Happy Holidays Family and Friends! As I sit here and reflect on 2018 all I can think about is how blessed Jeremy and I are for our health and happiness. Two thousand and eighteen started out like all other years but has repeatedly shown us how valuable life is and how each day is a blessing. In the middle of June I got a wild hair and decided to e-mail the State of Kansas to see what it would take to renew my teaching license. I was not thinking I was going to be in a classroom anytime soon in front of students. I was thinking I was going to have to go back to school myself. After a whirlwind of events I started my first teaching job in August as a 4th Grade teacher at Holton Elementary. This definitely threw a big change in our day to day operations at the Stallbaumer household but we take it one day at a time and I greatly appreciate how Jeremy and the kids have adapted to our new normal and encourage me to follow my dream. I have truly enjoyed being in the classroom and feel I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing.
Jeremy continues to work at the Seneca Corn Mill - Fairview Mills and this past year coached Junior High football and basketball at Sts. Peter and Paul. This was his first year for football. He was the assistant coach for football and was the head coach again for basketball. The head football coach assists Jeremy with basketball so they have the same coaches for both just in different roles. They do an outstanding job at, in my humble opinion, and have had success this year with a good group of 8th grade boys. Jeremy still volunteers for the local fire department and participated for the 2nd year at the 9/11 Memorial Stairclimb event in Kansas City.
Ava is having a big year in 2nd grade. She made her First Reconciliation this month and is gearing up for her First Communion in late April. She has grown up so much this past year, both physically and in maturity. I can hardly believe it sometimes when I look at her. She makes us proud every day and keeps busy with piano, sleepovers, and played softball this past summer. She also joined her brother this past summer in the stitches club. She jumped off a chair on the back patio and caught the metal end of the folding chair with the corner of her eye.
Will continues to go, go, go. He couldn't be outdone by his sister and has made two trips for stitches this year. Again he did it when mom wasn't around. He is still anxiously awaiting his turn for organized sports. He feels he has done enough spectating and is more than ready to participate. He has a smile that can light up a room but can also make you feel the most frustrated you've ever felt all in the same minute. His new thing is he loves to dance, typically it's a touchdown dance or a victory dance but all the same he loves to show off his moves.
We hope everyone had a great 2018 and wish you many blessings in 2019!
Happy Holidays! I hope everyone has had a great 2019. It was another quick year with lots of memories made in the Stallbaumer home. Jeremy wrapped up another successful season of Junior High basketball in February. His team once again claimed the OTL Title. They had a very successful year and it was a great class of 8th grade boys to work with. Come April, Ava made her First Communion. It was a very special time for her and she continues to thrive in her faith. To conclude my very first year of teaching, Jeremy and I went with some of our closest friends on our first all-inclusive vacation. We went to Cancun, Mexico and stayed at Secrets the Vine Resort. We had a fabulous time and created many memories we will cherish for years to come. We feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to take this trip. Summertime brought on the first year of swim team and another year of softball for Ava and Will got a small taste of T-ball. I am afraid to type this out but I believe 2019 did not bring on any stitches. I really hope I didn't jinx myself because there is still time. This past fall Ava took on a new sport and learned the basics of volleyball. She got to play on Sunday's with some of her classmates and she made HUGE improvements throughout the season. Will got his first taste of competitive sports this fall while playing soccer. He played and Jeremy coached his team. They won the Kindergarten age division and Will did very well and scored lots of goals. He comes by his thirst for competition naturally and isn't as modest as his mother would like him to be. Jeremy did not help coach junior high football this season. He took on a new role at work towards the end of the summer that brought on more responsibility so he opted out of football coaching to make sure it was a smooth transition. He did complete his third 9/11 Memorial Stairclimb in September and this time just the two of us went and the kids stayed behind with grandma. We made it to a Royal's game as a family and also did a K-State football game, sadly we only made one K-State game this year. Will is starting to follow in his father's footsteps with sports viewing as well and has started to enjoy watching games on TV thankfully it's been a fun year to follow the Chiefs. Last spring I got the opportunity to apply and interview for a teaching job closer to Seneca and landed in Axtell teaching 5th grade. So far it has been a good year. I feel like I may have gone from the newest school in the state to one of the oldest schools structural wise but Axtell has many great features despite the age of the building and I am enjoying the job. We count our blessings daily and continue to thank God for our health and happiness. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a blessed 2020!
