Merry Christmas from the Murrays

Marching our way through 2011

2011-12-18T18:56:00.000-08:00

We learned all about marching bands this year.

If 2010 was Andrew's big year, 2011 belonged to Caroline.

Caroline became a freshman this year, but she started working on being a member of the Rockford High School marching band early in the summer. She had two full weeks of all-day practices – including a stay at St. Andrew's University for camp – plus twice-a-week gatherings to polish their show, “Reactivity.”

The marching, marching, marching continued through the fall, with state competitions in the Pontiac Silverdome and Detroit's Ford Field. The hard work all paid off when the band qualified for the finals in the national competition at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis. The team finished No. 22 in the nation.

But perhaps the most exciting performance came in late October, when Caroline got to play before family and friends who made it to Michigan to celebrate her Confirmation at Trinity Lutheran Church. It was exciting to have Nana Nelson and Aunt Kris come from Illinois and Grandma and Grandpa Murray from Florida for the event, which capped more than two years of classes.

We are all very proud of her!

And we're so proud of Andrew, too. He's a sophomore at Grand Rapids Community College, planning to graduate in May. He's sending off applications to transfer to a four-year school. Andrew, who is studying to be a social worker, made the Dean's List. He also was asked to represent students from Rockford in a GRCC holiday video.

Andrew keeps busy when he's not studying, working as a Rockford High School lifeguard and at S'barro at the mall, learning how all his psychology classes apply to the retail world.

He and his friends also are active with a hobby that involves little models he paints and repaints. It's complicated.

With all these activities in play, Julie is the master scheduler, somehow keeping everyone headed in the right direction and on time. Julie also kept up with her hobbies -- knitting and chronicling the family’s adventures in scrapbooks.

She and Dave had a special getaway to Traverse City – the tip of your pinkie when you do the Michigan hand thing. They took a much-needed break in the Northern Michigan community, enjoying the water, shopping and spectacular views.

Dave's work responsibilities changed a bit. In addition to his education duties, he's been assigned to cover the Michigan Legislature, commuting to Lansing three days a week to keep an eye on the governor, Senate and House.

He's kept up his running, competing in four 5K races this year. One race was rough – in a downpour – but he set a personal best of 22:29 in another.

But the most exciting night of the year? Dave and Caroline headed to Detroit to see the Mets play the Tigers. Not only did the Mets win 14-3 – with two grand slams – but Mets pitcher Manny Acosta threw Dave the game ball.

Dave a a nice surprise, appearing in the ESPN documentary "Catching Hell." The show was about Bill Buckner and Steve Bartman. The producers found a photo of Dave recreating the Bartman pose at Chicago's Wrigley Field and asked to use it in the program.

He was able to do some traveling for work, too, attending an education writer's conferences in New Orleans, Chicago and Silicon Valley, touring the Google headquarters and running through the beautiful Stanford University campus.

Those are the high points, but this was a very, very difficult year. We lost Julie's father, Dale Nelson, in June. The family's quiet foundation, Dad was never, ever one to boast. So we were all so touched to see former University of Illinois colleagues and students step forward to tell us all the ways Dad touched their lives.

Dad didn't like posing for too many photos, but he allowed a very young Andrew to snap this one -- our favorite.

It's fair to say we are looking to flipping over the calendar and moving ahead to 2012. But we recognize that the Lord has blessed us in many ways and are looking ahead to celebrating Christmas in Illinois.

We’d love to hear from you. Dave, Andrew and Caroline are on Facebook, and the family email is dmurray08@comcast.net.

Wishing you a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy new year.

Challenges and cheers marked 2010

2010-12-19T17:33:00.000-08:00

Holiday wishes from West Michigan, where we don’t have to dream of a white Christmas. It’s pretty much guaranteed.

It’s been a year of transition for Julie, Dave, Andrew and Caroline, with changes in school and work, challenges and adventures – and good times, too. We’re blessed to have wonderful family and friends to lean on and celebrate with.

Andrew had the most eventful year.

