The Herdans deliver their Christmas Letter

John, Judy, David and Jennifer in the backyard at Graceland.

Dear Friends,
We finally did it, for spring break we took a break. Last March Judy, Jennifer, David, Michael, and I drove straight through, seeing The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Graceland in Memphis, and Bourbon Street in New Orleans all on the same day.
After three days in New Orleans we headed East for Biloxi, Mississippi. We stayed along the coast, traveling through many towns whose names are now synonymous with Hurricane Katrina. We stayed at the Imperial Palace Resort and Casino which was one of the only hotels to survive the storm. Last we heard it was being used as FEMA headquarters. We spent four days in Biloxi touring the area including a one day trip to Mobile, Alabama and Pensacola, Florida where we went swimming in the gulf at Pensacola Beach. While on the island we were able to see what it looks like after a hurricane, since Pensacola Beach was ground zero for Hurricane Ivan the previous September. We ask for your continued prayers for the many great people we met on our trip.

I am teaching my 9th year at Cathedral High School doing middle school band.
This summer we renewed many old friendships at my 40th class reunion while enjoying more time at the cabin in Alexandria. Judy is discovering that her job on the pacemaker clinic is still very demanding with long hours even though it’s all days. They have four nurses taking care of nearly 2500 patients so once she gets to work, she doesn’t get to take a breath until she leaves, usually late.
Michael is living at home right now, and considering returning to UM Morris in the fall, along with his girlfriend, Katie Hoversten, to get their education degrees. Stephen and his wife, Angie, live on a hobby farm near Barnesville while he works in a orthopedic unit at Merit Care Hospital in Fargo.
Our daughter Katie is now a junior at The University of Wisconsin, River Falls. She is a Spanish and Music major. She sits first chair in the wind ensemble and jazz ensemble and also sings with the jazz group. She and her boyfriend, Mike Pearson, and the rest of the jazz ensemble recently did a series of eight concerts with the Minnesota Orchestra at Orchestra Hall.
David and Jennifer turned 16 this fall and are now driving on their own. Jennifer played volleyball this fall and is now in the musical, The Pajama Game. David played football this fall, starting on special teams on the Varsity. He continues to play in lots of bands. His rock band won third place in a battle of the bands in Sauk Centre and placed third at the Minnesota State Fair in the teen talent competition. His band and Katie’s band hope to do a combined CD release party in January. We’ll keep you posted on a date.
One of the greatest gifts we have ever received continues to be your friendship. At this time of year we are always reminded of how blessed we truly are. God continues to be good to us and we look forward to an even brighter future. We hope the new year is as full of new possibilities for you as it is for us. It’s only through growth and change that we can be truly alive.
Merry Christmas and a most blessed New Year.!
The Herdans
John, Judy, Michael, Stephen and Angie, Katie, Jennifer, and David