Merry Christmas, My Friends!

Dear Family and Friends,
Hi! Jay here! Shannon said that I could write the Christmas letter again this year, which made me VERY excited! Since we’re best friends, it only makes sense that I write the letter for us! ☺
This year has been a really good year for us! While very little has changed since the last letter, Shannon said that’s why it was such a good year! She moved twice last year, so the fact that she has been in the same house all year has made her VERY happy! ☺
Shannon gets up everyday and goes to work at S.V.E., here in L.S. This is the second year the school has been open, and she is REALLY enjoying this year. This year she is only working with students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, and she really enjoys her job. She says it’s what God made her to do!
Shannon continues to drive shuttles regularly for IHOP-KC. IHOP-KC is still her favorite place on the planet, and she has met some incredible people there. Shuttles are one of her favorite parts of her week, as she gets to shuttle people from an extra parking lot to the center where services are held on Sunday Mornings. She also plans on driving shuttles to the end-of-year conference, (Onething) which is also a highlight of her entire year. Shannon prayed for seven years to be a part of IHOP-KC, and is really enjoying living here and being part of what God is doing here.
I was excited this year because I got to go stay at RockStarPara’s House while Shannon spent TWO weeks out at Camp Barnabas this year. She went during the Autism Week and was SO EXCITED to get to be in Ronni’s Cabin again! Ronni is one of her favorite campers, and she prayed to be in her cabin again and got it! She is already praying to be a part of her cabin again this coming summer! She came home for a day and then went back out to camp for the Blind/Deaf Week. She was nervous because she didn’t know people from that Term, but it was the week she fell in love with the Deaf Community. She took Sign Language Classes back in college years ago, but had never applied it in real life. During that week, she met Torrey, a young lady with Cerebral Palsy who was also deaf. Shannon and Torrey connected on a DEEP level and she came back here and signed up for more Sign Language Classes! She is loving the classes, and is praying about what her new heart for the deaf will look like in real life, but is enjoying learning more Sign Language now.
Shannon and I have a great time together. We walk around the neighborhood almost everyday. We walk a mile each day. We also cuddle nightly, so I know I am loved very well. She says that she sometimes misses her Joplin friends, but with Facebook and email, it’s okay. She also drives down to Joplin regularly to see her friends
Her favorite scripture this year continues to be Hebrews 11:1: Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see. We both hope that the things you’re hoping and praying for will come to pass in 2011!
Love & Blessings, Jay and Shannon