Merry Christmas 2009 from Kevin & Rebecca
December 2009
Dear Family and Friends (Fair-Weather or Foul — take your pick),
As we turn the page on the calendar and yet another decade, we realize — to our disgust and utter horror — someone got us a 2010 Tiger Woods calendar! What a way to begin a decade…
We lived through The Eighties. We survived The Nineties. What do we call the last decade? The Aughties/Oughties? (for Ought-One, Ought-Two, etc.) — or The Naughties? (Naught is an integer of Zero) — or The Oh-Oh’s? These past ten years started with the Millennium Bug and ended with the crash of both the housing market and Tiger Woods’ Escalade. Since this has been the most willy-nilly decade of our lifetimes and Nil stands for Zero, I settled on The Nillies. The label seems apt.
We still live in Minnesota, although neither of us can figure out — Why?! Of all the places we’ve ever lived, we’d have to say the Twin Cities is one of them.
Rebecca is professor (ninth year) at North Central University — voice and music guru and resident tea barista. She has a passion for teaching and it’s a good thing — because she invests a minimum 80 hours a week teaching, grading, and prepping classes. Becka plans on pursuing her doctorate this coming year and writing a book for beginning voice teachers. And why not? She has nothing else on her day planner between midnite and 6 a.m.!
I (Kevin) am currently writing my novel Tevye and The Streets of Gold — the sequel to Fiddler On the Roof. After three years of research, one year of story development, and six years of procrastination, (as Tevye the Dairyman would say:) “It’s time to take the bull by the tail and look him in the eye!” The novel should be published before the polar ice cap melts, which we’re being told is certain to happen almost any day now. (Good for me. Bad for the ice cap.) More info at http://www.TheTevyeProject.com.
Our son Kris and daughter-in-law Ellie (Elizabeth) live and work in the Twin Cities, and we’re always happy to see them on birthdays and holidays. No grandkids yet. We’re still too young.
Mom used to say: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Which makes this a very short letter!
In closing, let us all turn the page on the Year of Our Lord 2009 and the Decade of The Nillies, as we lift our voices ala George Frideric Handel in grandiose proclamation to sing . . .
♫ ♪ Hall-e-lu-jah!! ♪ ♫
Boomer - our l'il buddy
“Sing”cerely,
Kevin & Rebecca Norberg
Kevin & Rebecca,
May you be blessed this coming 2010 (I think it’s pronounced ‘twenty-ten’), I can’t wait to read the novel, and would love to read a book by Rebecca also
We love you great heaps,
Rhoda and the Schultz clan
Rhoda - December 22, 2009 at 4:09 am |
Thanks Rhoda! You Schulz’s are a special clan!!
kevinnorberg - December 28, 2009 at 2:47 pm |
Hanukkah/Christmas 2009
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
Dear Kevin & Becca,
This has been a year fraught with great losses and gains, a year of holding tightly onto the hand of the Lord amidst unknowns—the tokens of faith.
On the positive end, little James Douglas McNamara joined Annie, John & Miss Audrey last June. He is a happy little man who loves to play with his big sister.
Another plus was Marie taking the role of Auntie-Nanny for Annie’s children. Now William, almost 4 years and Madeline, age 1 spend three days a week enjoying the company of their cousins who are 3 and almost 6 months.
Joyce had a good experience in the cast of Eagan’s summer production of Fiddler on the Roof where she played a choral mama again. She’s thinking this may be her theatrical swan song, leaving the roles to younger more agile actors. She continues to enjoy one day a week with the Campbell grandkids and Mommy Marie & Fridays as Granny-Nanny for Annie’s sweeties.
Douglas has begun training as a Stephen’s Ministry small group leader at Berean Baptist Church here in Burnsville.
On the loss end of things, Joyce’s father passed away this fall after enjoying 83 years of a full and loving life—he will be greatly missed. Joyce had the comfort of her dear friend and Sister in the Lord, Susan Thomas, with her for love and support at the funeral in Phoenix. The next day Susan drove her up to the Grand Canyon to see God’s amazing handiwork.
Another minus was the unexpected loss of our Atlanta account just as they were supposed to go to the lucrative phase 3. Douglas has been working a bit at outside contracts to help with the deficiency. Thankfully, this has afforded him the chance to improve our Valet product by learning some innovations that could eventually revive our company.
We are thankful to the Lord for all His faithfulness especially in the midst of trials. We echo the Apostle Paul: Philippians 4:12-13 “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
We hope/pray that the coming year is filled with the Lord’s grace and goodness for you.
In His Abundant Love,
Douglas & Joyce
Joyce Weeks - December 24, 2009 at 10:57 am |
Thanks for the nice Christmas update, Joyce! Be blessed again in Twenty-Ten (2010).
kevinnorberg - December 28, 2009 at 2:53 pm |
A Merry Christmas to a Merry Family!
Krista Palmquist - December 25, 2009 at 10:15 am |
Blessings again in Twenty-Ten (2010)!
kevinnorberg - December 28, 2009 at 2:54 pm |
Hope to see you in the grand production of The Streets of Gold. Grover says he enjoyed your quip notes this year and hopes for more to come in 2aught 1aught. The double aughts went out with a bang like double aught buckshot. We are still nuts! We’re glad that you be too! Love to all your family and Happy New Year and Merry Chrismahanakwanzakuh!!!
Grover and Laura Malone - December 28, 2009 at 1:25 pm |
Thanks for the note, Grover and Laura. Be blessed again in Twenty-Ten (2010)!
kevinnorberg - December 28, 2009 at 2:54 pm |