Christmas Greetings from Hal and Kathi Higley

MERRY CHRISTMAS! It has been way too long since we sent out cards but you have been in our thoughts and on our hearts. The picture on the card is of our family as we gathered at our son, Joel’s, home for Christmas 2014. We had a fantastic time. Joel and Tammy (especially Tammy) demonstrated love and hospitality to all of us. That time was the highlight of 2014 for Kathi and me.

As you probably know, there is one family member missing from the photo – our son, Hap, who will miss one more Christmas with the family before he is released from prison in January 2017. Please pray for him. Pray for his wife, Lori, too. She is, at least for the time being, a “single mom” homeschooling four of their six children (the oldest, Austin, graduated this year and the youngest, Hezekiah, has not yet started school).

Here is a summary of 2015 for the Higleys:

Our neighbor and friend, Dan Chasse passed away in January

Our New England Patriots won the Super Bowl in February!

Also in February we enjoyed a week with our granddaughters Abby and Josie as daughter, Beckie, and husband, Jeff, went on a Caribbean Cruise at company expense (an award for performance at Gordon Food Service).

In March and April Hal attended training to learn more about his responsibilities as President of our Homeowners Association.
In April we celebrated Kathi’s birthday during a week with Lori and the kids. We visited with Hap at Dillwyn too. That was followed by a week in Williamsburg; sight seeing, house hunting and having a wonderful visit with classmate, Tom McDaniel and his wife, Lindy.

Hal flew to Redding California in May to be with Geoff and Diane Gorsuch for two days. Diane was holding on against terminal cancer and has since gone to be with the Lord.

In June Dave and Joann McKeen visited us for a few days. They are dear friends we have known since our days in the Navigator Ministry at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota in the early 1970’s.

At the end of June we vacationed and celebrated or 47th Wedding Anniversary with a trip to Old Sturbridge Village, MA and a week in Boothbay, ME. We highly recommend both. Also, if you ever are in that area, you have to visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens – a wonderful place!

Also in June, we put our house on the market; hoping to move to Virginia to be closer to Hap and his family (also with the view of being able to make more trips to see our other children and grandchildren). There was only one showing in five months, so we have taken our home off the market for now. We plan to try again in the Spring.

July saw us on a short trip with my brothers to visit our Aunt “Effie” in Burlington, VT to celebrate her 93rd Birthday. It was great to see our cousin, Doug, wife Linda and their son, Charlie, Late July found us back in Michigan to visit Jeff and Beckie. Beckie and I ran a 5K race together and we really enjoyed a Hot Air Balloon Festival with them. It is always great to spend time with Jeff, Beckie, Abby and Josie!

We visited Virginia again in August for Austin’s Graduation Ceremony and Party. He had been homeschooled his whole life. He was Valedictorian and “tail end Charlie” of his graduating class of 1. During that visit we got to spend some time with dear friends, Jack and Wilma DeKorne. They opened their home to us since Joel and Tammy were also visiting from Ohio and room was needed at Hap and Lori’s home.

Joel and Tammy attended Joel’s 20th Air Force Academy Reunion in September and we drove to Ohio to be with Elena and Josiah. We enjoyed our time with our grandkids: taking them to classes: Art class (Elena), Karate (Josiah), Guitar lessons (Josiah). We also did zip lining, apple picking and ice cream eating!

In October, we made a long overdue trip to Minneapolis, MN to visit with Dave and Joann McKeen. We also had great fellowship mixed with nostalgia visiting three other couples who also were part of the Navigator Ministry in Grand Forks: Ed and Connie Weaver, Frank and Pam Lawatsch and Karl and Ruth Metzler.

Joel and his family and Lori and the kids (minus Austin who is now working for Amazon.com) joined us for Thanksgiving. It was great, too, to be joined by Kathi’s sister, Sandi, and her boyfriend, Mark.
Beckie, Jeff and the girls will be here to celebrate Christmas with us.

As you can see, we love traveling to see our children and grandchildren and we love having them visit here too. When not with our family, we spend time with friends locally and with each other. I have breakfast with my good friend Dave Crawford each Tuesday morning and Kathi spends time with various lady friends. We get together periodically with our good friends and encouragers, Tim and Noelle Mathewson. Kathi is active in the Women’s Fellowship at Christ the King Church and I attend the Wednesday evening Men’s Fellowship.

We have also enjoyed visits with Kathi’s sisters and my family from time to time.

We are staying healthy. I continue to run for 30 minutes three times a week to keep my heart healthy.

In case you are wondering, here are the names of each of us in the photo. Following a horseshoe pattern from bottom left up and across the back and then down on the right:

Abigail Noelle Tromp, Josiah Joel Higley, Jeffery Mark Tromp, Rebekah Dawn Tromp, Ltc. Joel Elliot Higley, Tammy Lynn Higley, Harold Austin Higley, IV, Hannah Katherine Higley, Elena Anne Higley, Holly Elizabeth Higley, Lori Anne Higley, Hezekiah Edward Higley, Heidi Rebekah Higley, and Josephine Mae Tromp. Hudson Daniel Higley is sitting on my lap. And, yes, Kathi and I are in the middle (that is Katherine Anne (Robinson) Higley and Harold Austin Higley, Jr.)

I will close with this story that was passed to me: A little girl held the letter “M” as her part in spelling “ChristmasLove” However, she held her letter upside down – but she made the message even better: “ChristWasLove”

Bless You this Christmas!

And may 2016 be a Year filled with Joy – His Joy!!!

Much Love,

Hal and Kathi