There is no better time than the present. This is the very first day of the rest of our life, as one person put it. A time to love, laugh, play and share. And this is just what this family is inspired to do today and throughout the rest of our life. Love comes in the form of giving to others without expecting anything in return. Laughter comes in the form of reminiscing over our past excitements. Play comes in the form of well; for the girls it is dressing up and being pretty, for the boys it is fishing, playing ball, and chasing deer through the woods. And sharing; well I guess that is what I do when I write this letter every year. Many of you have already asked me about this letter. I am a little late writing it this year. I have written this letter so many years that it seems that some of our life is beginning to repeat itself. The young ones are filling the older ones shoes. I want to change this up a little bit and put it in kind of a journal format.
We will start with the beginning of the year. We started with a wreck on the first week of January. Poor AnnieMae experienced her first very traumatic event. She had a wreck in her car on her way to work. She was ok, but the car was not so ok. She began her work career last November to save for her harp. She had figured that she would have made and saved the amount she needed by February 2012. Well all that changed this November. Read on and you will understand. On the up side all the ewes began to lamb. Alena claimed Buddy, the little lamb we had to bring in at about 4 hours old and nurse back to life. She showed him at and the county fair and came out with another trophy. She is a true farm girl. Joy started the year off with speech competitions. She has become our political spokesman. Her passion is keeping America’s foundation firm. She still believes in her country and feels this is a wonderful country full of freedoms and wants to fight to keep them here for her children. Deanna and Sally were the seamstresses, making there own dresses for 4-H. Webster began his year with finishing up basketball season. He loves to play ball. He also ran in three 5k runs and ended up with two first place trophies. All of Hannah’s energy was working on her paramedic’s degree and working as an EMT. Didn’t see her a lot those days. I started a blog spot called www.themikesennfamilyblogspot.com and began writing about our family but because of time you will see I have fallen way short keeping it up. Maybe next year I will do better.
Spring began with the first immersing of little strawberries in the garden. We then began full swing with a good crop of strawberries and a busy spring with everyone planting hoeing and working a big watermelon field. All the little lambs were born by then and Web, Deanna, Sally and Alena began working and getting their lambs ready for the big shows in the fall. Joy decided no animal for her this year. She was putting all here energy into speech and working the watermelons. Alena enjoyed picnics, kite flying, and days at the park. She also was right there in the garden helping. AnnieMae continued to work, work, and work.
In May we all lost a very special person in our lives. Aunt Sally went to be with the Lord after a short fight with cancer. She was an inspiration to us and we loved her dearly. She knew how to love, laugh, play, and share; she helped to teach this to our family.
We sprang into summer with a bumper crop of watermelons. All the kids spent their days, picking, and selling melons. The test of love really came out through this time. The kids had to learn to love even when people were not so loveable. Deanna announced she wanted a jersey cow, so she and her dad went to the La. Tech farm and came home with Sherry. We had a wonderful reunion toward the end of summer with Michael and his family joining us. He was able to bring Anna to the states for the first time. They all arrived in July. This filled our house with six wonderful blessings. I was so excited to have them all here! I got to hug and see my two little people that I had never seen. We finished the summer with a huge family trip to the East coast. Never had our family ever done this. We traveled across America to Virginia for the Senn family reunion. On the way to and from we loved, laughed and played a lot. And they shared very close quarters in a van for a very long trip. Joys and Deanna’s highlight of the trip was Washington DC.. Mikes his family. AnnieMae’s was Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home. Webster’s was the food. Joy and Alena loved the Metro. Sally loved the beach after she learned to close her mouth when the waves hit her. I enjoyed having Michael and his family join us and I loved the Amish country. I am still threatening to join them if this family doesn’t slow down.
Fall began with a whole new experience. Hannah joined Scotty in marriage and began her knew journey with Scotty and Logan. And I must say this here; I have always tried to be honest but bring out the positive. While I don’t always agree with my adult children’s decisions they are there decisions to live with. This was a surprise to all of us, but I love Scotty and Logan and look forward to getting to know them. Hannah fell in love with these two people and she loves them with all her heart. I know she will put her all into this marriage. Fall also brought all the animal shows. Deanna and Sherry were very popular at both shows. We found out home dairy cows these days are a rarity. They brought home Grand champion at both fairs with no competition to compete with. Another big decision was to keep Andrea, Julissa, and Anthony here for Mamaw to teach them how to read and speak English. A new; but very rewarding experience for me. I know how to teach a child to read, but these children were lacking in the English language. A definite learning barrier, but we have done well breaking that barrier. Michael, Anna, and Anita went back to Honduras and plan to be back by March. Another surprise sprung on us this fall was AnnieMae’s announcement that she felt the call to go to work in Taiwan on a short term trip, so she has postponed her harp purchase and has made arrangements to go to Taiwan in January. She said this was the hardest decision she has ever made. She really wanted to purchase her harp first but realized she must put God first. Nathanael went to Honduras to work with Michael and his internet business, and Amanda and Daniel are still in choudrant. Marirose turned two in November. She is turning Amanda into that farm girl that I don’t think she ever planned on being. They love there backyard chicken farm and little country garden. I remember Amanda saying, “I don’t understand why you do all that work growing green beans when you can just go to the store and buy them. Hmmm. People change. Another fond memory we get to add to our journal is a trip to my mamaw and our country Cajun cousin’s house for Thanksgiving. The kids loved playing and riding down the bayou in the boat with the men, while the ladies sat around and visited. Mamaw was our star person. Still full of determination to do and go and make all the people in her life special even at 87 with hardly energy to move from place to place. She still sat with the kids and helped them make crafts while some wore there pilgrim hats and aprons she made. What a testimony of love, laugher, and sharing. Joy and Deanna entered our last contest. “The Sew with Cotton” and Joy ended up with fifth place in the dress category. This was a big deal because this is where the best of the best compete. An added treat for Deanna and I was watching the ducks come out on the red carpet at the Peabody Hotel. If you haven’t heard their story you must Google; the ducks at Peabody. The things that entertain.
Christmas is almost here again and we are making lots and lots of candy around here. We have decided we are going to make this an official candy making business. We are officially announcing our business name as being “SennSational Country Goods”. From watermelons to candy and who knows what else this family will come up with.
This family still loves music, farming, reading, sewing, learning, hunting, sports, and have added karate to the list while trying to serving God in all that we do. Jesus Christ is still what this is all about. We live for Him. Calvary is still our church home with these people being part of our family. We serve here in South Arkansas and look forward to another year to serve Him with all we do. May God bless each one of you with a lot of love, laughter, joyfulness, sharing times, and a Very Merry Christmas.
Love, Mike and Bonnie senn
