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December 15, 2014

Dear friends and family,

We had two new additions to the family this year. In June, Debi got a kitten from the local humane society. Sophie was just 6 weeks old. The end of her tail had been broken in at least three places. It had healed by the time we got her, so it had to have happened when she was very young. Then in December, Candi married Erich Dahne. Erich met Candi when she taught a sword fighting class in Orlando. After only 2 months, he moved cross country to Seattle to be with her, so he was smitten. Erich comes from a large, extended family. It was a very theatrical wedding, including a choreographed dance routine to the recessional song, Love and Marriage, by Frank Sinatra. The newlyweds honeymooned in Iceland.

Debi made a trip to Seattle in February to buy Candi's wedding dress and plan the 1940's themed wedding, which was held in a historic ballroom. Candi made all the bouquets and the table decorations, which included a paper flower and a small lamp made from sheet music of their song, The Way You Look Tonight. Debi made all of the bridesmaid's dresses, Candi's garter, and a vest for Ron's suit. Dani, our German daughter (former exchange student), flew in from Switzerland to participate in the wedding. She read a prayer for the newlyweds in German that was translated later in the evening. Aaron, Christina, Hunter (10), and Evan (5) also flew in to be at the ceremony. Aaron and Christina have been remodeling their home, Hunter is still playing sports, and Evan started school this year.

Ron continues to enjoy his music. Ron plays regularly at the Commodore Grill in Nashville with songwriter Greg Mitchell. Greg and Ron will be opening for Jim Parker's Songwriters Series in Huntsville on January 9th, and then Jim will be joining Greg and Ron for a show at the Commodore Grill on January 11th at 7:00pm. That show will be webcast live on http://wfmcjams.com/. Ron also had an opportunity to play at the North Alabama Scottish Festival with Colin Grant-Adams. They had a great time in spite of the cold weather. Ron also released his first album of guitar solos just in time for an art show in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Visit his website at http://RonHackettMusic.com for more information and to purchase a CD. The Lynchburg folks invited Ron and his friends back to play during the annual Jack Daniel's Barbeque Festival in October. Unfortunately, Ron suffered an appendicitis attack driving back from a meeting in Nashville and could not participate. Ron started co-hosting a weekly performing arts show at the Fayetteville-Lincoln County Art Center in September. In October, Ron and Greg hosted a benefit concert at the courthouse gazebo where they played a round with professional songwriters Kerry Kurt Phillips and Jim McBride. Both have written numerous #1 hit songs. It was an honor to join them on stage.

We did find time to make a few road trips this year. In March, we traveled to Ocala, Florida to visit with Ron's parents and to celebrate a belated Christmas. In April, our friends Woody and Linda invited us to join them at the Wyndham Resort in Sandestin, Florida. Woody and Ron work together on a local school grant program that funds classroom projects that enhance the children's interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Then in May, we spent the weekend in the Alpine village of Helen, Georgia, which is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the Chattahoochee River. There was a lot of pretty scenery. Even Missy enjoyed the trip. Finally, there was the trip to Seattle, Washington for the wedding. We also spent Thanksgiving with Candi and Erich the week before the wedding.