He had been on the Rockford High swim team for several years and saved the best for last. In his final meet, he swam the 500-meter – the marathon of swimming – and finished in first, shaving about 20 seconds from his personal best. That was enough to earn his varsity letter, hugs from teammates and tears in the stands.

Coach Dave McWatters worked with Andrew in his years on the water polo and swim teams, and was the first to congratulate him.

Andrew later enjoyed the other rites of passage for seniors: attending the prom and marching in the commencement, and hosting an open house with relatives from Florida and Illinois arriving for the celebration.

Andrew started taking classes at Grand Rapids Community College right away, enrolling in a math course in the summer to get a feel for the college world before launching into a full load in the fall. He plans to study psychology and transfer to Michigan State University.

He also keeps hanging around the high school pool -- working as a lifeguard when he's not hitting the books.

Andrew got a special, surprise gift from the Nelsons -- Pop Pop's prized pick-up truck.

Another trip to Illinois was more somber, as Dad's brother Sherwood died. But it allowed for the kids to see Morris, Ill. where Dad grew up. We found the family farm -- and chatted with the current residents -- located on Nelson Road, named after Dad's family. We'll also miss Mom's sister, Darlene, who we lost earlier in the year.

Caroline became an official teenager, turning 13 in April. She’s an eighth-grader at North Rockford Middle school and enjoys playing the flute. The band performed at several concerts and before two football games.

She’s teaching herself to play the piano, but passing on the classics to perform Lady GaGa and Katy Perry songs because, well, we’re 13.

Caroline’s a good little writer, too, with a poem published in an anthology with other middle-schoolers from around the country. She also has a small publishing empire, writing and distributing stories about Chumpo the walrus and his assorted friends.

Perhaps all that writing inspired her. Caroline spent her summer volunteering at the local library, part of the teen team that helped with events and returned materials to the shelves.

Caroline was able to meet some neat people. She's a big fan of Kerry Vincent, a culinary sugar artist and stern judge on “Food Network Challenge.” When Vincent appeared at a culinary competition at the community college, we were allowed to slip backstage and meet the star. We are pleased to report that Vincent is much friendlier than her television persona.

Caroline also got to meet Olympic beach volleyball star Misty May Treanor at Cornerstone University, and she let us hold her two gold medals.

Julie’s work duties changed a little as the Grand Rapids Press shifted more attention to its website. She’s in charge of the paper’s team of free-lancers and posts their work to the site.

Julie also kept up with her hobbies -- knitting and chronicling the family’s adventures in scrapbooks.

We had all sorts of adventures during our spring break trip to visit Dave's family in Florida, including an afternoon at the Juno Beach Turtle Rescue Center. Young Katie took this group shot!

The trip also included a cruise around Miami, a "Diva Duck" tour of West Palm Beach and a Jupiter Hammerheads game with Mets shortstop Jose Reyes playing in an injury rehab game. No Hammerheads were injured when Dave nearly tumbled into the dugout as he and Andrew particiapted in the dizzy bat race.

The trip also was special because we were able to celebrate Easter, Dave's birthday and Caroline's birthday with family in the Sunshine State. And check out the cool Mets cake Uncle Neil created!

Dave is still covering education and editing at the Press, and the online column raised his profile around the state a little. He moderated a discussion at the Governor’s Education Summit and appeared on several other panels during the year. He still prefers writing to public speaking.

Dave’s teaching, too, adding a journalism class at Kuyper College in addition to pitching in at Cornerstone University. He’s learning a lot from the students.

More exciting, he’s the coach of the Trinity Lutheran coed softball team and finally, after all these years, won a championship! And Andrew, now that he’s 18, was able to be a part of the team. He’s taking credit for the victory.

We headed to Illinois to cheer nephew Zack Horve and his Dee-Mack Chiefs in a big game, and were joined by Mom and Dad Nelson, and Zack's Mom, Kristen, of course!

Dave and Will Christensen celebrated 20 years of friendship with multiple baseball adventures. First, they found their way onto what's left of Tiger Stadium -- don't ask -- and then met up in Chicago to see fave slugger Frank Thomas have his number retired.

We had much to celebrate, and we recognize that the Lord has blessed us in many ways.

