Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to You in 2021!
As I write this Wyatt Jenson Foos is one day old and in the NIC unit at Midland Memorial Hospital. It has already been an arduous journey as the little guy has a cleft lip and palate, but with some miracle medicine, surgery, and God’s hand on him, he will do just fine. However, an emergency C section was needed and this is and was not the plan, but I’m happy to report that mom is doing well and Wyatt soon will be. I am not fine, however, as the Covid protocols are still negatively affecting the most important aspects of life. We were unable to have family members even go to the hospital, which made the day difficult for all involved. I would love to rant, but it is the Christmas season, so I will bite my lip and pray for sanity to be restored.
2021 was not one I want to relive again, save for the Wyatt birth and a few other blessings, but we lost some dear friends this year, and for that l am sad. We celebrated the life of one of the most influential men in my life, Reverend Robert Marks Walter, my pastor. We had a memorial service here in Midland and it was well attended, but full of sadness. We told stories, but we also cried and laughed, but most of all we felt a huge hole in our hearts as this incredible man of God was no longer with us, but with the Lord whom we served as well as any man or woman I have ever met. R.I.P. Robert, you will be missed!
But there were many blessings along the way. My son TK asked his girlfriend, Grace, to become his wife. They will wed next year on September 17, we are overjoyed at having Grace become part of the Freese clan in Texas! TK decided to save some money and he bought a fifth wheel and parked it on our property and is living there. We have enjoyed it very much, it is nice having him so close, but yet he has his own space. TK also is beginning an exciting career on Monday. He has been hired as a Police Recruit for the Midland Police Department. He will start the academy in January and spend the next six months in FTO training, this time next year he will be on his own, congratulations TK and Grace!
TK and Grace are able to be here because we have a little land. I would love more, but I am learning the ropes of being a “farmer” and to that end, I bought an old tractor from a friend at school. I have loved learning how to use it and it has made many jobs easy compared to what it might have been if we used our backs. Although my buddy told me it was a gas tractor, it was not a gas tractor, it was and is a diesel tractor. Miraculously we didn’t damage it and it is back in action being used a lot. We have built some “roads”, a fence, created borders using old powerline poles my son-in-law Jermey gave us, and have used the tractor for all, a great tool and Kenny Chesney was right!
The whole family was able to go to South Padre again this summer. Several days of sand, sun, and water was a lot of fun. The weather was perfect! We spent some time at the Wanna Wanna beach bar, walking the beach and enjoying some great food. We love the water and ocean salt air, which makes reading a book a joy. Megan’s family was also able to come down. The pictures are of me and those are my lovely wife’s feet. I think I may need to retire close to or on the beach, ten years to go.
Our little Emma and T started Kindergarten, they are in the same class and seem to look out for each other, but their teacher has said they seem to stick to their own gender but will help each other out as needed. This picture is great, Kennedie is in second grade and relishes being the older and wiser among the grandchildren. All of the grandkids are doing well in school, they seem to enjoy going. Lane goes to a parent’s day out program and does well, he sure does love his daddy. Todd and Meg are raising the two and each played a sport this fall. Kennedie played softball and did very well. T played soccer and was a scoring machine. We are very blessed as Sunday is family dinner, they all come over and we hang out and eat while the grandkids play and usually don’t eat what we make, opting instead for bananas and hot dogs, which makes me sometimes wonder why we just don’t make that for everybody. However, football season is very important to the Freese family and we suffered through another Denver Bronco football season.
Missy and I celebrated 32 years of marriage this year and took our annual trip to the Hill Country of Texas. We love the German town of Fredericksburg and stayed in a rustic cabin, enjoying the nightlife of the wineries and the brewhouses. Missy took a new job as a math coach and is out of the classroom for the first time in 25 years. She is enjoying it immensely and seems to have made allies out of her colleagues, which any teacher will tell you is no easy thing to do. I am still the Dean of Students at a private school and have decided to go back to school. I am pursuing a Masters’s degree in history, mainly for my own edification. I have enjoyed it a great deal and have learned more than I imagined I would. Tori celebrates her 16th birthday on December 31 and is driving, yes I’m terrified. She appeared in a school play, Willie Wonka, and of course, was the star of the show, I am making calls to agents all over the country, let me know if you have any suggestions. She is doing well and we are sure thankful she is.
As we end the year and celebrate Christmas, we have had the Covid bug strike and are unable to have the “normal” Christmas once again. I am sick of this Covid stuff, and while I have my own opinions on it I will leave it at that and give thanks for our savior coming to earth in flesh. I am finishing this letter on Christmas while my prime rib is in the oven. I hope it tastes as good as it smells. And I hope we are able to see you all again very soon. We do have some trips planned next year and maybe some changes, but only God knows. Missy and I have been doing a podcast for several years and invite you to listen. We are revamping our show and will relaunch on January 1. Check it out, www.twoteachersintexas.com, and leave a message. Well, I am off to check the prime rib, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Todd, Missy, and Tori
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