raynoha christmas letter 2011

8/3/2019 Raynoha Christmas Letter 2011

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2011

This has certainly been an exciting year! It started wMike going to Afghanistan for three weeks, while Trisand Ellison went back to the states to spend time in K

While there, we spent lots of time shopping for little bclothes and anything else not available to us here in Bgium. We loved hanging out with family and friends. WhMike returned, he brought with him a name for RaynoEncore: Daniel Alexander! But there was yet a lot of woto be done before the blessed event.

Elli turned 2 and had a bowling birthday party in Febary. She got a guitar and plays songs for us now aagain. Trisha found out she had gestational diabetes she went on a strict diet and actually lost weight wh

pregnant! It was a difficult time, but thankfully, we all svived.

March saw us preparing for a move from one houseanother just next door. April 1 was the big move day. Bei36 weeks pregnant and moving with a 2 year old wquite a wild ride, but so many people came to help it wdone very quickly.

The biggest event of the year was in May - Daniel Aleander came into the world on the 7th, weighing in at 7 l

15 oz - less than his sister, surprisingly! Grandma Nancame to be with us for the special occasion, and frienJodi and John took care of Ellison while we were in hostal. We came home just 2 days later, as Belgian hospitahave shared rooms. No fun with crying babies!

Los Abuelos (Paul and Ranie) came to visit at the endMay/beginning of June, and we took a few small trips wour new little man.

In July we brought Trishas nephew, Colby, to Belgiufor a 3-week stay. We toured London, Paris, and seve

places in Belgium. It was fun having him here, and

from the Raynoha family

Ellis first snowman with Uncle Karl in

January.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Were excited to share wyou all of the wonderful blessings our family received over this pyear. God is so good in all things! May you feel His love this Chrmas and throughout the new year. - Mike, Trisha, Ellison and Dani


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definitely appreciated hishelp with the smaller kids!It was Colbys first timeon an airplane - go big, or

go home, right?Trisha joined the Prot-

estant Women of theChapel Board as PublicityChair during the summerand has been putting to-gether a monthly newslet-ter for the group.

September brought abittersweet time for Mikeand Trisha: Ellison startedattending the local Bel-gian school; she goes for3 hours each weekday.Shes learning French, asher teachers dont speakEnglish! There is one teacher in the school who speaks somEnglish, and she has been a great help. Elli brings home somwonderful craft projects, can count to 10 in French and say h

colors. She understands her teacher, according to reports, ais just now beginning to speak a few words out of the blue home.

Also in September, Mike and Trisha began teaching the 2year olds in the church AWANA program. AWANA helps dvelop spiritually strong children to follow Jesus.

October brought trunk-or-treating and Halloween parties, nto mention Mikes birthday and a trip to Amsterdam to cebrate.

In November, Mike went to Rome for work (its a rough jo

Mike and Daniel in Amsterdam this Novemb

Trisha, Colby and Daniel(barely) at the Eiffel Tower inJuly.

Easter and Ellis last month as

an only child in April.

Elli turned 2 in February!A TON of Belgian chocolate? Mike, Colby and Elli inBrussels, July.


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but someone had to do it!) for two days. We spent Thanksgiving at the house with our smgroup Bible study friends and had a wonderful time. Daniel tried just a little of the fixins.

Mike spent this year working on two large projects as part of his NATO assignment. Tfirst was to identify ways to improve NATOs Intelligence support to defeat improvised expsives in Afghanistan and elsewhere. The second project, still ongoing, is designing how theadquarters will gather and combine military and non-military information from outsNATO to more fully understand the political social, and economic background of future cses.

Were closing out our year with a family trip to Austria and the Alps for a little snowboang, sledding and carriage rides! We have been so blessed this year. We have traveled much and been able to see so many things we never would get to see without living heand for that we are thankful!

2012 looks promising, as we are expecting several visits from family and friends. It will our final full year; were expecting orders sometime in late spring/early summer of 2013youre in the area, let us know!

Raynoha European Adventure Map

We live here!EuropeanEuropean

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DanielMonth-by-Month(count the train cars!)

2 weeks

Newborn

raynoha christmas letter 2011

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