Christmas Letter 2007

Dear Family and Friends:

Christus Natus est!
Glorator!

Christ is Born!
Glorify Him!

Christos Razdajetsja!
Slavite Jeho!

“Come, then, let us observe the Feast. Truly wondrous is the whole chronicle of the Nativity. For this day the ancient slavery is ended; the devil confounded; the demons take to flight; the power of death is broken; paradise is unlocked; the curse is taken away; sin is removed from us; error driven out; truth has been brought back; the speech of kindliness diffuses, and spreads on every side; a heavenly way of life has been in-planted on the earth; angels communicate with men without fear, and men now hold speech with angels.” – St. John Chrysostom’s Christmas Homily

This is our first Christmas letter! We pray it finds you well and happy during this blessed season of Our Lord's birth. As this is our first letter and we have no "since last Christmas" time to fill with updates, we decided to go back to the most recent transition of our lives--graduation from Gonzaga and moving to Boston for Taylor's master's degree.

We both graduated from Gonzaga University in May 2007—Taylor with a bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Classical Civilizations, and Anne with a master's in Religious Studies. It was the end of an era. Since Anne was a grad student and Taylor an undergrad, the graduation ceremonies were on different days. So, rather than sit through two long ceremonies, we decided to cross the stage together at Taylor's graduation. Walking across the stage, holding hands, and getting a picture together with Fr. Spitzer (the greatest university president ever) was an awesome way to end such wonderful years. Here’s to all the people with whom we laughed, loved, and lived: “Christians never say goodbye.”

Our summer was phenomenally relaxed and wonderful this year! After graduation, we went to visit Taylor's parents in Sammamish, WA; we attended a few beautiful weddings; and we visited Annie's parents in Inyokern, CA. Driving back to Spokane from California, we visited Yosemite National Park, the first installment of several National Park visits this summer. (note to self… why are we not park rangers?)

When we arrived in Spokane we began the hurried process of packing our worldly possessions (why are we not Franciscans?) and shipped them to Boston to be stored until our later arrival. In the interim, we took a rather leisurely route to the East Coast since we didn’t want to get bored—the Google directions told us to stay on I-90 for 1,600 miles! We visited Glacier National Park in Montana; Yellowstone in Wyoming; Wind Cave National Park and Custer State Park in South Dakota; and Badlands National Park (just a drive-through visit) also in South Dakota. All in all, a delightful tour of our nations parks (sparking an interest in seeing the rest of them (why not Franciscan Virgin Island park rangers?)).

We stopped briefly in Chicago for the Peterson/Larson Family reunion (Taylor’s mom’s side) where we enjoyed more family time, lots of yummy food, and warm running water. Our last stop before Boston was New York, where Taylor’s brother Elliott was volunteering for the summer (it was very hot there… like everywhere else on the East Coast).

Finally, we arrived in Boston and stayed with our friends the Raigers for a few weeks until our new condo was ready on August 30th. We moved in the next day, the same day Boston College beat Wake Forest in football and our car got ticketed and towed. Taylor’s classes at BC started September 4^th and Annie was working “temporarily” in the President’s Office at BC. It was an exciting weekend.

So far we have been settling in very nicely! We are sure that Boston is the place God wants us at this point in our life, which is the best feeling one can have in a new place. Taylor is working at St. Joseph’s parish in Belmont, MA (about 5 miles north of our condo) as an assistant to the Director of Religious Education. They are trying to instill in him an authentic Bahston accent (with some success). Annie was hired on permanently at the President’s office and works as an Assistant to the Special Assistant to the President (and his dog, Sparky—a descendent of the Ewoks). We both love our jobs (despite not being Franciscan Virgin Island park rangers)! Taylor is in a state of academic euphoria and is very happy with his classes, professors, and fellow students. We are making good friends and good memories. Praise God for His goodness!

Advent began for us on the 15^th of November. This season of preparation has been very blessed for us! We had our first Thanksgiving in our little home with two of our new friends. Annie successfully baked her first turkey and it was a grand feast! The snow has finally made an appearance (10 inches in one afternoon) and we are keeping our fingers crossed for a White Christmas (it would be our first!). We are looking forward to our first “at home” Christmas to establish our own traditions. May God grant you a merry and blessed Christ-mass, and a joyous New Year! “To Him, then, Who out of confusion has wrought a clear path, to Christ, to the Father, and to the Holy Ghost, we offer all praise, now and for ever. Amen.” – St. John Chrysostom again

Yours in Christ, from this little corner of New England,

Taylor & Anne Black