Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas from the Barbers!! We pray that 2010 has been a year of blessings and growth for you. Since we didn’t send a letter out last year, we have a lot of catching up to do but will try to keep it brief. Remember - we've edited out all of the shortcomings, disappointments, fights, etc. of 2010, so we and our kids sound better than we actually are.

Brooke is in the fifth grade and is a joy to be around. She is very active in church, school, plays the piano, takes after her sister by participating in drama and is a big time Bama fan. She has a lot of friends, but her two best are the four-footed ones living under our roof - Ala and Bear. Brooke is developing a very caring and generous heart and enjoys corresponding with and praying for our Compassion International child Emma, who lives in Togo. Brooke is also preparing to go on a church mission trip with Susan to Belize in April. After a gum graft Brooke in October where she had some skin moved from the roof of her mouth onto her lower gum, she is now ready for braces. Perhaps by next year’s family picture you will see her silvery smile.

Brandon is a senior who decided to go the dual enrollment route this year (thank you HOPE scholarship) to finish out high school. He was captain of the cross country team this year but had a bit of a set back by dislocating his left shoulder three times since February. This led to arthroscopic surgery in late November to tighten up his ligaments and tendons, and he is now in rehab. Brandon’s biggest love continues to be playing the guitar (along with eating junk food and sleeping), and he leads worship in our church’s high school band. He recently purchased a ukulele to add to his ever-growing collection. Brandon has narrowed his college choices to Georgia Tech and Georgia State (he likes ATL and the idea of being close enough to come home for food and laundry), Alabama (Roll Tide) and Mississippi State (where Bethany attends).

Bethany is no longer a teenager, having turned 20 in November. She spent her first year out of high school in a gap year program called Impact360 (www.impact360.net) - a two semester program designed to teach students a Christian worldview, leadership skills and help prepare them for life on a secular campus. Of the 8 months, Bethany and her classmates spent one in Brazil doing missions work. Now, Bethany is a student at Mississippi State and loves being a Bulldog. She is majoring in math and hopes to teach in middle school or go on the mission field when she graduates. We will be celebrating our first Christmas without Bethany at home because she is in China for three weeks – what a wonderful opportunity for her!

Susan is in her third year of teaching high school English at a local high school. She also completed her Master’s Degree this year and has returned to work on her Specialist’s degree. If you have any questions on holistic grammar, she’s the one to ask. Susan continues to be the family cook, maid (okay – Scott’s being very nice with this one), nurse, taxi driver, etc. She has truly earned the nickname “Superwoman” which some of our friends affectionately call her.

Scott has just finished his 11^th year as a pastor at Crossroads Church and continues to love what he does. Through these eleven years God has slowly redirected Scott’s heart toward international missions, and the church has been gracious enough to allow his role to reflect that as well. Scott has been able to travel and minister in Brazil, India and Haiti this year.

Susan and Scott also finished a 20 hour training to prepare to become foster parents and are awaiting our home visit. We hope to have a child in our home near the first of 2011. With kids beginning to leave the house and the conviction brought on by James 1:27, we have felt led by the Lord to at least give this a try.

If any of you are coming through or near Atlanta, please stop in for a visit: we would love to see you and have plenty of room. You can also keep up with Susan, Scott, Bethany and Brandon on Facebook. And there are lots of pictures of Brooke there as well.

We are thankful that you are in our lives and wish you a Christ-filled Christmas. May the Savior’s birth and life be your and our focus this season and always.