We’d love to hear from you. Dave, Andrew and Caroline are on Facebook, and the family e-mail is dmurray08@comcast.net.

Wishing you a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy new year.

Merry Christmas from the Murrays 2009

2009-12-13T20:07:00.000-08:00

Warmest holiday wishes to all our friends and family from chilly West Michigan! We hope this Christmas season finds you happy and healthy.

This was a year of changes for the Murrays, with challenges --but also good times and adventures shared with close friends and loved ones.

Andrew, 17, is a senior at Rockford High School. He might smell a little like chlorine, as he can usually be found at the school’s pool. He was promoted to the varsity swim team at the end of his junior year and continued this fall. And when he’s not swimming, he’s working at the pool as a lifeguard.

Andrew earned his driver’s license in August, which comes in handy with those 6 a.m. swimming practices. He loves reading and learning about psychology, and plans to someday become a social worker.

Caroline, 12, had a super-busy year. Her big brother predicted she’d be “eaten alive” in middle school, but Caroline blossomed. She was one of a handful of sixth-graders to make the principal’s honor roll both semesters.

In the summer, Caroline was accepted to Grand Valley State University’s STEPS camp to introduce girls to engineering. She spent the week learning about airplanes, and the young ladies built their own radio-controlled planes after visiting the Ford Airport’s control tower and exploring some private jets.

The seventh-grade volleyball B-team was Caroline’s introduction to team sports. They won some games and hugged a lot. She approaches the flute with the same determination and proudly showed off her medal earned during a spring solo competition.

Caroline started confirmation class this fall. One of their projects was putting on a Christmas puppet show for the Sunday school classes. Later the stars got to pose with their characters.

Some changes at the newspaper led to new hours and responsibilities for Julie. After almost 20 years of working early, early mornings, she now arrives after noon and edits copy for the front page and region sections in addition to dealing with the suburban stringers posting stories to the Grand Rapids Press' Web site.

Julie makes sure everyone gets to the right place at the right time, and still has the energy to knit beautiful sweaters, caps and socks. She’s also been teaching Caroline to sew.
The Press was one of the sponsors of the Grand Rapids Auto Show, and Caroline was able to join Dave and Julie at the opening night gala. Mayor Heartwell told Caroline she could sit in any car she wanted -- and she promptly did just that.

After covering the Grand Rapids Public Schools for eight years, Dave’s beat changed a little. Now he covers higher education in addition to issues that affect all the region’s K-12 districts.
Sarah Palin started her national book tour in Grand Rapids in November. We wanted to know why, but Palin wasn't granting interviews. So Dave bought a book, stood in line for nearly four hours and figured he'd have a chance to ask one question. And Palin gave him the answer he needed: Because Grand Rapids is a microcosm of the United States.

He continues to teach a journalism course at Cornerstone University, and, of course, coaches one of Trinity Lutheran Church’s two co-ed softball teams.
We won the consolation championship and led the league in most babies born during a season.

Dave also slimmed down a bit – losing 55 pounds. Credit goes to a couple iPhone apps, lots of time on the treadmill and patience from the rest of the family. This all started in July, and most of the photos here are from the "before" stages.

We had a couple wonderful family adventures.

First, Julie’s parents hosted the whole Nelson clan for a vacation to the Wisconsin Dells, famous for water parks, magnificent lake views and fun things to do.

The whole gang started in nearby Baraboo, Wis. where Ringling Bros. Circus got its start. We had all kinds of fun learning about life under the big top, trying on circus costumes and checking out elaborate wagons.

Kristen heard Zach utter a phrase no parent wants to hear: "Wait! I have to change into my clown costume!"

We explored the Cave of the Mounds and cruised through the Dells to see the famous rock formations. Some of the group enjoyed the Tommy Bartlett Water Show while Dave, Jeff Horve and Zach learned about all kinds of things in the science center.
We went for a ride in a World War II surplus duck boat. Jeff and Andrew needed to storm the beaches of the Dells!
Andrew was pretty confident he was going to kick some butt on the Mt. Olympus race tracks.

