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.
At the end of May, we enjoyed a family reunion when Joanna, Stephen, and baby Nicolas came from Colorado for a two-week visit to PA. We took four of those days while they were here, and all of us (including Dena, Nate, and baby Craig) piled into our large 15-passenger van and headed to the Marini reunion in Massachusetts where Great Grandpa Marini got to hold his two new great-grandsons for the first time. It was a special occasion to be at the home where Alex grew up in East Bridgewater and to meet with all the relatives again. While in MA, we enjoyed the ocean and toured Plymouth Plantation and went aboard the Mayflower II before returning back to PA. It was a blessing to be all together again and watch the two cousins interact with each other.
The month of December is always a busy one for our family with all the music programs that we do, although this year we did not do as many as other years (only 8 events compared to 15 some years). Many of them are company dinners, and we still have a couple more programs next week to wrap up our Christmas season. Then we will be putting our focus on the next event…. we’ve been asked to provide music for the “We Care Prison Ministry” in Alabama during the last week of January which will be something new for us.
Alex continues to make harps in between teaching classes at Faith High School, and this year he was asked to take on the administrative position as principal. So far it has been going well and God has given him the extra grace and wisdom needed for that job. He’s working on a new harp design this month that already seems to show potential (a 38-string Regency style with a Roma Rosa sound chamber) and has a number of customers waiting for it. His waiting list for harps keeps growing… which keeps him and the boys on their toes.
Since Anthony graduated high school, he has been busy with farming, and helping his brother-in-law, Nate, with roofing in between his trips to Tennessee and Colorado. The other children continue on with their home schooling, and Paul will be graduating this coming spring…. which will leave us with two students for next year. When Paul’s not doing school work, you’ll find him at his computer editing photos or creating a new advertisement for someone. He has great interests in photography lately, and enjoys going with a couple friends on “photo shoots.” You can see some of his creativity on face book. He continues to enjoy music and developing his skills on the guitar, flute & dulcimer. Both Anthony & Paul have been active with our church youth in helping with “Clubs” on Wednesdays twice a month, which is an outreach to city children in a local town, and they also go weekly to the city of Reading with another group on Thursdays to help with a youth outreach to city teens.
Emily has enjoyed the opportunities she’s had to volunteer at a local private elementary school where she assists a second grade teacher once a week, and she also has been giving private harp lessons in the home here. She amazes us with her harp & flute skills….after Dena & Joanna got married, she rose to the challenge and filled the needed position. She recently bought herself a piano, and you’ll find her often playing it. Mark has been creative at making his own flies for fishing… now he just has to find a market for them. Mark goes with his other two brothers to the shop on occasion to help his father build harps…. but he’d rather be fishing! He continues to develop his harp playing, and many people who have seen us through the years marvel at his abilities. He has also picked up guitar and enjoys playing some new tunes with his brothers. All the children (including Dena & Joanna) have been working on a new family CD for some time now… and we hope to get it finished soon. Mom keeps busy behind the scenes juggling her many roles as home maker and secretary to the harp business. It’s a challenge sometimes to teach school, invite customers into the living room to try out harps, and keep the laundry going and meals on the table – but it’s a fulfilling job that I wouldn’t trade for anything. This year I have found great joy in being a grandma and look forward to watching my little grandsons grow. I am inspired as I read in the Bible of Timothy’s grandmother, who transferred her faith to her grandson who lived a life that honored God.
As we look to the beginning of a new year, we wonder what this coming year will bring…. happy times or sad times, financial gain or loss, health or sickness – all we can do is trust in the God who is in control of it all and who gives us the grace and strength to face whatever comes our way. One of my favorite verses from the Bible is: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
The Marini Family 2009
