2011 Christmas Letter

Greetings from the Bowdens!  We hope this finds you, and that you are enjoying the Christmas season.


Unfortunately, last November Greg lost his job and, after an intense search, the best opportunity came from Johns Hopkins University.  Greg moved up in December to start, but Kristen and the kids stayed in South Carolina so the girls could finish the school year.  After a lot of visits back and forth, the family was back together in a new home in June.  Everyone is adjusting pretty well, and the girls are enjoying new friends, walking to school and the library.   We have also had a steady stream of visitors: Greg’s sister Debbie and her family, Emily’s friend Bailey, Kristen’s mom Carol, Joanna, Kristen's dad Ron and Bernadette, Greg’s mom Gayle and Charles, the Gergicks, and Michelle Boone.  On one of our visits from the Marusak family, we made a trip to Hershey Park.  Kristen’s mom will be spending Christmas with us, too.


There was plenty of excitement before leaving South Carolina.   Sarah made it to the regional spelling bee in February.   Both girls sang in the All County Chorus.  Kristen’s brother Jeff came home from a long Air Force deployment in March, and we were all there to greet him.  Greg’s Aunt Nancy and Uncle Ken visited, even though Greg couldn’t be there.  In May Kristen made a big trip out to Colorado to attend Kailee Consbruck’s high school graduation.  And in June our niece Andrea graduated high school in Goose Creek.  Our friends and family had a wonderful party for us, and we started our new adventure.


Now in Baltimore, the girls have settled into very busy lives, much like in South Carolina.  Emily (fifth grade) is in the band, playing the oboe.   She is also in student government and the Book Critics Circle.  Sarah (seventh grade) is in Glee Club and appeared in the Fall play, Sally Cotter and the Censored Stone.  She enjoys knitting and crocheting, as well.  Daniel gets speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy, and still manages to make it to story time at the Church and Library.  He has found friends of his own as well.


Because of all the trips between Baltimore and Charleston, and the move itself, there was not a big family vacation this year.   However, in July the whole family along with Kristen’s mom made a trip to New York to see Kristen’s Aunt Chris and Uncle Bill.  One nice aspect of Baltimore is we are only six hours away from them.  Kristen made her annual Scrapbook trip in August with her mom, Gene, Joanna, and Sharon.  In September Kristen went back to South Carolina so she and her dad, Bernadette, Jeff and Kathe could watch the South Carolina Gamecocks beat Navy at Williams-Brice.  In October Greg went with the Whaleys and Anthony Meyer to see the Clemson Tigers beat Wake Forest.  In November Greg and Emily made a day trip to Penn State to cheer on the Lady Lions Volleyball team as they beat Purdue.  It was Emily’s first visit to Penn State.


No matter what changes life throws at us, and no matter where we go, we know that Christmas will find us.  We look forward to more new experiences to share with old friends.  Keep in touch and come see us in the New Year.