The Dells' magnificent rock formations were formed over millions of years by pressure on sand, then worn away by water.

The trip ended with a day at one of the water parks – also famous for its go-kart tracks. Andrew put his new driving skills to use!
All the Nelsons: Mom, Julie, Jeff, Kristen and Dad.

In August, Dave and the kids headed to the homeland to meet up with Grandma and Grandpa Murray – and see Dave’s piece of Queens real estate: his brick outside the Mets new home, Citi Field.

Tim, Dad and Andrew pose in front of Citi Field's Jackie Robinson Rotunda.
We made sure this is the world's most photographed brick. Meanwhile, the gang sought out some of the artifacts that came to Citi Field from Shea, such as the glorious Home Run Apple.

Dave, Andew, Dad and Cousin Tim went to the game – the Mets actually won, 9-0 – then went to ride the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel at Coney Island.

We also ventured to the Brooklyn Cyclones' ballpark, which is next to the Parachute Jump, also called "Brooklyn's Eiffel Tower." We sampled Nathan's hotdogs but stayed clear of the "Shoot the Freak" paintball attraction -- with live human targets -- and some of the other, um, attractions at Coney Island.

Later we drove through Brooklyn so Andrew could see where his grandfather grew up and went to church. It's important to learn about family roots!
Tim seemed a little conerned about the structural integrity of the Cyclone, as well as the abilities of the staff working on the ride. Valid concerns, to be sure. But we survived! Here's the proof.

Meanwhile, Caroline, Mom, Aunt Arlene and Tim’s Jackie and Joshua had a Manhattan adventure. They took the train into the city to visit the Museum of Natural History and Times Square, then went to see “Mary Poppins” on Broadway.
Caroline snapped this shot of Aunt Arlene and Mom enjoying the train ride into the city.

Aunt Arlene hosted a family cookout, joined by Lisa, Steven, Caleb, Daniel and Josh and Cousin Kimmy. The kids also got to go on what we now call the "memory tour" through Massapequa Park to see the former homestead.

Caleb, Daniel, Caroline, Jackie and Josh explored a neat park in Stony Brook, N.Y.

It was Andrew’s first time on Long Island, so he needed to experience culinary treats like real New York pizza, black and white cookies, halva, knishes, and, of course, bagels.

And there other baseball adventures, too.

Mom and Dad Murray surprised Dave with a trip to join them for the Mets' spring train home and road openers.

Dad proved amazingly lucky. Frist, he watched as a foul ball flew out of Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, bouncing on the sidewalk in front of us.

Then, at Port St. Lucie, he stepped up to a Mets charity prize wheel, took a spin and won the grand prize: A signed game jersey from pitcher Freddie Garcia!

Garcia was trying to rebound from injuries, and never made it north. Tim wore the Freddie jersey to the Citi Field, so at least Garcia made it in spirit.
The Baseball Truth Executive Board made it to U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago this year to see the White Sox and Orioles. That's Dave with Jim Conrey, Scott Christensen and Will Christensen.

Dave had a Texas adventure, driving with Mom Nelson to visit Aunt Darlene, who lives in Beaumont, about an hour from Houston. Mom insisted Dave get away for a baseball side trip. The Astros were on the road, but the team gives tours of Minute Maid Park. Dave was the only one there, so he got a real insider's look, including inside the hand-operated scoreboard, bullpens, dugouts and the skyboxes.

Then he drove out to see the team's former home, the Astrodome. The "Eighth Wonder of the World" now sits unused next to the Houston Texans' new football stadium. Dave found an open door, peeked in and discovered he was in what used to be centerfield. There was a short, somewhat unauthorized tour.

We spent time getting to know Julie's cousin Deanna and her family, and visited some neat museums in Beaumont and Port Arthur. Plus, Mom enjoyed a special side trip on the way home: Graceland!
Security at the Astrodome appeared to be somewhat lax.

As the year comes to and end, we appreciate that the Lord has blessed us in many ways, especially with wonderful family and friends. We'd love to hear from you. Dave and Andrew are on Facebook and the family e-mail is dmurray08@comcast.net.

