Konings Christmas Letter, 2006

The Konings Christmas letter 2006

Chris and MJ have finished their training at the School of Ministry in Dunedin! Yay! As I write we have no job and no indication of what might happen next year. In the meantime we plan on staying in Dunedin. We are able to stay in the house to start with. We are looking at further study options and the children are very happy to stay here. Here is our graduating class.

Hannah turned five in November and although she has finished the year at Montessori, she is also looking forward to starting school at Opoho next year. Hannah continues to be taller than her siblings at this age and has made good progress on her literacy and number skills. If you ever ring us, you will likely hear her delightful phone answering manner.

Perhaps the most dramatic thing to happen this year was Zak’s broken leg at the beginning of school. This was an end of the day collision between classmates that kept MJ and Zak in hospital for a couple of days and we enjoyed the use of a wheelchair, then progressed to crutches and now he is as good as new. School was very supportive and we were grateful to be living right next door! Once the leg came right, Zak was back into soccer which he continues to enjoy. He has also discovered that summer cricket with his uncles is loads more fun than Kiwi cricket skills but he managed to persevere despite waning interest.

Janine continues to tackle everything with determination and verve. She has continued with singing this year and picked up the flute. She has enjoyed her first year at DNI, in particular her teacher, Miss Haig. Janine also picked up netball this year. She’s been great at making the most of living next door to a school. Reading continues to be her favourite activity although she has also been developing her baking skills.

Katarina finishes at DNI this year and we are enrolling her at Logan Park High School in the meantime. She has enjoyed playing netball again this year and her social life has taken a step up. Leith Valley church employed a couple of youth workers and Katarina has had a great time with various activities. Her new hobby is making jewellery and she has enjoyed creating ear-rings in particular. We are enjoying her growing up and becoming increasingly independent. Both girls have been essential helpers on the domestic front, and without their help could not have managed the last couple of years.

Chris has had a full on year, completing a CPE course which had 3 assignments a week on top of 40 hours of coursework and of course, the inevitable “extras” from the SOM. Since we finished in early November, he has been making a start on some of the jobs that have piled up. This includes sorting a computer for our friend Nuka who heads back to Niue shortly, some house repairs for MJ’s folks in Oamaru, car and van maintenance, sorting out our stuff, filing, tax returns… you get the idea!

MJ celebrated her 40^th birthday with due ceremony and lots of friends this year and a month later was licensed at Weston church, Oamaru in November. We are wearing our stoles that good friend Silvia Purdie made for us, and most members of our class, this year. Mum and Dad are very proud! She has been working on a research project on worship at the moment, making good use of the library and people resources in Dunedin at the moment. Plus going to end of year functions, as you do.

Christmas in Dunedin is the plan and we are running a holiday program at Leith from 8-12 January. We will be in Wellington for Chris’ licensing on January 25, drive up to Parachute in Hamilton, then return to Dunedin early February and whatever 2007 holds for us.

May God bless you all,

Love from Chris, Mary-Jane, Katarina, Janine,

Zachary and Hannah

Keeping in touch

MJ will continue to update the weblog, usually on Monday’s or Tuesday’s. The address is: http://konings.blogspot.com/

email: seeu@paradise.net.nz