18/12/2023
The Smith Family Christmas Letter:
Dear Family and Friends:
The year 2023 was eventful, with many personal and family milestones, though none more significant than the addition of a new daughter to the family. The photo is from the wedding of Cole to Tasha (nee Anastasia Hueffner). The wedding took place in June in Colorado Springs, where they met. (Both are graduates of the Air Force Academy, and Tasha is still an active-duty officer.) They now live in Southern California. Tasha is stationed at Vandenburg AFB, and that puts Cole close enough to Los Angeles for him to continue to pursue his film career.
Morgan spent most of the year living in New York City, working for a firm that specializes in designing sets for high-end fashion editorials and advertisements. Some of the sets she designed made their way into top-tier magazines. She made trips to Ireland and Spain this year. Late in the year, she spent 10 weeks in Switzerland at L’Abri, the famous Christian study center founded by Frances and Edith Schaeffer.
Walker continues to pursue his passion for photography at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. He hopes to graduate in May with a master’s degree in photojournalism. He also spent time commercial fishing (and shooting amazing photographs) in Alaska.
Brittany lives in Colorado Springs, where she is a freelance writer. She is still enjoying the Rockies and spent this summer camping and backpacking in the San Juans, at the Great Sand Dunes, and in the Pikes Peak Region in her own backyard.
Missy continues to work at Hickory Grove Christian School, though in the past year she transitioned from running the international student program to starting the school’s first alumni program. Her first big alumni event wildly surpassed any previous alumni activity the school has had. Missy and I celebrated our 40th anniversary this year.
In October, I celebrated my four-year anniversary as president of MinistryWatch.com. It has been a fun and exciting work year, and we won some awards for journalistic excellence from the Evangelical Press Association. Music, always an important part of my life, has been taking up more time. I am part of a community band that does three concerts a year, as well as two brass ensembles that often perform at community events, especially around Christmas and national holidays. I play guitar (and sometimes the tuba!) with our church’s worship team, as well as at various bluegrass jams and “open mic” events around the city. These musical endeavors have been great fun, and they are nourishing to my mind and soul.
I pray all is well in your world, and I hope our trails cross in the new year.
Grace and peace….
The Smiths – Christmas 2023