Have a wonderful Christmas and a safe and happy new year

Reunions and adventures marked 2008

2008-12-11T21:02:00.001-08:00

Greetings to our family and friends from snowy West Michigan! We hope this holiday season finds you healthy and happy.

Here’s a look at some of the things that kept us busy in 2008, and you can click on the photos to see larger versions.

It was a year of transitions and adventures for the Murrays, We celebrated and were challenged, and we realize we are blessed in many ways.

Julie, Dave, Andrew and Caroline reconnected with people -- and even places – as they made their way through 2008.

Andrew, 16, started the year as a member of the Rockford High School swim team, is learning to drive and started his first real job, working as a lifeguard at the school district’s pools.

Caroline, 11, made the jump to middle school and continues exploring her creative side. She started playing the flute, and enjoyed a series of art classes at a nearby college.

Dave still covers schools for the Grand Rapids Press. Hanging around teachers all these years came in handy, as he started teaching journalism classes at nearby Cornerstone University.

Julie edits suburban stories at The Press and enjoys knitting and scrapbooking. The master planner and organizer, she amazingly keeps everybody on task and schedule!

Our first adventure was a spring break trip to Key West, Fla., with Dave’s parents. Caroline made sure we witnessed Dominique and his Flying House Cats during the daily sundown celebrations. We also toured Harry Truman’s southern White House, rode the Conch Train and made sure we slipped into Ernest Hemingway’s home to inspect the dozens of six-toed cats living there.

Illinois was a frequent destination in the early summer, as we helped Julie’s parents move from their home of 30 years in rural Monticello into a neat new condo in Champaign – a stone’s throw from their church, Illini football and basketball games, as well as the glorious, massive Fourth of July parade.

All the Nelsons: Julie, Jeff, Kristen, Alberta and Dale

The whole Nelson family then gathered to commemorate a wonderful milestone: Dale and Alberta celebrated 50 years of marriage.

Dave spent time with his beloved Mets, but we’re not sure the Mets were too excited to see him, considering he hadn't witnessed a victory since 1991, a streak of shame that stretched over 11 games and six cities.

First, Dave’s friend Will provided tickets in Chicago to see the Mets and the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Of course, the Cubs won.

Then, Dave’s parents and awesome cousin Tim Wild provided an opportunity to not just visit Shea Stadium in its final year, but to see the Mets battle the vile Yankees. Yeah, the Yankees won.

Shea Goodbye: Dave, Dad and Tim before the big game.

Naturally, the guys resorted to extreme measures to deal with Yankee fans.

It was sad to say goodbye to Shea, but Tim provided a good reason to look forward to the new ballpark: A brick with Dave’s name will be included in the Fan Walk!

But the trip also included time with family on Long Island and an opportunity to show Caroline her dad’s old stomping grounds and visit Theodore Roosevelt’s home at Sagamore Hill. Aunt Arlene hosted a cookout the next day that brought friends and relatives from four states, not counting the Michiganders.

Caroline visited the house where Dave grew up, then Theodore Roosevelt's home.

This year’s Baseball Truth Executive Game was in Cincinnati, and again included the Mets – and, alas, a Reds victory.

The Baseball Truth gang in Cincinnati: Will Christensen, Dave, Steve Barnes and Scott Christensen.

Determined, Dave attended the next game, and, finally, the Mets prevailed in a come-from-behind extra-inning thriller!

Andrew is becoming a fan of classic rock, and requested a trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. He and Dave took in an Indians game, collected Hard Rock Café T-shirts and toured President Garfield’s tomb.

Caroline had a busy summer. She spent a week at Camp Anna Behrens, a Girl Scouts camp that featured lots of arts and crafts, canoe-paddling and swimming. Then she enjoyed another class at the Kendall College of Art and Design, with her drawing of one of Hemingway's six-toed cats featured in an open house.

Fall brought big changes for both kids.

Caroline shows science-teachers-in-training how to conduct a solar energy experiment.

