THE
YEAR
BEHIND US

2000: Settling Into Arkansas Life

Robin and I with Brian, Andrew, Lydia, Joel, and Daniel are settling into life in Arkansas. The scene as I write this letter is one of Robin teaching Joel and Daniel in the kitchen, the Felland Trio of Brian, Andrew and Lydia learning new performance pieces, and me working on the computer. The practice session was interrupted now as one of Lydia's three piano students came by and asked if she could have her lesson early.

Lydia is earning money for her piano lessons by teaching two paying students. Robin is earning some extra spending money by sewing coon caps. Brian and Andrew, now with driver's licenses and four vehicles between them, are finding that they like earning money also. The boys and I are doing seasonal forestry work in Minnesota and Georgia. The boys spent most of April and May in Minnesota hand planting, Brian and I spent 5 weeks in September and October sawing weed trees in Minnesota, and I have spent the last four weeks hand planting trees in Georgia.

Brian has graduated from our home education program and achieved a 30 score (97th percentile) on the ACT. His career plans are not yet firmed up. This year he apprenticed with a local welder making a bulldozer trailer, is continuing his trombone training, got some experience wallpapering, likes working on his Toyota diesel pickup truck, is teaching Lydia science, and is arranging Dixieland, Gospel and Oldies music for the Trio. The Trio is making a hit on the local music scene. They have played twice at the Music Barn in Marshall and have an open invitation in the future. This month they have a performance in Branson, Missouri.

Andrew is a junior and has enjoyed a class at the local vocational school on auto mechanics. He combined two beat up Festivas into one very reliable high mileage vehicle. He and Brian invested in a four wheel drive truck to fix up and sell. In April, Andrew finished a year working at the dairy farm next door when he left for Minnesota. Andrew is the Youth Editor for the local home school newsletter. He now plays banjo, in addition to the trumpet, in the Trio.

Lydia does well in school and in her homemaking training. I am excited by the spontaneous applause that she receives form her keyboard/piano playing. Lydia is happy to join her brothers is playing much of their music by ear. She sometimes wishes that her two younger brothers were more cooperative and that her two older brothers were less distracted by computer activities (Andrew especially) when it comes time to practice their music. She is accompanying Brian on his audition trombone pieces.

Joel and Daniel both take delight in beating their dad in chess. They both do very well in school, although Joel is a bit of a dreamer. Joel continues to have responsibility for the fowl. We have fond memories of him catching a Greater roadrunner in the chicken yard. He is working on snare drum and may soon cause the Trio to have to change its name. Daniel excels as Lydia's third piano student. We plan to start him with double bass lessons so that he can also join the family's music.

Robin is handling the extra responsibility with me gone for weeks at a time. She is quite organized and gets the important things done. She continues sewing, recovering our sofa and making outfits for the Trio. She enjoys playing duet piano music with Lydia and with her husband. She is thankful for her family and for a loving God. I praise YHWH for blessing me with her in my life.

Brian, Andrew, and I developed the web site <www.yahuah.org>. Its by far not the most popular site on the web, but is getting over two hundred hits on the home page per month. We have appreciated the feedback from people from around the globe and invite you all to visit and sign the guest book.

We are putting finishing touches on the house and have had a pond put in our property. We worked together and with friends on gardening and putting up produce. Robin and the children took part in numerous home education activities in town, while I was able to join the family for some folk dancing sessions. The family has so far survived the major ice storm and deep freeze this winter. The Christmas storm laid down glare ice that even shut down the mail for about ten days. For the last few days we are pumping water and carrying it into the house because pipes are frozen between the well house and the house.

We traveled twice to Ohio to visit our families before my mother died and again for her memorial service on September 3. I treasure the time with my mother recollecting fun events from our lives and appreciate the steadfastness of my sisters and my father during her illness. We were also able to visit with Robin's Grandmother Spigelmire before she died. We enjoyed visits of the Aylsworths and my father during the year. The Blanchard Springs Cavern tour during my father's visit was special.

We are thankful for community of friends near and far. We especially enjoy our Sabbath gatherings. We wish you all the best in 2001.

The C. M. Fellands