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Dear
Friends and Family,
We
greet you this year from sunny San Diego! Our journey this year
started in Virginia but due to what we hope to be our final
military move, we end our year here in SOCAL.
Alex
is now in 9th grade and has found his talent as a graphic designer.
His Photoshop skills and his animation talent is quite impressive,
allowing me to come to him when I need graphics. Storming into
his high school years, he is adjusting well as the new kid once
again. Lots of late nights on the computer, sleeping in when
he can, and passing the time by eating and growing, the boy
is now able to look me in the eye. California is looking good
on him.
Stephanie,
now 12, is still my Renaissance girl. She, too, is taking to
California like a fish to water. Her goal seems to be staying
well rounded in talents such as reading voraciously, playing
the piano better every week, and making new friends. As you
can see by her picture, I’m starting to keep an eye out
for boys. It was inevitable.
Carrie
remains the busiest woman I know. She dealt with a cross-country
move and living out of a suitcase for months this year before
arriving here in California where she once again made a new
house a home. She now volunteers for the Semper Fi Fund (donated
funds for injured Marines) and has spearheaded the creation
of the Key Volunteer Network for my Battalion. Continuing her
studies, she hopes to complete her degree early next year. She
is up early, up late, and a constant blur in between.
Buster,
our dog, changed little. He was in the middle of the hectic
move, stayed at his Uncle Chris’s all summer, and now
kicks back in the state of his birth, soaking up the golden
sunlight every day.
I
celebrated my 19th year as a Marine in the same place I started.
I became a Company Commander for 300 Marines at the Marine Corps
Recruit Depot which keeps me busy enough to drive to and from
home in the dark. It looks like I will get promoted to Major
next year which would keep us in the Marine Corps until 2008.
I still (try) to read as much as consciousness will allow and
managed to complete 3 marathons, the most recent being my personal
best out of 16 marathons thanks to a 22-pound weight loss. I
still try to get to my webpage and blog but with my schedule,
my goals far outreach my available hours each day. But I refuse
to let that slow me down.
As
a family, we’ve experienced more highs than lows this
year but the important detail is that we went through a lot
of change together, depending on each other for success. We
had our time apart but we were able to also visit family to
keep us grounded. We have committed ourselves to spend as much
time as possible together, experiencing all that San Diego has
to offer and if the first 6 months is any indication, it looks
like we have a great start. We’ve never been closer.
We
want to wish you happy holidays. Our invitation is open to anyone
who wants to visit us here in San Diego. Just let us know and
we’ll make it happen. You will NOT be disappointed.
Merry
Christmas, happy holidays, and God bless you all.
Love,
The Groses (http://www.grose.us)
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