“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” —Psalm 118:1

Burger family

Happy Thanksgiving!

We thank God for each of you, remembering you in our prayers. This letter shares some highlights of His many blessings to us in 2007. We’d love to hear from you, too. Please visit us when you’re in the area!

May the grace & peace of Christ be with you,

Bob & Stacy, Elizabeth, Ruth, Sarah, Mariah, Hannah & Ben Burger

Bob

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” —Romans 5:8

is developing scheduling and control software for a new molecular diagnostic instrument that uses polymerase chain reactions to amplify DNA.
started his sixth year of teaching AWANA Cubbies at Walnut Grove Chapel this fall.
directs the children’s choir at Trinity Church and leads congregational singing in the worship services.
leads daily family devotions with a three-year plan to read through the Bible. This year we studied the major prophets and drew many parallels with our time.
served as a judge for a regional speech & debate tournament for home-schooled students in the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association.
caught up with many Bloomington friends at the Church of the Good Shepherd July 7 reunion.
spent a week with the family, his parents and sister Wendy’s family enjoying the water parks by the Wyndham Inn at Glacier Canyon near Wisconsin Dells. His aunt Betty’s family joined us for the weekend.
celebrated Labor Day weekend at Camp Crosley in North Webster, IN, with the family, both sets of grandparents, his sister Wendy’s family, and three of the girls’ friends.
hired Rich Beecher to build a new 20’ x 14’ bedroom with lots of closet space over our dining room. Rich’s careful attention to detail, hard work, thoughtfulness, and excellent communication skills made the 43-day experience very positive. In the process we got rid of many things we don’t need. The first four days Stacy & the girls stayed with her parents. During that stressful time by himself, Bob realized his relationship with Stacy needed renovation. By God’s grace he has been communicating better and releasing Stacy from unrealistic expectations. The second week we all lived with Bob’s parents. His dad helped paint, stain, and finish the house, which saved us a week. At Rich’s suggestion, Bob caulked around the sump pump well, and our basement radon level dropped significantly. In the spring we replaced the original furnace and air conditioner with a high efficiency hybrid heat pump and gas furnace.


Being silly after the Christmas program	Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger


Grandpa Ron retired from teaching	Singing for Grandpa Ron’s retirement

Stacy

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”—Psalm 34:18

took a week-long field trip with Bob, Elizabeth, Ruth, Sarah, and several families from the Wisdom Builders home-school co-op. We toured Colonial Williamsburg, the world’s largest living history museum, and the Jamestown Settlement. We stayed two nights with the Naylors and took bus tours of Washington, DC, guided by Catherine Millard of Christian Heritage Tours. This was the best vacation she & Bob have had in 13 years, thanks to co-op friends making all the arrangements and Bob’s parents keeping the youngest three!
along with Bob tried her hand at wood restoration on our front entry parquet floor, end table, fish tank shelf, and high chair tray.
received a fancy anniversary dinner with Bob at the Oceanaire from our neighbor Jenny. We’re delighted she is staying here for her 4-year medical residency.
at the suggestion of a master gardener friend planted one Sweet 100 cherry tomato plant. It grew to be enormous and produced hundreds of tomatoes. She’s hoping for more fruitfulness next year.
and the four oldest girls joined Rosebuds, a mother/daughter training & encouragement group that meets once a month.
meditated on Psalm 34 with the girls until most of us could recite it. It is loaded with sustaining verses.
feels privileged to have missionary friends visit us.
thanks God for Bob’s humble heart and his desire for better communication. After 16 years, she is still amazed at how Bob repairs all the things we break!

$First look at the bedroom\n construction on day 4$
First look at the bedroom construction on day 4	Enjoying a Ferris wheel ride

By the wheelwright in Colonial Williamsburg

Elizabeth

“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 12 on May 17 and, as Miss Social, celebrated with 12 friends at our house.
loves to read and volunteers twice a week at the Pike Library. Her favorite books are Scout by Piet Prins, Beric the Britton by G. A. Henty, Dragons in our Midst series by Bryan Davis, and The Tombs of Anak by Frank E. Peretti. She runs a book club with her e-mailing friends.
e-mails all the time and loves to play on computers.
finished AWANA T&T as an outstanding club member. She completed all four books, was encouraging and helpful to the other girls, and was faithful in attending and being a leader in the group. She started Trek this fall.
spent a week with Bob’s parents while participating in Grandpa Ron’s advanced summer LEGO® camp, where she earned a creative programming award.
loves singing weekly with a homeschool choir, and sang with her sisters and cousin Rebecca for Grandpa Ron’s May 5 retirement dinner.
served one day as a page for Indiana Senator Mike Delph.
learned to mow the lawn, and started saving money.
enjoys holding her axolotl named Axy.
prepares lunch several times a week.

