2005 Christmas Newsletter V1.0

Note: This is the newsletter we printed and just sent out with our Christmas cards. After reading this one, we decided to write another one (V2.0) that offers a more concise summary of the year's events.

A very Merry Christmas to everyone from Teresa, Ivan, Karinna and Jeremy! 2005 was a year that was regularly chronicled on our family web site (our “blog” for those of you versed in the vernacular – http://chongnews.blogspot.com). All the details are available online, but we wanted to send this newsletter to summarize the year in review.

Blossoming Social Skills
Our 6 year old first grader, Karinna, learned a lot about team dynamics by participating in AYSO soccer. She came to understand how her contributions related to the overall success of the team and she also learned how to be more aggressive in joining the action. Other activities like Musical Theater, Karate, and Piano have really helped her develop her self-confidence, discipline, and overall social presence. Recently, she gave a 20 minute presentation about herself in front of the whole class, complete with Q and A at the end. When threatened by a 4^th grade bully during recess one day, she didn’t hesitate to use her Karate and execute a standard defensive maneuver.

Energizer Bunny Keeps Going and Going…
Having just turned 4, Jeremy is not showing any signs of slowing down. His exuberance and playful nature have simply found newer avenues of expression. Jeremy loves hitting baseballs off the tee – although his T-ball coach says he prefers to admire his hits instead of running the basepaths… in that regard, he just might be the next Barry Bonds. His lefty swing carries over to golf where outings with Daddy have resulted in a couple birdies. Jeremy now attends two neighborhood preschools where he loves hearing stories and voicing his opinions. While at home, Jeremy’s imagination stays on overdrive as he plays with his toy race cars, motorcycles, legos and dinosaurs, offering non-stop verbal commentary on the storyline unfolding in his head.

Staying in the Moment
Teresa continues to apply all her professional energies towards raising Karinna and Jeremy, packing both their schedules with play dates, extra-curricular classes, sports, and supplemental academics. It’s not uncommon to see her reviewing a pre-K workbook with Jeremy while they wait for Karinna outside her Karate class. Teresa also started hosting a weekly prayer group (Mom’s in Touch) where mothers pray for their children and their schools. Meanwhile, Ivan was asked to head up Informatica Product Marketing -- resulting in him logging over 200,000 miles flying to cities across the globe. As a result of all the busyness, God has taught us to savor the times when we are together. Starting this year, we end each day with a family devotion. This bedtime routine is something that keeps our family grounded in knowing that God constantly watches over and provides for us.

May all of you enjoy this Christmas season as we celebrate Emmanuel, our God is with us.

With Much Love,

Teresa, Ivan, Karinna & Jeremy