates and stays busy paddle-boarding, bike riding and being Nanny to a couple of amazing children.

I (Lenore) am still teaching at McNeil Canyon Elementary School.  This year my job has changed a bit and includes K-6 Music/PE, 1st grade math and 1st/2nd grade science.  I started off the year teaching an after school Archery program.  Currently I am co-teaching after school drama club in preparation for our winter musical.  I am learning my 2nd new instrument this school year.  I had a wonderful guest teacher (Sharon Shultz) for the first few months of school who taught my students (and me) to play the Ukulele.  I am also learning to play the trumpet (I learn a new band instrument every year).  This past summer I was able to visit some of my dear friends from Sitka (all retired Coast Guard) in Atlanta, my uncle Roger and aunt Marsha in NC, and Karl in SC.  My summer highlight was water sports in warm water (I am an Alaskan after all), where I tried jet skiing, paddle-boarding, and zip-lining for the first time.  I still teach high school Sunday school (an apologetic course by Answers in Genesis) at Christian Community Church, and play piano, keyboard, bass guitar or 6 string guitar most weeks on the worship team.  We love our church and are so thankful for God's hand in making us a crazy body of messed up people who love Jesus and each other.  It is awesome to be part of a church who is following the Biblical example of the Body of Christ.

 Pete is still the principal of McNeil Elementary School (my boss). He currently serves as the president of the administrators in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District.  He hunts and fishes whenever he gets the opportunity.  He commercial fished Bristol Bay this past summer and hopes to fish again this coming summer.  He stays busy keeping the house up and running, making firewood for the winter (he IS the 'splitter') and keeping all the vehicles running.  Pete continues to be an elder at Christian Community Church and serves the church however needed.  One of his Christmas highlights is delivering gifts to "Angel Tree" children in the community.

All is well this holiday season.  We wish you joy in Jesus Christ and Peace in a world of turmoil.    Isaiah 9:6  "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  Jesus is His name.

Swanson Family Summer

Swanson family had a very busy summer, traveling, fishing, vacationing and just plain enjoying nature. Pete spent June commercial fishing (drift-netting) in Bristol Bay.  Claire went back to her favorite place on earth, Port Alsworth for camp and visiting friends.  She flew over to NakNek with the Vantrease family for a few days after camp.  Kirsten stayed very busy working 3 different jobs here in Homer and taking care of the house, yard, gardens, Kate, Chai and the chickens.  I was lucky enough to take a wonderful girlfriend trip with 3 of my best pals.  We used to live in Sitka together.  We all met at Renae's house in Atlanta.  We went zip-lining, hiked in a beautiful spa resort, and loved hanging out together.  Renae and I paddle-boarded the Chattahoochee River since we had an extra day together.

 I drove to NC to tour Asheville and the beautiful and amazing Biltmore mansion.  Afterwards I drove to Uncle Roger's and Aunt Marsha's and was able to visit with them.  What a treat to visit with family who I rarely get to see.

The local town was celebrating flowers and since the mascot for McNeil Canyon Elementary School is the dragon, I had to pose with the dragon.

 Next, I drove to Charleston, NC where I got to spend the weekend with Karl who is just finishing up Navy Nuclear Power School.  He took me paddle-boarding again, and then we took a wilderness refuge high speed jet ski tour!  Super fun!

 When Karl was at school, I spent time checking out the tourist sites and taking walks.

 I flew back to Alaska for 1 day before turning around with Claire and heading to Idaho.  Claire and I stayed with my dear friend Paula who gave us a tour of Northwest Nazarene University.

 Claire and I drove to Missoula from Boise where we met up with Pete and Robert and Shelley's family to spend some time in Glacier National Park.

 We had huckleberry everything while in the park and around the area.  We had awesome campsites the entire time.

 Robert took us on a 'short' hike that went straight up!  We got a real workout, including blisters and sunburns.  Luckily we could buy water at the lodge at the top since all of us were out of water.

 After Glacier, we took Claire to Missoula for a tour of the university there before heading to the family reunion in Idaho.

 It is always a privilege to worship together with extended family and friends on Sunday morning in Idaho.  We were missing mom and dad this year, my sisters, and both Karl and Kirsten.

 Claire tried her luck at knife throwing!  Wouldn't want to get in her way!

 Lunch at my favorite fly-fishing river in the world.  I sure missed my dad whom I have fished with here nearly 38 years.

 After returning to Homer, we started school and three weeks later flew down to CA to help with and watch Kirsten perform her senior year recital.  We had an awesome time playing in the sun, paddle-boarding, and of course enjoying her singing at both PLNU and Magic Mountain where she sang with the jazz band.

 Kirsten got a new Thule rack for her car to transport paddleboards.  We are all hooked!

Now we all settle into our jobs and school.  Claire is working hard at her senior year, helping out with the youth group and leading worship in both youth group and church.