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FAMILY UPDATE 2008
August 26, 2008
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Dear Friends: They say a
picture is worth a thousand words, but we’ve done more than a thousand things
this year so I’ll have to write a little too. We’ve had a great year, and we
cherish all the memories we’ve made with friends new and old! |
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The beach at Siesta Key |
JANUARY We fled the cold again and had a lovely tour of
Florida. In addition to our several concerts, we visited friends, wandered
the beaches, and completed our homeschool castle unit with an exciting visit
to Medieval Times in Kissimmee. |
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A royal family at Medieval Times |
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We hit the ground running after Florida, visiting
25 schools across Kentucky for artist-in-residence projects or performances
during the spring semester, and helping to present several professional
development seminars for educators. But wait, there’s more… |
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At home on my birthday |
FEBRUARY & MARCH We hosted a couple musical groups this winter - a
high school choir from northeastern Ohio, and two fantastic musician friends
from Denmark, taking them around to several schools and community events to
perform. On the home front, my sister Laura and I
organized and hosted a retreat for Children’s Ministries and Sunday School
workers at our church, and my dad directed our church’s Easter drama again
this year, Laura played the organ and Alfredo, Lydia and I ran lights. And my good friend Pamela and I worked together
for the sixth year of co-directing the Mountain Folk Festival at Berea
College – another success despite a huge snowstorm! |
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APRIL AND MAY Somehow in the midst of all the other things
going on in our lives, we managed to go see some really great shows with the
girls. In February we saw Berea College’s production of “West Side Story” –
one of the best I’ve seen. In March we experienced “Stomp!”at the Norton
Center in Danville, an evening we’ll never forget. And in May we sat in the
front row at Centenary Methodist in Lexington for the “Hope for Africa
Children’s Choir.” And there were a few meetings here and there, our
church had its Centennial Homecoming, which we had been preparing for all
year, my brother had a small wedding, my cousin had a big wedding, Alfredo
and I produced a folklife festival in London Kentucky, and Alfredo presented
a seminar about the art he’s been doing with drug rehab programs. |
Silliness in Chattanooga after a meeting
A mural Alfredo made with students |
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The Global Diversity Mural at Berea
College, another of Alfredo’s community mural projects
Enjoying a root beer after Lydia’s
first experience as a participant at John C Campbell Folk School |
JUNE AND JULY We enjoyed lovely visits with friends and family
from overseas this summer – Tio Ricardo (my Dad’s brother) and Tia Susana
from Mexico City, Bente, Henning and Caroline from Denmark, and English
Immersion student Suyhun Li from Korea! Summer camps figured into our lives as well; we
were Deans at Aldersgate Camp’s Music Arts and Drama week, we taught again at
John C Campbell Folk School’s Little Middle week, and helped with Berea
United Methodist’s Vacation Bible School. We also presented “Josie: A
Mountain Portrait” for the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars students in Morehead
(or the second year) and Danville. There were a couple teacher training weeks as well:
The Kentucky Academy for Arts and Humanities, where I serve as Music Faculty,
and the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Value Plus Schools conference, where both
of us led several sessions. Alfredo took the prize for excitement this
summer, going on a 10-day mission trip to Honduras. He had a wonderful time
and came back with a new perspective. |
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AUGUST Certainly the highlight of August was the YTB
Travel Convention in St. Louis, where Laura and I sang with a 300-voice choir
backing up a Ray Charles impersonator (who did an excellent job!) in a
rousing rendition of “America the Beautiful. On the third verse, fireworks
went off and a huge white curtain billowed down to reveal a replica of the
Statue of Liberty just 10 feet shorter than the one in New York Harbor!
Exhilarating, to say the least! The convention speakers were inspiring and
informative, and we’re more excited than ever to be travel brokers. Don’t
forget to book with us: www.4escobarstravel.com |
Pickin’ beans
at Dad’s farm |
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And now we’re heading into an exciting
fall semester that is full of concerts, festivals, school visits,
church events and family times. We have added a person to our household
– we’re hosting a very sweet young lady from Wales who is a senior
at Madison Southern High School in Berea this year. We’ve already
told her she’s staying with a wild and crazy, completely abnormal
family! We hope you’ll all stay in touch
and let us know how youre doing now and then! May God bless you and
keep you, and may your trials only be the kind that help you find
your way. Love Jennifer Rose, Alfredo, Lydia
and Isabel |
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