Update—December
2006
It
has been four years since the article from the newspaper was
printed and we have kept busy since then with many harp programs
and producing more harp recordings. Alex still teaches school
part
time and builds harps the rest of the time going full time during
the summer months. Since the time of this article, Alex has developed
his own line of Italian harps, and a new line of more affordable
harps. A ten-string Davidic harp was also added to the variety
of harps that are now available. A new book was just released
this fall
by Alex titled: “Morning Meditations” and is a real
inspiration to Christian musicians.
Dena & Joanna are still at home busy teaching private music lessons and
have enjoyed taking their harps on mission trips in the last few years (Belize,
Grenada, & Haiti). They just completed their eighth recording this fall
titled “This is the Day” and have lots more plans in mind for future
CD’s. Joanna’s tendonitis in both hands (which started at the end
of 2005), together with a house fire in February 2006 (which forced us to move
out of our house for six months), slowed us down for most of 2006. Joanna’s
condition improved, so we started our family harp programs again in December
2006.
The
other children have grown in their music skills, and enjoy participating
in family programs. We have combined a number of instruments with the
harps to make for an enjoyable program. Sue continues to home school
the four youngest
children and enjoys being secretary for the harp business and program
manager for the family.
The Marini Family—December, 2006
Left:
Anthony (16), Emily (12), Joanna (21), Sue & Alex, Paul
(14), Dena (23), Mark (10)
Update—December,
2007
Only a year has passed since the last update, but our family
life is very different these days..... mainly due to a double wedding.
Dena started a courtship with Nathan Hochstetler from Tennessee
in January of 2007 and Joanna started a courtship with Stephen
Dindinger from Colorado in April of 2007. By July both couples
were ready to take the big step and decided to get married the
same day. So on Saturday, September 15, 2007, the girls were married
in the Chapel at Garden Spot Village (which was a nice facility
close to our home). After the wedding Dena and Nathan spent a week
in Virginia and then headed west for three weeks.... they are now
living in the New Holland, PA, area.
Joanna
and Stephen spent the first two weeks on Union Island in the
Caribbean and then came to PA for a week to pack up her things
and then headed for Colorado where they are now living.
We
started up our family programs this month—losing one musician
(Joanna) and gaining another member of the group (Nathan). Dena
was able to reorganize
our programs, and we have been busy ever since early December. We have also
scheduled some time at the studio in mid-January so that when Joanna and
Stephen come for a visit we can finish a “family CD” which
we had started before the wedding. We hope to do some of our
family’s favorites and
polish it up before the spring conventions.
Anthony
(17) is looking forward to graduating this spring, so that
he can pursue other interests... like visiting his sister Joanna
and working at a cattle
ranch in Colorado, and perhaps making another trip to Tennessee. He continues
to work part time farming, driving tractor and looks forward to fall harvest
time. He enjoys playing the guitar in our programs and also plays the cello.
Paul
(15) is quite skillful in many different areas, like music,
painting, and juggling. He sings and plays a number of instruments
in the programs like
hammered dulcimer, flute, piccolo, pennywhistle, mandolin and guitar. He’s
a sophomore in high school and looks forward to completing high school as well.
Emily
(13) is in eighth grade and has developed her skills in harp
playing and has been hired this year to play for special events.
Besides harp, she
helps in our programs with singing now (since Joanna is gone) and plays the
pennywhistle.
Mark
(11) has also progressed in his skills as a musician and enjoys
entertaining people. He also plays harp in our programs, as
well as the mandolin
and pennywhistle. He is in sixth grade and does well in his schoolwork,
but would rather be reading a good book on a cozy chair.
Sue
continues enjoying her responsibilities as homemaker, home
school mom, and secretary to the harp business. There were
some adjustments to be made
after the older girls were married, but life has returned to a normal routine
now.
Alex
still teaches at a Mennonite high school half time, and enjoys
harp making in his free time.... trying to develop new styles
of harps and does some writing
any chance he gets. He also started learning the harp himself—after making
harps for over ten years, he thought he’d try learning to play them.
