December 2003

 

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December 2003

Hello again everyone. Here is our usual quick update on events in 2003 as they looked in the Greaves family.

Well, as another busy year has flown by, so with it, our second child has flown the nest. Thus, in the run-up to Christmas, it is just the ‘wrinklies’ left rattling around the house on our own, with Helen finishing the first term of her second year at Reading and Jonny doing his Gap year in Sheffield.

Helen

Helen is greatly enjoying her course in Reading. The second and third terms of her first year included a lot of art which, though challenging, was extremely interesting. In the last few weeks she has spent increasing time in a school, initially as an observer, but the real teaching practice begins in the New Year. This year she is sharing a house with three friends with whom she was in hall last year. After living in a somewhat luxurious hall of residence last year she is now discovering the joys of being a real student e.g. waking up with ice on the inside of your bedroom windows! In the spring she will be taking on the task of Christian Union Chairwoman – a role shared equally with the Chairman. Though a daunting prospect, she is also excited by this opportunity.

Jonathan

After doing battle with A levels in the first half of the year August brought Jonny’s results which, though not as good as he had hoped, were sufficient for the place at Manchester University that he wanted. He will be starting his Computer course there next October. In the meantime he is doing his Gap year at The Oakes. This is Christian Holiday centre on the outskirts of Sheffield. They run weekend and week-long Christian activity holidays for 8 – 16 year olds. Jonny is there with a number of other ‘Gappers’ who are working as volunteers doing everything from cleaning the toilets, cooking, supervising the ropes course and other activities, building maintenance, through to ‘Dorm leading’ and doing Bible study. You can find out more about The Oakes at www.oakes.org.uk. He spends one day a week doing the Northern Cornhill Bible course. This he finds quite stretching but is learning a great deal. He has also made a number of new friends amongst the other Gappers and is enjoying his year.

Danny & Janet

Danny continues to enjoy his work. Having worked on a couple of interesting and challenging projects during the year he is now beginning his 25th year with the company. Janet was kept very busy with BSF, including a 5-day visit to San Antonio Texas, whilst we both continue to be heavily involved at Christ Church (more at www.christchurchgreenbank.org). As well as all her other commitments Janet has now taken on the leadership of the Toddler group. The small fellowship at Christ Church is gelling together as a family. We had a delightful 1st Anniversary service with drums for the very first time! (There is a long story behind that one – ask us about it some time.)

The Family

There were a couple of real highlights for us all as a family. The first was a wonderful Greaves family get-together in Swaledale during July. This was to celebrate Danny’s sister Judy’s 50th (see the family web site for a photo). We took over the wonderful Kearton guesthouse for a weekend, went for walks and had a party. The second highlight was a Fenton family holiday in Majorca towards the end of the summer. This holiday was in celebration of Janet’s father’s 80th birthday and had been two years in the planning. Thirteen of us shared a beautiful villa overlooking the Med. It had its own pool and was quiet and private. Despite a couple of very dramatic thunderstorms the weather was mostly typically Mediterranean and we had a wonderful week.

 

Once again we are truly grateful to God for another blessed year. We look forward to 2004 a year that will see us celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We wish you all a joyous Christmas and New Year as well as a happy 2004 and look forward to hopefully seeing a number of you during the course of the next twelve months.