We hope you are having a great day celebrating with people you love. Please enjoy reading our Christmas letter below. 🙂
Dear Family and Friends,
Howdy from our little place amongst the hills and hollers of Pikeville, KY! In this, the second annual French family holiday newsletter, we will regale you with tales of our latest exploits and transitions…
The year began much as the last year left off, with Sarah diligently pursuing scholarly activities at Southeastern Seminary and performing crucial tasks at the school library’s Digitization Lab, while Andy toiled away at Olive Garden (authentic Italian dining!). However, our heroes knew their time in Wake Forest, NC was drawing to a close and they were already looking ahead to their next stage: eastern Kentucky and the advent of medical school. Following up on a scouting mission in February, the French family entered a proud new phase of life in April as homeowners (read: debtors).
Goodbye Wake Forest. It's been real. It's been fun but I think KY is calling my name. http://t.co/L6OQmyvOTT
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Sarah French (@SarahMFrench) May 31, 2013May brought with it the cutting of ties to Wake Forest; Sarah resigned her key post at the library and Andy bid his amici “Arrivederci!” at the Olive Garden. On June first, the U-Haul was loaded and a caravan headed away from the rising sun. Six hours and 350 miles later, the voyagers arrived outside a red cinderblock house at the top of a steep driveway in the heart of Appalachia. Within a few days (and with much aid from their families), Andy and Sarah were unpacked and established, albeit with no friends, no job, and no connections.
However, that desolate beginning led to a glorious summer of freedom. Although much energy was expended setting up house and searching for employment, the immigrants had a blast relaxing, making friends at church, and frequenting the YMCA. They celebrated their first anniversary with a trip to Berea, KY and survived a camp-out at Breaks Interstate Park. Though the Summer of Liberation was sublime, it eventually came to an end, as all earthly things must, when Sarah took post in the University of Pikeville’s IT Department. A few short weeks later, Andy followed her into the world of vocation at the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine, also at UPike.
To this day, our champions continue to faithfully discharge their duties. Sarah tirelessly serves the University community, leaving no computer un-cared for, no printer un-managed. Incredibly, she also carries a full course load of seminary classes online. About such a lionheart, many ballads will be composed! She enjoys deepening her knowledge of Christianity and working in the same venue as Andy. Her counterpart is relishing his schoolwork, though at times it can be wearisome. A coping mechanism he has developed is to spend the day after exams baking. One of his latest triumphs was a tiramisu – a tasty victory! Andy is having a great time discovering his material and practicing treatments, although it seems like the more he learns the more he realizes he’ll never know everything. The couple is pleased with their place in life, complete with challenges, but many more blessings. They don’t know for sure what the future holds, but they are excited to venture forth.
We hope that the holidays find you all hale and hearty. This season, we’d encourage you to join us in reflecting on Jesus Christ’s love and sacrifice for humanity in coming to earth. We would love to hear from you, or enjoy a visit anytime you find yourself near Pikeville.
Merry Christmas!
Love, Andy & Sarah
Adventures of Our Own 