You’ll often find him quietly playing a tune in the late evening after
the children have gone to bed. A sweet way to end the day!
Update: December—2008
Another
year has swiftly passed by and we find more changes have come
upon us... we are now grandparents! We are happy to announce
that our second daughter, Joanna, and her husband Stephen had their
first baby (Nicolas Stephen) on Wednesday, October 22nd weighing
6 lbs and 15 oz. Grandma and Aunt Emily arrived in Grand Junction,
CO, the night before Nicolas was born and were glad to be a part
of the welcoming committee.
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Nicolas
Stephen Dindinger
Born: October 22, 2008 -- 6 pounds, 15 oz. |
Joanna,
Stephen & baby Nicolas
December, 2008 |
We
are also happy to announce that our oldest daughter, Dena, and
her
husband, Nathan, are
expecting
their first baby (a boy!)
the end of February. They just live 15 minutes from us and have
continued to help us in our music ministry. We averaged about 4
to 5 programs a month this past year—but this month alone we
had 12 programs; which kept us “harping” around a lot.
We’re not sure what our music ministry will be like in 2009,
but we plan to continue with whoever is available. Paul and Emily
are really progressing in their music abilities and have recently
been hired to play at weddings and special events as a harp & flute
duet, so there is a lot of potential with them. Mark is also progressing
in his music abilities and people who have come to our programs
through the years have noticed a big change in his skill level
lately.
Anthony
(18) is at the end of his high school studies, and looks forward
to working some for his brother-in-law, Nathan, in construction
and also making
harps with his father at the shop. He also has done some farming this past
fall, but his most recent adventure was herding cattle in the mountains of
Colorado the old fashioned way on horseback. He just loved the wide open
lands
and the beauty of the mountains. We really appreciate Anthony’s contribution
to our harp programs... he plays cello and guitar which adds a special touch
to the songs.
Paul
(16) just got his driving permit and is looking forward to working
this summer for his brother-in-law, Nathan, in construction and
then graduating
from his high school program here at home in the summer of 2010. He juggles
many instruments in our programs.... you’ll see him go from the hammered
dulcimer to the mandolin, to a penny whistle, guitar, flute... and then sing.
He really enjoys recording music on his computer and putting together home
videos.
Emily
(14) is now a 9th grader and has really put her heart into her
music lately. She continues with harp, but also plays flute,
penny whistle, bowed
psaltery, and sings with Dena in the programs.
Mark
(12) is usually the champion at ping pong here at home, as well
as many other games. He impresses people at the programs with his ability
to play
not only the harp, but the mandolin, penny whistle, and the bowed psaltery.
Mark
is an active guy, and flies through his 8th grade school work, so he
can
go outside or play a game.
Alex
took on a full time teaching schedule this fall which has been
a challenge as harp orders have increased. Recently his ten-string
Davidic
harp became
popular with those using harps for ministry to hospitals, and orders
came in for his Roma Rosa harp as well. So this year he has been stretched
a
bit more,
but seems to be on top of it. He looks forward to taking the seniors
from his school on another trip to the island of Grenada this spring,
and was
given
the responsibility of organizing the whole event. Sue continues as
usual at home giving her energies to home schooling, home making,
and the home
business.
She enjoyed her first trip out west to Colorado to meet her first grandchild,
and to spend time with Joanna and Stephen. We are truly grateful to
the Lord for good health and strength to continue in the work
that God has
put before
us.... until He comes.
Marini
Family—December
23, 2008
From left: Anthony, Emily, Alex, Mark, Sue, and Paul
Update—2009
On Sunday, March 1, 2009, at 4:59 p.m. Craig
Alexander was born to Nathan & Dena Hochstetler. Dena was
hoping to have a home birth, but needed to be transferred to
the Reading Hospital, and
after 41 hours of labor had the baby C-section. Craig weighed in
at 8 pounds and 12 ounces and was 21 inches long. Both mommy and
baby are doing fine.
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Craig
Alexander (1 month old)
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The Hochstetler's—March,
2009
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