2014 Christmas Letter

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Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.  I Corinthians 15:58

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Wow!  2014 has been a whirlwind year for us, it almost feels like we missed the whole thing! A little too much going on and not enough breathing space, I think. So here’s a little of what we’ve been doing.

Harmony – Harmony will be 6 years old in January. She is a very social little girl who absolutely must be with people. Even if she’s doing a solo activity, she still wants someone around to discuss it with. She loves “talking games,” having stories read to her, playing on the computer and playing with her friends at church. Harmony officially started kindergarten this year.

Nathanael – Nate is 8 years old and a true “Renaissance man.” He loves building, taking things apart, cooking, sword and Nerf-fighting, music, climbing, dancing…he’s enthusiastic about just about everything. He loves any kind of hands-on project. Nate got to go to Grandpa’s hunting camp for the first time this year, a very exciting event for him!

Jacob – Jake turned 13 in October. He went to Grandpa’s hunting camp again
this year and thoroughly enjoyed himself. He moved up to the big mime team in AIM last session and seems to be doing well. He loves science, especially anything to do with animals. His autism gives him an incredible memory, so if we need to know something about animals we ask Jake. He likes hanging out with his friends at church, reading and roaming around at Harriman.

Charis – Charis is a beautiful 15-year-old this year. She is still miming with the AIM team, and this session became one of the student leaders. She loves her shop days with Dad, doing all kinds of construction and woodworking. She also does beadwork and glass etching, and won reserve best of show at our county fair for her beadwork. She loves to dance and has been teaching Nate.

Rachel – 18-year-old Rachel has been very busy! She graduated high school this past spring. Last year she did a lot of traveling within the U.S, and this year she decided to roam a bit farther. In September, Rachel left home to spend nearly six months overseas with Youth With a Mission (YWAM), a Christian discipleship and missions group. Her DTS (Discipleship Training School) is based in Sligo, Ireland and her outreach is in Damour, Lebanon, working with Syrian refugees. Though we get to visit with her often online, we are looking forward to hearing her stories in person when she gets home.
Hannah – Hannah is 20 years old. After spending several months in Pennsylvania interning with DRAMA Ministry last year (which included a trip to Scotland), she came home to help direct the local AIM team. She has been acting in a movie with an indie film maker in Fort Collins, CO this past year and absolutely loving it. She is currently working full-time as a stocker at Sierra Trading Post while trying to keep up with her youth ministry activities.

Gabriel – Gabe is 22 this year. He is renting a pretty cool old house with a few other guys and seems to be enjoying it. He still works at Arrow Antenna, helps lead the local AIM team, and at church he helps out with the youth group. He is also organizing the much-anticipated annual Christmas Ball.

Josiah and Hillary – Josiah is still working full-time with Voice of the Martyrs as the shipping coordinator, and is leading the Bartlesville, OK drama team. His amazing wife, Hillary, is doing well with her sewing business. And…Josiah and Hillary have a baby boy!! Apollos Alexander Poch turned one year old on Dec. 10 and is, of course, awesome in every way. ‘Siah and Hillary bought their first house in Bartlesville this year.

Jared and Heidi – Jared is a transportation coach at the Lowe’s
Distribution Center in Cheyenne and he also directs the local AIM team. He has written two children’s stories, which are published online (look for Jared Pocket!). His beautiful wife Heidi works as a full-time nanny. She had quite an ordeal with a broken clavicle this summer, but it finally seems to have healed. Our adorable grandson Ender is two years old this month, and he will soon be joined by a little sibling, due the beginning of June!

Kevin is still working full time for our church, Calvary Chapel of Cheyenne. He is the sometimes tech guy at church and full-time director of the Harriman Retreat Center. He is also facilitating a Monday morning men’s Bible study.

We spent the summer again working with Miller Farms and Green Thumb Gardens at the farmers markets in Cheyenne and Fort Collins, CO.  It can be hard work, but we love it! It also keeps me hopping all summer getting everything canned, frozen and dehydrated.

We are still homeschooling, which enables us all to help out at the Harriman Retreat Center. We just pack up our school and take it with us! My “teacher’s desk” consists of a milk crate and a tote bag.

Hannah and Heidi participated in the Spartan Race Colorado Springs Military Sprint this year along with two other friends. They did finish the race, and we were very proud of them all! Hannah is currently training for this year’s race. Heidi is declining this year, as she doesn’t think she’ll be able to crawl through the mud and climb walls when she’s nine months pregnant.

Kevin, Gabe and Rachel joined the world of ham radio this year, with all three getting their technician licenses! If you are local and would like to chat, Kevin’s call sign is KG7KMB, Gabe is KG7KMA, and Rachel is KG7LWY. Apparently it is a big deal to get your state initials in your call sign, so Rachel is a privileged young lady.

Let’s see, what else happened this year?  We held the annual AIM training camp at Harriman, where I served as cook. All five younger kids plus grandbaby Ender had chicken pox in March and April. The AIM kids again ran the kids’ track at the state homeschool convention. Our good friends (and Josiah’s in-laws)the Hedglens came to visit for a week during Rachel’s graduation and we had an awesome time. We met some wonderful new friends from Pennsylvania and Nebraska this summer. We had a Poch Family reunion in August and got to see some people we haven’t seen in ages. All the men-folk spent 10 days in October at hunting camp in Colorado, and while they were gone Hillary and Apollos came to spend time with the left-behind ladies. And I’m sure there is a lot more I could write about, but that is more than enough for one year.

Well, there is Poch Dynasty…

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Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. Galatians 6:9

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We hope you all have a very blessed 2015!!