Fears that moving up to North Rockford Middle School would be traumatic for Caroline were quickly dismissed. Sixth grade rocks! She posted grades that earned a spot on the Principal's Honor Roll and was selected to be part of a group of students that headed to Lansing to show future science teachers how to teach lessons on energy.

Andrew and Dave in their dream cars. Of course, Andrew can actually drive his, and Dave paid $10 to sit in his for a couple minutes until the next nostalgic baby boomer announced it was his turn.

Andrew started his junior year at Rockford High and perfected whistle-twirling for his life-guarding gig before taking time off to join the swim team.

Dave’s editors tapped into his love of all things presidential and allowed him to cover visits from candidates Barack Obama, John McCain and Sarah Palin, as well as President Bush. Earlier in the year, he spent time with Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee – who even fielded questions from Andrew.

All the Murray grandkids: Andrew, Caleb, Daniel, Caroline, Josh, Katie, Ellie and Diana.

Then came another big event of the year: a full-fledged family reunion cruise through the Western Caribbean to celebrate Mom Murray’s 65th birthday. It was the first-ever gathering of all the Murray children, their spouses and their children.

Making that large group even more special, we were joined by Cousin Tim and his family, Aunt Arlene, Aunt Dottie and Jenny’s in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. Myers. It would take a big ship to contain that group, and the Freedom of the Seas is the largest in the world.

We first stopped in Labadee, Haiti, for a day at the beach. Then it was Ocho Rios, Jamaica, where Dave, Andrew and Caroline were joined by John and Adam to climb the famous Dunn’s River Falls. Later, the guys were joined by Steve to find the Hard Rock Café for Andrew’s T-shirt and explore some of the downtown shops.

Our next port was Grand Cayman, where we found another Hard Rock Café and shopped. Julie and Caroline joined Mom and Dad for an island tour while Dave and Andrew set out for Seven Mile Beach, named one of the world’s best.

Meeting Capt. Manolis Kasselas on formal night.

The four Murray kids -- Lisa, John, Jenny and Dave --together in Haiti.

Climbing Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

Julie and Dave had fun hanging out at the pool.

Exploring the ruins in Couzmel, Mexico.

Finally, we landed in Cozumel, Mexico, and toured 2,000-year-old Mayan ruins at San Gervasio. Then Dave, Andrew and Tim made their way downtown to hit the third Hard Rock Café – Andrew has some really cool T-shirts and pins by this point – and wandered through the markets and boldly found the immigration office to get passports stamped.

Tim thought Andrew's cool new hat was muy macho!

Of course, the ship itself is an exotic location. Aside from hours in the pools, the gang scaled a climbing wall, boogie boarded in a Flow Rider, danced, sang, dined and bonded, enjoying each others' company.

Caroline had no problem mastering the ship's Flow Rider!

As we get ready to turn the page on 2008, we remember how the Lord has blessed us. We have such wonderful friends and family, our health and jobs and schools we enjoy.

We’d love to hear from everybody. Drop us a line at dmurray08@comcast.net. You can find Dave and Andrew on Facebook, too. We hope you have a very merry Christmas and a fantastic new year!

Love, Julie, Dave, Andrew and Caroline

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-09T18:58:00.000-08:00

We hope everybody is happy and healthy this holiday season!

We thought this might be a good way to share some of the things we did this past year. Click on the photos to see larger versions.

It was a year for the Murrays to reconnect with family and learn about our roots.

Andrew, now a high school sophomore, has been busy with school and church activities. Caroline, a fifth-grader, has developed an eye for art, taking classes at a local college. And Dave and Julie in October celebrated 20 years of marriage.

Dave started the year with one of the biggest stories he’ll ever help cover – the funeral of President Gerald R. Ford, a Grand Rapids native.

He attended the ceremony inside the Ford Museum marking the arrival of the president’s casket, along with the Ford family and President and Mrs. Carter. The kids were among the thousands of people who paid their respects through the night.

Andrew's been active in the Trinity Lutheran Church youth group. His first big adventure of 2007 was a skip trip with the group.

It was his first time hitting the slopes since third grade, and, with the exception of an unfortunate incident involving an abrupt stop and the outside wall of the pro shop, it went well.

