Happy Advent! Auguri per un Buon Natale! We hope your Hanukah was meaningful. We wish you a Merry Christmas!

The Na family has enjoyed an amazing, fast-paced and action-packed year. We have been to and from Philadelphia to visit my parents and family throughout the year! We enjoyed Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the Betsy Ross House with my college friend Eve and company in February. I went to Italy; Kang went to Vienna, Austria, to present a paper, then to Bratislava and Germany! The kids went to the ever popular vacation spot called Gram’s house for a few weeks before we hit Ocean City, NJ, at the end of the summer. We visited the great, great-aunt Louise in Millville, NJ, who became a great-grandmother this year. After the summer, we had visits from my sister Laurie and some cousins (Jordan, James, Alex, Tara, and Billy), who haven’t been here for years! We had a great time!

Fall began with our Christian, 11, in 6th grade. This is his final year in elementary school. He is an energetic card shark, who enjoyed Boy Scout camp in June. Also, after several years, many practices and much study, he achieved his junior black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do!

Our Laura, 9, in 4th grade, is a flexible dancer who returned to gymnastics this year after a lovely recital in June. She also auditioned and made the cut to be a munchkin in a local production of The Wizard of Oz! She was the cutest one on stage! Laura continues to be creative and loving.

Our Laura, 9, in 4th grade, is a flexible dancer who returned to gymnastics this year after a lovely recital in June. She also auditioned and made the cut to be a munchkin in a local production of The Wizard of Oz! She was the cutest one on stage! Laura continues to be creative and loving.

Our Sofia, 8, in 3rd grade, the sensational, is the smallest Na with the most questions and the most attitude! Car seats are a thing of the past—when she turned 8, she no longer needed one! She continues with ballet, and this year she has added jazz and tap to her lessons!

While Kang wraps up his fall semester, he looks forward to a sabbatical semester after Christmas. He plans to write and publish, and publish and write. I hope he unpacks some boxes from our move (just nine years ago) and attacks a pile or two of his stuff! He also hopes to write and publish (did I mention that?).

I have been busy this past year. I had three part-time jobs in 2006, and I traded two in for a full-time job with a local church while the pastor was on medical disability. I kept my part-time chaplaincy job at the retirement  home and am still very active in the kids’ school’s PTO! I did find the time to see Bruce in November in Pittsburgh. Thanks to an old friend, we had amazing seats, and I heard Backstreets among many others in the crowded Mellon arena!

During a recent moment of discipline, Sofia told me, “Mom, when you were telling me you were disappointed with me, my heart felt clogged.” Our hearts have indeed been clogged this year. We were clogged when we celebrated my dad’s 70th birthday! We were clogged when we learned about setbacks and disappointments in the life of some family members. Our hearts are clogged when we think of you, dear family and friends, at this season and during the year. We welcome you anytime. Come visit, and let’s sit and unclog our hearts together. Happy Christmas and blessings to you in 2008!

Christian, Laura, and Sofia’s mom