Monday, December 23, 2013

Christmas Card 2013

I assume that the entire readership of this blog received an actual copy of our Christmas card, but in case I unintentionally missed someone, here is the Brockbank Family Top Ten List 2013:

10. Not realizing how big they would be, we ordered gigantic Christmas cards online.  Hope you enjoy the big picture of us.  If you care to see additional pictures or updates of us throughout the year instead of just at Christmas time, check out our blog at bsrepor.blogspot.com.

9. The missionaries serving in our ward challenged Bryan and a few friends to a game of basketball.  Initially it was going to be a one-time thing but neither group wants to be the last one to lose.  If you’re in Norman at 6:15am on a Saturday, you’re welcome to join.

8. In a matter of months, Sarah went from being a primary teacher to a counselor in the primary presidency to a Sunday school teacher.  Bryan’s calling changes went even faster as he served as primary teacher, assistant executive secretary, and then executive secretary all within a month.  He thought he would get a break when the ward boundaries were changed and everyone was released.  That lasted about ten minutes, then he was called as executive secretary in our new ward.

7.  Since the Healthy Sooner 5k around OU Campus is free for students and their families, we decided to both run in it.  We were surprised when we saw the results because we both finished second in our age divisions and in the top 15 overall.

6. Stephen Beus (look him up on YouTube) invited us to the recording of his piano CD.  We went and ended up being the only people in the audience other than three of his piano performance graduate students.  I think everyone involved left happy—we got to listen to a concert pianist perform for two hours for free and he gets to say his CD was recorded before a live audience.

5. Bryan’s parents and two youngest siblings came out to visit for their spring break.  Highlights of their trip included getting soaked in the rain while visiting the University of Oklahoma campus, seeing someone faint at the National Weather Center, visiting the Oklahoma City Memorial, going to the OKC Zoo and attending the 37th Annual Medieval Fair, complete with “live” jousting.
4. In May, two incredibly devastating tornadoes hit one day apart just a few miles north and east of where we live.  Bryan experienced two firsts in helping with the cleanup – using a chainsaw and falling through a roof (not to worry – he wasn’t doing both at the same time and didn’t get hurt in either case).

3. A teaching conference for Sarah took us to St. Louis in July, which we used as an excuse to go to Nauvoo.  The highlight of the trip for Bryan was giving directions to Elder Dallin H. Oaks, who was there for a family reunion.  So, if anyone is looking for direction…

2. After five long years, Sarah defended her dissertation in June and graduated in August with her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering.  Way to go! 

1. Sarah didn’t want to know what life would be like not going to school, so she got a job teaching chemistry at Oklahoma State University – Oklahoma City.  Bryan told her to pretend she was a student on the first day to see if anyone would notice, but that plan was foiled when she had to unlock the door to the classroom for the students who were already there waiting.  There’s always next semester…

Unless of course, you are Ben and Alyse, then numbers 2 and 1 were combined with a new number one:
"Finding out that the first Brockbank grandchild is on the way.  Congratulations Ben and Alyse!"
(I didn't think my mom would approve of me sending that in a Christmas letter to everyone when Alyse is not pregnant.)

And here is the picture from our Christmas card:
 

0 comments:

Post a Comment