The next month we headed to Florida and to Universal Orlando with Grandma and Grandpa Murray. Caroline thoroughly researched the theme park in advance, but was a little spooked by the Jaws ride – the first one we went on.

Andrew and Poppy enjoying the ride over to Universal's Islands of Adventure.

Turned out the soothing ET ride was more her speed. But by the end of our stay Caroline feared no coaster – even the wild Incredible Hulk and looping Dueling Dragons. Dave, however, nearly hurled on the Cat in the Hat ride. Hey, it was rough!

In fact, the entire kiddie area proved dangerous .

The Curious George ball pit allowed people on the second level to fire sponge balls at unsuspecting targets below.

Who knew that Julie was an amazing shot? Not her husband, sadly, as Julie nailed him in the eye.

Caroline discovered a new hobby. Penny squishing machines were all over Universal's parks, and she tracked them down and filled an album. Since then, she looks for penny squishing opportunities wherever she goes.

We were fortunate to be able to spend some time with Grandma Helen Berg. Sadly, we lost the matriarch of our family just two weeks later.

As the extended family gathered from across the country, we remembered how Grandma spent her entire life sacrificing for others, caring for her mother, children and grandchildren.

The gathering also was the first time the entire Murray family had been in one place since Jenny’s wedding, nearly a decade ago. We're in Michigan and Lisa's family is in Connecticut, making it difficult to get everybody in one place at the same time.

Together for the first time since 1998: Lisa, Dad, Mom, Jenny, Dave and John.

Later in the spring, we made not one, but two trips to Mackinac Island, which is located at the point where Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Lower Peninsula are connected by the Mighty Mackinac Bridge.

Caroline enjoyed exploring Fort Michilimackinac.

Caroline’s fourth-grade class had studied Michigan’s history, and her teachers planned Roguewood Elementary’s first-ever overnight trip.

Students explored two historic forts and a sawmill, and toured the famously car-free island in horse-drawn carriages.

The kids learned how the fur trade was important for Michigan, and whoever controlled Mackinac Island -- where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron come together -- controlled the trade. And, the hotel pool might never be the same.

Dave’s parents arrived a couple weeks later to enjoy Caroline’s ballet recital at the St. Cecilia Music Hall. As a Level 2 dancer, she had more opportunities to show off how much she had learned during the past three years.

Then, with Caroline as our tour guide, we went back up to Mackinac.

The Butterfly House was one of the highlights of our trip. Poppy got to see some up close. Alas, none would land on poor Caroline -- and she was really trying to attract one.

Everybody had fun checking out the shops and spectacular views. And, of course, no trip to Mackinac Island is complete without sampling the famous fudge. Caroline also tracked down every penny squishing machine.

We spent part of June learning more about Julie’s side of the family.

Grandma Nelson planned a trip through Iowa and Northern Illinois, where we were able see the small town where she grew up, plus some neat sites along the way. The entire Nelson clan came – Jeff and Lori, and Kristen, Jeff and Zack.

We started in Galena, Ill, touring President U.S. Grant’s home, and stayed across the Mississippi River in Dubuque, which has an awesome river museum. We learned all about paddle wheel boats and the art of catfish “noodling,” where brave fishermen find the huge fish in hiding places, stick their hands into their mouths and pull them by their gills.

The kids had the run of a sidewheeler used for dredging that was part of the Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque.

That's Caroline peeking out of from the eye of the giant catfish.

We enjoyed a ride on a real Mississippi riverboat, where Zack and Caroline were mesmerized by the paddle wheel.

Did we mention that Mom Nelson spoils Dave? She planned a Father’s Day pilgrimage to Dyersville, where his favorite movie, “Field of Dreams,” was filmed.

We appeared in the corn field just like Shoeless Joe, acted out scenes on the bleachers and then hit some balls and ran the bases. Yes, Andrew had to say the movie’s classic line: “Dad, you wanna have a catch?”

They built it; we came. Here's the gang posing where Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones filmed "Field of Dreams."

