“Oh, give thanks to the
Lord! Call upon His name; make known His
deeds among the peoples!” —Psalm 105:1
Happy Thanksgiving!
Grace and peace to you! We thank God for each of you, remembering
you in our prayers. This letter shares some highlights of His many
blessings to us in 2006. We’d love to hear from you, too. Please
visit us when you’re in the area!
Wishing you the peace of Christ this holiday season,
Bob & Stacy, Elizabeth, Ruth, Sarah, Mariah, Hannah & Ben
Burger
“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved
us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
—1 John 4:10
- worked closely with customers in the Netherlands, Scotland, and
the United States to improve the
SAMI Workstation EX software that scientists in pharmaceutical
companies use to automate assays. Bob received an innovation award
for this work.
- is teaching his colleagues good computer programming design
techniques using the classic Structure
and Interpretation of Computer Programs video lectures from
1986.
- started his fifth year of teaching AWANA Cubbies
at Walnut Grove Chapel this fall.
- endured a hail storm shortly after returning from Ben’s
circumcision on April 14. For several years we had known that the
roof decking needed to be replaced. Because the hail damaged the
shingles, insurance paid to replace them as well as the damaged siding
and baby swing. We paid only the deductible plus the cost of new
decking. Even though we warned the roofers, one put his foot through
the old, soft decking and broke out a ceiling board in an upstairs
bedroom.
- leads daily family devotions using a three-year plan to read through
the Bible, and memorized the Children’s Catechism with the three
older girls this summer.
- directs the children’s choir at Trinity Presbyterian Church
and leads congregational singing during the worship services.
- drove the family to Sevierville, TN, and Myrtle Beach, SC, with
Grandpa Ron & Grandma Dianne and his sister Wendy’s
family. We enjoyed a couple days in the Smoky Mountains and then a
week in the sun, sand & waves.
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| Bob & the girls after the Candles of Christmas program |
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| 2-inch diameter hail stone |
Hole punched in our baby swing by the hail |
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| Elizabeth, |
Ruth, |
Sarah, |
and Mariah jumping at Barefoot Landing in Myrtle Beach |
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| Elizabeth pushing cousins Maria & Rebecca and sisters Sarah & Mariah on a luggage cart in Sevierville |
Aunt Wendy & Uncle Jerry at Myrtle Beach |
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and
heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and
learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is
light.” —Matthew 11:28-30
- happily stays home with the children and is thankful for
Bob’s leadership. He’s eagerly been shopping for nearly
everything since Ben’s birth.
- is consumed with keeping Ben fed & dry, having implemented
concepts from Infant Potty
Training by Laurie Boucke.
- teaches homeschooling with an emphasis on serving this year. She
spent about 6 weeks recovering from Ben’s birth, during which
others served her. Sometimes the girls think they’re doing all
the work as Stacy’s managerial role has increased!
- was so convicted by Created to be His
Help Meet by Debi Pearl that she purchased a case of the
books to give away.
- feels like someone is missing when we eat dinner or take a family
walk without Jenny, our neighbor. In March we’ll find out where
she will work her 3-year residency in internal medicine &
pediatrics.
- gladly participated in the October Life Chain with her
parents and the whole family, then with a heavy heart picketed twice
with all the children at the new abortion mill nearby.
- taught an eight-week course at Wisdom Builders homeschool co-op titled
“Influencing Lawmaking.”
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| Girls with Stacy in her wedding dress |
Stacy by the posters from her legislative course |
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God
prepared in advance for us to do.”
—Ephesians 2:8-10
- turned 11 on May 17 and celebrated with a sleep-over with two
friends.
- can’t stop reading. Some favorites are the Scout
series by Piet Prins, Bloodstone by Bill Myers, Dragons in our
Midst by Bryan Davis, and The Cooper Kids Adventure
Series by Frank E. Peretti.
- enjoys memorizing Bible verses for AWANA
T&T.
- loves making friends, playing on the computer, and e-mailing.
- enjoys listening to Adventures
in Odyssey, Radio
Theatre audio dramatizations, and G. A. Henty
audio books by Jim Hodges.
- is taking more responsibility for meals and maturing as a young
woman who has grown slightly taller than her mother.
- took a one-day babysitting training course and has eagerly helped
other families.
- bought and takes care of a hermit land crab.
- took two art classes, music, and
history at Wisdom Builders in the winter, swim lessons at Krannert
Park in the summer, and a one-day Communicators for Christ
seminar in the fall.
- spent a week with Bob’s parents while participating in
Grandpa Ron’s summer LEGO® camp. She was the only girl
and won the battle bot competition!
- earned a junior naturalist certificate while camping with
Stacy’s parents at Turkey Run State
Park.
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| Elizabeth with her AWANA T&T third book award |
Elizabeth under water |
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| Winners Tyler & Elizabeth at Grandpa Ron’s summer LEGO® camp |
Elizabeth with her junior naturalist award from Turkey Run State Park |
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| Elizabeth ice skating at Ober Gatlinburg |
Grandpa Max playing chess with Elizabeth at Turkey Run State Park |
“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give,
not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
—2 Corinthians 9:7
- turns 10 on December 26 and had her ears pierced recently as an
early present. She celebrated her ninth with a sledding party.
