2002 brought happy news to the Tualatin McClures as we greeted a second granddaughter, bringing our third generation count to 5 under 5. We fervently pray that these bright and bubbly children, and their peers in all nations, will know peace and justice our world so desperately needs.

Still Enjoying Retirement Freedom

The best thing about saying goodbye to a downtown office is hearing traffic reports about clogged freeways. It’s also nice to say yes when help is needed serving meals at the Senior Center or working with youth who need positive adult relationships. With grandkids living too far for frequent contact, we filled the gap by helping launch a new summer outreach ministry for kids living in a large apartment complex next to our church. We also helped lead the summer day camp at church which included a number of Hispanic kids we’ve been hoping to attract. Larry was elected president of Tualatin Historical Society next year, so fun history-learning projects for kids may be on the horizon.

On the Trail Again

In addition to a short trip to Vancouver Island and the usual March vacation in Puerto Vallarta, our interest in the Lewis & Clark story continues to keep us traveling, reading and passing that knowledge along to others. August found us in Louisville KY for the annual meeting of Lewis & Clark buffs, followed by a post-conference study tour up the Ohio River where Meriwether Lewis struggled to bring the keelboat from Pittsburgh and eventually met Clark and other recruits at the Falls of the Ohio. Later that month we led a week-long Elderhostel-type program in Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains on “Lewis & Clark Meeting the Nez Perce.” Next month we travel to Monticello in Virginia for the opening event of the Bicentennial, which lasts through 2006.

Jenny & Paul Celebrate Annika

Confirmation of a second child for the Appels missed the deadline for last year’s newsletter. We were excited to welcome Annika Lauren on June 30. Brother Michael, who celebrated his 3rd birthday in October, wonders why she isn’t throwing balls with him yet. Annika closely resembles Michael, so maybe she’ll be swinging at his pitches sooner than he expects. Jennifer manages to juggle momma tasks with her new teaching job at nearby Sumner Public Schools where she’s handling mainstream social studies and English classes. Paul teaches and coaches in their hometown of Puyallup. We look forward to the 2.5 hour trip north whenever there’s an excuse to visit.

Doug and Family Breathe More Easily

After 7 months of unemployment, Doug’s strategies for finding the right job paid off in March. He heads a new infrastructure unit at Earthlink, a large Internet service provider. With hardly any air travel, the position also means they can stay in Marietta and continue college coursework. We made three Georgia visits this year but missed helping with their major landscaping project. Five-year old Jordan thinks kindergarten is just fine, and also likes having dad coaching soccer and t-ball. Two-year old Jacob is a whirlwind of activity, mostly based around whatever Big Brother is doing. One of our visits this year was to babysit while Doug and Denise took a 10th anniversary cruise. Denise enjoys her job handling travel paperwork for a nearby Navy facility.

Andy & Kelly Enjoy Parenting

Just across Puyallup about 3 miles, Andy’s family celebrated daughter Jillian’s 1st birthday June 6. Our first granddaughter knows how to control adults with her wry smile and twinkling blue eyes. Even the day care staff think she’s the greatest—happy, seldom fussy, and so good at talking that her recent “grandpa” message may never get erased from our answering machine! Andy and Kelly, both teaching and coaching at Fife High School north of Tacoma, easily trade responsibilities for cooking, cleaning and day care transportation just like many working parents. We look at our three sets of offspring and wonder how we ever did it over 30 years ago. Particularly pleasing to us is the fact that all three families have made church a priority in their weekly schedules.

Following the Footsteps of Paul

With a knowledgeable Bible-toting Muslim as our guide, we and seven other friends from church traveled nearly 3500 miles around Turkey in October, amazed at the many cultures and civilizations that have called this diverse and beautiful country their homeland. Traveling where early Christians struggled, we saw countless examples of ancient worship venues, art, architecture, daily family life, sports, commerce, manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, communication and good city planning just to name a few. Acoustics in huge outdoor Roman theaters are still incredible and we gained a better appreciation for the stonecutter’s craft. An occasional McDonalds and Burger King reminded us we’re truly part of a world economy. Did you know the terry cloth for your towels and bathrobe was likely manufactured in Turkey? The people were warm and friendly and we felt safe and secure at every turn. With talk of war, tourism is now a fraction of normal, which is having severe consequences for Turkey. Like our trip to China two years ago, we brought back many ideas we should try in the USA—like digital countdown clocks at stoplights to calm itchy drivers. Until they are admitted to the EU, tourists like us must get used to converting one US dollar to 1.65 million lira. We quickly learned to have a $250,000.00 bill ready for the restroom attendant! Tour guides in Turkey are college educated and must pass rigorous tests in history, art, geography, language, and religion to handle tourists’ endless questions. Ours lived for a time in the US and has a degree in British Lit. We saw 60% of this country, and now would like to explore the remainder, including the fabled Mt. Arafat where Noah might have beached the ark. Watching shepherds tend their flocks in Turkey, and enjoying traditional figs, olives and flatbread cooked on stone, reminded us we are blessed to be part of a chain in human history with God still calling us to be good stewards and spread his love.