News update from Tuesday December 27, 2005

Dear Family and Friends,

This letter will span the last 2 years in hopes to catch you up on what's been going on at the Lacey household.

Tim continues to work at Wright-Patterson AFB as a computer networking administrator. He also teaches network security at the Air Force Institute of Technology. He has been gone some with business trips to Baltimore, New York, and California. In April of each year, his school takes part in a Cyber Defense Exercise where his students spend three months setting up a network that will be attacked by the National Security Agency. It is a competition between all the military schools across the nation. For the last three years, his school has finished in the top spot.

Probably the highlight of Tim's year was when he was looking to upgrade his banjo. While getting advice from Dale Perry, the previous banjo player for Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Dale offered to sell Tim his "Sonny Osborne Chief." In August of '05 we met up with Dale and purchased the banjo. It was the 5th Chief built, was also signed by Sonny Osborne, and was the last one to have an autographed picture on the inside of the banjo. It was owned and played by the last banjo player for Bill Monroe (the father of Bluegrass music) and then of course, Dale Perry. We are still amazed at how the Lord worked to put this in our possession. More about that later...

I (Sandy) have kept the "home fires burning" with homeschool and maintaining the busy lives of eight people. I was able to get a garden put in last spring with the help of an avid gardener friend. The Lord blessed with abundant fruits of our labor. Around May of '05, I experienced left shoulder pain that traveled to the back side of my head to the back of the left eye. After several weeks of conventional chiropractor treatments without much relief, I switched to a NUCCA (National Upper Cervical Chiropractor Association) doctor. We are making progress but apparently I have scar damage to the shoulder muscle which may not totally repair. I play the autoharp for our bluegrass endeavors. More about that later...

Daniel (18) has had his license almost two years now. He recently paid off his Dad and now owns his '98 Cavalier. This great little car gets him to and from American Kenpo practice and his afternoon job at the Xenia Iron and Metal, owned and operated by Christian friends of ours. Lord willing, Daniel will be our first graduate from our homeschool this May. Tim is tutoring him through computer courses in hopes of a future career.

Daniel received his black belt in American Kenpo July 23, 2005 and has been asked to be an instructor this coming year.

In March of '04, Tim showed Daniel a few things on the bass guitar and then Daniel figured he could learn guitar. I purchased some basic instruction videos and off he went. He is also doing some keyboard work and now loves to compose and record his original songs along with the bluegrass we do as a family. More about that later...

Joel (16) has changed the most physically by growing a foot or more. He is now 6 feet tall, passing up Daniel and Tim. Joel continues training in Kenpo and should test for Black Belt the first of this year. He is an avid Paintball fan, which is very evident by the unique wallpaper in his room. It is covered with Paintball magazine pictures. Joel discovered how sharp his machete was when he sliced the skin between his thumb and trigger finger (Oct '04) Joel plays acoustic bass guitar in our family group. More about that later...

Joshua (12) continues to do well genetically and we praise the Lord that it has been almost 9 years since his last hospitalization. He broke his left foot March of '04. It healed fine but he has to have braces in his shoes to help with his very flat feet and weak ankles. Joshua always looks forward to the father/son campout with our church and won the fisherman's award for being the most devoted to the sport. He also received the Super Sailor award May of '05 in his Patch the Pirate club at church. He is our most enthusiastic singer and really puts his heart in all he does.

Jonathan (10 1/2) learned to do back flips from a standing position on the floor. He has great initiative in getting his school work done quickly and on his own. He also learned the bass guitar and ukulele when he was 8 ½ years, then followed Daniel with guitar and has recently been learning fiddle and mandolin. He strives to be our "do it all" child.

Shauna (6) continues to be our little lady, but has also learned to hold her own with five brothers. She still wishes for a sister and even succeeded in getting Benjamin to model her Cinderella dress complete with crown! (That didn't last long!!) Shauna enjoys her Sunday school class and Patch the Pirate Peewee club. She asked Jesus to be her Savior last Jan. 2 '05 while at home. We are so thankful for this awakening in her spiritual life.

Shauna had trouble with her hearing last winter, but was cured when I did the "Pharyngeal Sweep" shown to me by a chiropractor. Her ears popped periodically for several days thereafter as the Eustachian tubes were able to drain.

Shauna is learning to read and loves to "copy" everything she sees and colors beautifully.

Benjamin (3) has made great strides in being able to converse freely with everyone and I am so pleased to announce we are a diaper-free family!! Potty training went quite well last summer. He loves computer, stories, and "doing school" with the rest. Benjamin plays a wooden guitar made by my dad. More about that later...

Now I must tell you about the two additions to our family. Nickel, a gray female feline, was rescued from a busy street in Dayton when she was only about 4 weeks old. She was given to a friend who found a good home for her...ours! One big problem was that she had fleas, lots of them!! That was quite an experience! After a couple of weeks on milk replacement and lots of TLC, she has turned out to be a regal princess. We figured she was born about the 4th of July, so we named her Liberty Nickel.

Sometime later, Daniel brought home an 8 week old yellow male kitten because "it really took to him!" His name is Aidan, which means "fiery" or hearth - pertaining to the warmth of the home. He is a lover boy. Our latest family project was to build a cat tree for them.

On several occasions we would have to search for Nickel only to find her shut up in a closet or the spare bedroom. Benjamin was the culprit and when asked "Why?" he said, "Because I want a puppy!" Telling him "Nickel and we would be sad if she left" brought the reply "Then give her back to Miss Bev!" He has an answer for everything.

A highlight for our family was to have my sister Mary and husband Rod come for a visit in June of '04. Then they turned around and brought my folks down in November to see our home and family. We had a great time together.

We made our yearly visits home to Wisconsin for the 4th of July celebration then went down to Georgia in September.

Now for the...more of that later...

Our biggest answer to prayer has been that our family has been able to minister together playing and singing Gospel Bluegrass. We are called "The LaceyFamily" and have been able to sing at a few local churches, nursing homes, on a Cincinnati Belle Boat ride, at my brother's July 4th celebration, and at Tim's home church in GA. In November, we sang at a church in Indiana.

Upcoming events include singing at a local church in January, our homeschool support group in February, the Christian Gospel Bluegrass festival in Wisconsin (July '06) then for the 75th Anniversary of Tim's home church in GA next fall (date pending.) We hope for open doors - pray for this exciting endeavor.

Praise the Lord; we completed the taping of our first CD December 22-23. There is much work involved in this project. It should be available after the first of the year. Please let us know if you are interested in one (or more!)

We pray for God's blessings on you in 2006 as you seek to know Him more intimately and serve Him faithfully. We have appreciated your family updates, cards, letters, and phone calls. Please keep in touch. We love you all - you are very special to us.

Love,
Tim & Sandy, Daniel, Joel, Joshua, Jonathan, Shauna, & Benjamin

Previous News Item | Next News Item