Elizabeth’s twelfth birthday

	$Meghan & Elizabeth on the\n giant swing at Camp Crosley$
Elizabeth by her bookshelf	Meghan & Elizabeth on the giant swing at Camp Crosley

	$Elizabeth, Grandpa Ron & Tyler at\n LEGO® camp$
Elizabeth with her AWANA awards	Elizabeth, Grandpa Ron & Tyler at LEGO® camp

Ruth

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” —Hebrews 10:24

turns 11 on December 26 and celebrated her tenth by making graham cracker houses with friends at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.
started her third year of AWANA T&T and won two highest honors at AWANA Bible Quizzing.
raised money for the Central Indiana Crisis Pregnancy Center through the Walk For Life.
often serves at a local food bank with Sarah on Saturday mornings.
loves to play the piano by ear and sings alto in homeschool choir.
took an art class by Barry Stebbing with Elizabeth, Sarah & Mariah.
found a lot of rusty nails in a nearby woodsy area, which later housed the fort. She enjoys playing in the fort and building things with her sisters and friends using scrap lumber and shingles.
is raising an air-burping axolotl named Latol.
camped at Turkey Run State Park with Stacy’s parents and Sarah.
keeps a journal and writes stories with her friends via e-mail. She took an introductory writing class by Andrew Pudewa.


Canaan & Ruth with their graham cracker houses	Ruth with her AWANA awards

$Sarah & Ruth on the giant\n swing at Camp Crosley$	$Ruth petting Safari Steve’s\n skunk$
Sarah & Ruth on the giant swing at Camp Crosley	Ruth petting Safari Steve’s skunk

Ruth & Sarah with Smokey

Sarah

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Romans 6:23

turned 9 on September 8 and celebrated in La Porte, IN, with Stacy’s parents and at home with Bob’s parents during the bedroom construction project.
finished AWANA Sparks and started T&T.
learned about government involvement with Ruth at a one-day TeenPact class.
was delighted to visit Jenny’s family farm with cows in Columbia City, IN, with Elizabeth & Ruth for 4 days in April.
went to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom with Bob’s parents, Ruth, Mariah, Hannah & friend Rebecca.
loves feeding birds, gardening, and playing in the fort.
makes excellent bread using our bread machine.
makes her own doll clothes with Ruth from scraps of fabric.
shares a room with Hannah and patiently helps her.


Sarah’s ninth birthday	Sarah with her AWANA Sparks award

$Cousin Rebecca & Sarah riding a\n duck in Wisconsin Dells$

Cousin Rebecca & Sarah riding a duck in Wisconsin Dells

	$Ben, Sarah, Hannah & Mariah riding a\n 1955 John Deere$
Sarah & Ruth after a swim lesson	Ben, Sarah, Hannah & Mariah riding a 1955 John Deere

Mariah

“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 7 on October 9 and celebrated with her friend Cynthia in Solsberry, IN.
started her second year of AWANA Sparks.
was a flower girl in our pastor’s daughter Christine’s wedding December 30.
learned to ride her bicycle without training wheels.
took swim lessons with Ruth & Sarah at Krannert Park.
camped at Turkey Run State Park with Stacy’s parents and Elizabeth.
is learning to read.
likes to play with dolls, stuffed animals, and Polly Pocket!^TMs.
is happy to share the new bedroom with Ruth.


Mariah the flower girl	Mariah with her AWANA Sparks award	Mariah at a swim lesson

Mariah riding without training wheels

$Mariah & Mary on the giant swing\n at Camp Crosley$
Mariah & Mary on the giant swing at Camp Crosley	Cousin Maria & Mariah at Camp Crosley

Hannah

“... God ... loved us and sent His Son ....” —1 John 4:10

turned 3 on April 2 and moved to a twin bed in the fall. She carries her pink, personalized, embroidered, satin-edged blanket around the house all day long.
wears underwear all day and stayed dry all night once.
is delighted to go to AWANA Cubbies with Dad on Wednesday nights.
loves to go shopping and is ready at a moment’s notice to go on vacation.
prays enthusiastically and enjoyed Summer Bible School at Walnut Grove Chapel with her siblings.
says playfully, “You’re a chicken—bawk bawk!”
confidently expresses that she is older now and should be able to do what the big girls do.


Hannah’s third birthday	Hannah with a sparkler

	$Mariah, Ben & Hannah with\n Grandpa Ron at Camp Crosley$
Bob & Hannah dressed for Cubbies	Mariah, Ben & Hannah with Grandpa Ron at Camp Crosley

$Stacy, Ben & Hannah playing in the sand\n at Camp Crosley$

Stacy, Ben & Hannah playing in the sand at Camp Crosley

Ben

“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

turned 1 on April 7 and celebrated with Stacy’s parents at Pizza Hut.
is most successful with potty training when he is taken immediately after a meal or returning from an outing.
is fascinated by cars. For hours every day he intently studies how his toy cars move and methodically arranges them. He spots full-size cars everywhere and makes vroom sounds. He also notices flowers, birds, fish, dogs, and cats.
likes to be with people and go places.
climbs into his high chair when it’s meal time and feeds himself a large bowl of oatmeal each day.
is curious, likes to get into things, push buttons, and watch the family photo screensaver on the computer.
communicates with a few words, sign language for more, a slurping sound for water, head nodding, jabbering, squeals of laughter, and screaming.


Ben’s first birthday	Ben playing with cars


Hannah & Ben enjoying a bath	Ben bubbled up!


Ben sucking on an empty lemon juice bottle	Ben eating a pancake