The next day we headed out to Randalia, Iowa, to see the farm where Mom was raised. The countryside came to life as Mom shared her memories through the rolling hills.

We met the nice family now living on the farm and sampled some of their strawberries. The house was added right after Mom went to college, but her barn is there, and we could see the fields where Grandpa Weideman worked and the part of the school were Mom played basketball.

Folks in tiny Randalia noticed all these strangers walking around -- the mayor came over to greet Mom and update her on recent activities.

Jeff, Lori, Julie, Jeff, Andrew , Caroline, Zack, Kristen, Mom and Dad Nelson.

We finished our Iowan adventures by staying near the Amana Colonies and touring the Herbert Hoover Presidential Museum.

And, naturally, we had to stop at what is billed as the world's largest truck stop so Caroline could squish some pennies.

Summer brought more adventures. Caroline spent a week at “Critter Camp,” learning how to care for animals at the Kent County Humane Society.

And Dave discovered kayaking. After a disastrous start -- the first boat, the since-named "Ky-tanic" went back to the store -- he soon enjoyed lots of time exploring the Grand River.

There was plenty of exciting baseball this summer. Dave and Caroline went to Detroit for a rare opportunity to see the Mets play the Tigers in interleague play. Since Dave is a known jinx, the Mets lost 15-8. But, Caroline discovered Comerica Park had two penny squishing machines.

Dave’s buddy Will surprised him with a second chance to see the beloved Mets, this time in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Of course, the Mets lost 6-0. The outcome of either game should surprise no one, as Dave has not witnessed a Mets victory in person since 1991. Really.

The Baseballtruth.com gang conducted its Executive Game 7 at Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark, touring the Reds’ new Hall of Fame and Museum, pausing reverently in front of the Tom Seaver jersey on display.

The Baseballtruth.com Executive Board: Will Christensen, Dave, Steve Barnes and Scott Christensen.

The Cubs pounded the hometown Reds, and the gang eased their pain with a late-night run to Cincinnati's famous Skyline eatery for spaghetti piled high with chili. Tradition calls for two games on Baseball Truth weekends, so the next day found board members in Indianapolis to see the Triple-A Indians and Charlotte Knights.

Julie had a baseball adventure, too. Dave and the kids attend the West Michigan Whitecaps’ “Shirts Off Our Backs Night” every year, hoping to win a jersey and meet a player. But they’ve headed home empty handed every time.

Julie came for the first time this year, and amazingly, outfielder Jeramy Laster pulled her name from the box. She had to go on the field to meet the rather sweaty Jeramy and pose for photos.

Back-to-school time meant some big changes for the kids.

After a year in the Freshman Center, Andrew became a full-fledged member of Rockford High School. He plans to start driver's education in the spring.

Andrew, in the white cap, spent a lot of time in the pool as a member of the junior varsity water polo team. He was excited to score his first goal and played some tough defense for the Rams. After a short break, it was back to the pool as a member of the swim team.

Caroline became a fifth-grader -- her last year at Roguewood Elementary School.

She's been busy with some new activities. Special education teachers asked her to be in a group of students who spend time with autistic children on the playground, keeping them safe and providing someone friendly to play with.

Caroline loves working on her computer, and was asked to be part of the "Keyboard Kids," who take care of the school's computer lab.

She decided to take a break from dancing, and took three classes at Kendall in downtown Grand Rapids.

Her favorite so far was learning how to make doll house furniture. She was excited when one of her drawings earned her “Art Student of the Week” honors at Roguewood.

Dave had some fun news this month. After spending more than 20 years covering education, he's about to experience it from the other side, teaching an evening journalism class at nearby Cornerstone University.

As we ease closer to Christmas and the end of the year, we remember how the Lord has blessed us. We are to have such wonderful friends and family, our health and jobs and schools we enjoy.

We also remember Grandma, and all those Christmas Eves joyously spent with the whole family gathered in her homes – both large and small – to celebrate the arrival of the Savior.

We’d love to hear from everybody. Drop us a line at dmurray@iserv.net. We hope you have a very merry Christmas and a fantastic new year!

Love, Julie, Dave, Andrew and Caroline