I didn’t realize I hadn’t updated for so long.  Here goes:

About a week before Christmas we flew to Santiago, Chile where we spent a couple of days before boarding a Princess cruise ship for an 11-day cruise which sailed around the Cape Horn.  We were able to see adorable penguins and walk in the southernmost city in South America, commonly referred to as the “End of the World” (Ushuaia, Argentina).  We were about 1,000 miles from the South Pole.  From there we sailed back up to Buenos Aires where we disembarked and spent a few days before flying home.  Shayla did a really good job of speaking Spanish.

Shayla turns 17 tomorrow!  She had her third annual “Lemon Ball Dance Party” – a fundraiser for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Fund (pediatric cancer research).  She wanted to raise $1700 for her 17^th birthday, but instead she raised just under $4,000!  We were shocked!  The ball was a blast for the kids and I must admit that Shayne and I loved it too!

Currently, Shayne is running for County Commissioner.  The election will be held on March 15^th.  Living through what we have left Shayne forever changed.  He wants to give back and to serve others in our community.  He wants to leave this world better than he found it.  Shayne has been having a ball campaigning.  He goes door-to-door talking with voters and making small speeches at various events.  So far I think he’s knocked on over 1500 doors and he’s walked over 100 miles.  I must admit it’s wild to see his face on billboards around the area and to see yard signs with Shayne Thomas printed on them.  They catch me off guard as I think, “Hey!  I know that sweet guy!”  Lots of fun! 

Works is going really well for me! Once every four years, my college gives an "Excellence in Teaching" award to a faculty member. I was incredibly humbled late last summer to be nominated for this award and I quickly got all of my materials around for the submission. I was incredibly surprised and thrilled this fall when it was announced I was selected as the winner.  I was happy to get the $1,000 check and a plaque showed up in our School of Teaching & Learning's office where it will hang for the next for years. Since my arrival at BGSU as a full-time assistant professor in 2009, I've made 25 national conference presentations, published 19 peer-reviewed articles, and taught 1,326 BGSU students in 65 courses.

Thanks for checking in!  Thanks for loving Christi and all of us!