Christmas 1999 From the Olsons

Dear all,

Last year's picture was hard to top, so we won't even try. That bright company of “angels” of 1998 are more appropriately adorned in shades of gray. And the number has increased by one.

Stacy, our only remaining college student, decided to move back home. Her mother cried when she left and cried when she came back. Stacy now attends College of Visual Arts on Summit Avenue in St. Paul, majoring in illustration and design, loving every minute of it. She is so prolific we suspect help from an elf. She especially appreciates being there with her good friend, Casey. Our house has now become a studio and the most innocent question is answered with an analysis worthy of the New York Times. She still uses her music and drama, singing at church and creating mime presentations. She visited Yellowstone National Park with the extended family of her very special friend, Computer Science student Gregory Kwok, who shares her significant phone bill and who features her on his website. When not in cyberspace, he inhabits northern California. Stacy has had letter contact with her birthmother and a visit from a birth aunt. She has expressed to them her deep gratitude for the gift of life and the chance for a family. Stacy sees in it all the hand of God, including the timing of their reunion.

[see Stacy and Gregory]

Jason and Tami introduced Patrick to the world on Ross and Karin's 29th Anniversary, July 11. He was the invisible guest on the photo of 1998 after which he worried us for a while with a threatened far-too-early arrival. When he did weigh in - on time after all - it was whistles and sirens and get to the nearest hospital. Later he did not seem to be hearing properly but tests were normal. He is beginning to creep at 4 ½ months, but overall is a calm baby and plays Pooh to his brother's Tigger. Speaking of Christopher, he is a typical, energetic 3 ½ year old (who apparently gets his energy by draining it from his parents). He now spends one day a week with Grandma and Grandpa Olson. (We don't seem like the real G & G Olson!) He stays overnight with us, watches Veggie Tales videos, and goes with Karin to the children's program at Bible Study Fellowship. Jason still does commercial roofs for Berwald Roofing, including one job an hour and a half out of town. He had a car accident in the snow last winter and was not hurt but totaled the car and replaced it with a car and a truck. He hopes to get a few more so he can park them on the lawn when they finally buy a house. Tami seems to be busy all the time with her growing family but exercises the creative juices with photo albums and Halloween costumes - Christopher was a helicopter and Patrick a turtle. They attend Eagle Brook Church.

[see Jason and Tami]
[see Christopher and Patrick]

Susan and Eric (Anderson) had an eventful year. Susan finished her degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant at St. Catherine's. Although nervous about her Board exams, she passed with a high score and is now looking for a job working with Alzheimer's patients - which will equip her to deal with her rapidly aging parents. In the meanwhile, she is a “Frame Stylist” at LensCrafters and volunteers at Edina Care Center. Eric still works for APG Cash Drawer as an Electrical Engineer. He recently helped them achieve compliance with ISO 9000 (sounds like really fast film to me.) They are hard workers for Grace Church where they attend. Eric sings in the choir and is keeping his beard for the Easter musical, “The Sacrifice and the Glory” in which he again plays Bartholomew. Susan works with the 3-4 year olds in children's church and the 4-5 year olds in Wednesday Awana clubs. Eric and Susan love camping and went to Forestville State Park for their third anniversary.

[see Susan and Eric]

Karin still leads a discussion group with Bible Study Fellowship. She helps plan the worship services at First Free Church, helps lead our adult Sunday School Class, Agape, and directs the drama program. She tries to keep up with entertaining family and friends. Her diabetes is much easier to control with new technology. This years' Thanksgiving for the Falck side of the family moved to our house for the first time. We are thankful for our parents' health even though Mom Falck had a serious foot infection and Dad Falck has had heart problems. Mom and Dad Olson are still going strong. We have met a number of wonderful Chinese friends through China Outreach Ministries. We have housed some when they first arrived as visiting scholars or graduate students. We have had continued contact with many even after they returned to China. We especially miss seeing Hong Shen, who came two years ago as a recent graduate of Peking University , attended PromiseKeepers with Ross his first week in America, became famous for completing his Masters in one year while serving as a teaching assistant and research assistant and simultaneously being selected to give an oral presentation at the American Chemical Society on drug treatment of Alzheimer's. (With Susan's care skills and Hong's medicines, Karin and Ross are not afraid of dementia.) Hong became a Christian while here and then moved on to Stanford for his PhD. We have had several other very special house guests, English missionaries to China, Richard and Maggie Broadberry (they are China missionaries -- Richard has co-authored books on the connection between the ancient Chinese Characters and Biblical truth), and David Chu who works with Hong Kong Youth for Christ.

[see Karin and Stacy]

Ross still works for HealthPartners in Apple Valley, about a 15 minute drive from home - the opposite way from rush hour traffic. He seems to have a loyal following and now even has “grand-patients” (babies of young people he cared for as children.) He is also experiencing medicine from the patient's side, having a ruptured quadriceps tendon (knee ) while playing basketball with Christopher in April and a rotator cuff injury (shoulder) from climbing around on the roof in September. (Does anyone detect an underlying problem here?) He has been invited to give several talks - and been well received for a change. He spoke on the post-abortion syndrome in September at the annual memorial service of Citizens for Community Action, with the title “Healing the Broken Hearts.” If there is someone out there that he has not already sent a copy, just let us know. Ross also spoke on “The Primordial Soup” to the Twin Cities Creation Science Association and is scheduled to talk on “New Age Medicine” in early 2000 to the Nurses Christian Fellowship. All the writings of the past years may soon find a home on a new website called Family Action Network which began putting out monthly social concerns alerts December 1. Ross wrote the initial lead article on pornography and eventually many back papers will be archived and available. If you are interested, e-mail Scott Meadows at smeadows{at}isd.net and ask to subscribe. Ross also teaches children's church (Karin says it is because he can't sit still in adult church), leads the children's hikes and does occasional dramas. The hard part, he always says, is trying to act normal.

[see Ross]

Karin and Ross have been able to travel, being “nearly empty nesters,” and have visited San Diego (for a Christian Medical Dental Society conference)and Colorado this past year. They hope in 2000 to see Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland on a tour of Christian historical sites. The house at 5512 14th Avenue is getting a free makeover courtesy of the Metropolitan Airport Commission. No, we were not struck by an airplane, but because the house is in a high noise area it is eligible for soundproofing. This includes all new windows, doors, a new air conditioner and additional insulation. If we stay closed up in the house, the airplanes will be quieter. The real noise reduction, however, will be in decreased complaints since it is really hard to be bitter towards someone who just gave you over $35,000 worth of improvements.

But ultimately “this old house,” whether we are thinking of the wood and plaster or flesh and blood, is not our final home. The child of Christmas, who became the Christ of the Cross, is now preparing a place for us and will also give us new bodies, either when we die or when He comes back for his own. Are you ready? We love this life and this world, but also long for the next. We want to see you there, too!

Happy New Millennium!!

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