- can’t stand to hear a baby cry and must comfort him. She
is driven to serve moms with young children.
- is independently studying Español.
- started her second year of AWANA
T&T. She can recite the names of the
66 books of the Bible in 20 seconds!
- learned more about public speaking at a one-day Teen Pact course at the Indiana State House and a
one-day Communicators for
Christ seminar.
- draws people very well in Manga style, and she
loves to tell stories, write in her journal, and correspond with her
friends.
- enjoys using the computer and e-mailing.
- took music, history, science, middle ages
art, and physical education at Wisdom Builders in the winter and
swim lessons at Krannert
Park in the summer.
- earned a junior naturalist certificate while camping with
Stacy’s parents at Turkey Run State
Park.
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| Ruth sledding for her ninth birthday |
Ruth cutting her birthday yogurt pie |
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| Neighbor Jenny wearing the hat Ruth knit for her |
Ruth with her AWANA T&T first book award |
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| Ruth & Elizabeth with the model they made of Grandpa Max & Grandma Pam’s fifth wheel |
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
—Romans 6:23
- turned 8 on September 8 and celebrated with family & friends
at the Children’s
Museum of Indianapolis. She received a 20-gallon tropical fish
aquarium for her birthday and conscientiously maintains it.
- can often be found helping a younger sibling.
- enjoys bike riding & roller skating. She went ice skating for
the first time with her sisters on vacation.
- is content, quiet, neat, and organized.
- started her third year of AWANA Sparks
and helps Mariah, who is new to Sparks.
- took middle ages art at Wisdom
Builders in the winter, swim lessons at Krannert
Park in the summer, and a one-day Communicators for Christ
seminar in the fall.
- learned to type and e-mail.
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| Grandma Pam, Grandpa Max, Ruth & Sarah eating hot dogs at Turkey Run State Park |
Sarah, Bob & Ruth crashing the waves at Myrtle Beach |
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| Sarah & Elizabeth’s tower |
Sarah playing miniature golf at Myrtle Beach |
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| Sarah celebrating her eighth birthday at the Children’s Museum with Mariah, Canaan & Matthew |
Sarah with her AWANA Sparks second book award |
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only
Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal
life.” —John 3:16
- turned 6 on October 9 and celebrated with a party at our house.
- graduated from AWANA
Cubbies in the spring and started AWANA Sparks
this fall.
- took phonics at Wisdom Builders in the winter.
- started Kindergarten at home this fall and loves books.
- lost her first two baby teeth.
- has lots of faith & persistence and is exuberant, thoughtful,
talkative & articulate.
- loves to play with dolls and play school with her sisters.
- hums, whistles and sings with the joy of the Lord in her
heart.
- is excited to be a flower girl the end of December.
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| Mariah & Cynthia eating corn dogs for their birthdays |
Grandma Dianne & Mariah at the Children’s Museum |
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| Cousin Maria & Mariah eating lunch in Sevierville |
Mariah enjoying the waves at Myrtle Beach |
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| Bob & Mariah dressed for AWANA Cubbies |
Mariah with her first lost tooth |
Mariah with her phonics teacher, Mrs. Scelsi |
“Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving
thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ.” —Ephesians 5:19b-20
- turned 2 on April 2, and she thinks it’s her birthday every time
we celebrate a birthday!
- loves to play, listen to music, sing, talk, and pray. Before bed
she asks, “Please pray me.” When her nose is runny, she
says, “My nose popping
out!” She’s moved beyond yes and no
answers: “I’m not sure.”
- eats ketchup by itself and prefers to have her vitamins in ketchup
instead of applesauce.
- always wants to go places. When her dad & older sisters leave
for AWANA on Wednesdays, she begs her mom, “Go shopping?”
or “Jenny?”
- looks forward to Saturday adventures with Grandpa Ron, Grandma
Dianne, and her sisters.
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| Hannah amazed by all the candles her sisters set out for her second birthday |
Hannah eating Cheerios® with Grandpa Ron |
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| Hannah playing in the sand at Myrtle Beach |
Hannah singing with a phone book |
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| Hannah happy to find Elizabeth’s makeup |
Hannah with goofy eyes |
“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and
do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as
these.’” —Matthew 19:14
- was born at home at 7:00 P.M. on April 7
and was baptized on June 18.
- squeals with delight upon seeing family members.
- is a strong, quick mover. He learned to crawl at 6 months and is
now working on the stairs. He postponed learning to sit because
crawling is so much more fun!
- loves to eat and eats everything. He puckers up for some
flavors.
- uses the potty regularly and wears cloth diapers during the
day.
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| Grandpa Ron & Bob with Ben on his baptismal day, June 18 |
Grandpa Ron holding 6-month-old Ben |
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| Stacy holding Ben on vacation |
Bob holding 6-month-old Ben |
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| Hannah & Sarah with Ben on his 6-month birthday |
Ben starting to climb the stairs while eating his 7-month birthday candle |
