Christmas Letter 2009

Merry Christmas from The Jacobs Family in Round Rock, Texas. We hope this finds you all well, healthy and happy. We've had a fun, exciting and

often demanding 2009. Any year in which one kid is off to college, another heads off to middle school, one parent loses a job and the other is in a constant battle to keep theirs will test you and that's been the story in 2009. Despite the hard work we found time to celebrate the successes of our kids and appreciate the things we've worked so hard for. As has been the case the past ten years our core group of ex-Navy friends and family here in Texas are a big part of everything we do. There's a ton of pictures on our website which we have kept updated throughout the year. From the main page you can link to pictures from camping trips, school activities, our annual boat trip and more. Here are just a few of the other things that have kept us busy this past year.

Jack turns 19 December 2009 and is home from college. He graduated high school June 2009 and started college at Texas Tech University in Lubbock in

August. Coupled with the college classes he took in high school he already has 18 semester hours after his freshman first semester. For his high school graduation his Aunt Susie and Uncle Joe came down from Chicago. We had a nice surprise dinner party for family and friends and for all his hard work we got him a brand new Fender Telecaster guitar. Josephine also brought him a beautiful class ring. He earned it. Click the link to see all the graduation festivities and various honors and awards he worked so hard for. We mentioned in last years letter that he had finally recorded some of his songs. Since then he got into a professional studio with his band Flicker and the results speak for themselves. Some of his songs are provided below. Here's a rough video of his band performing Your House.



With Aunt Suzie & Uncle Joe	Favorite Sister Jillian	Graduation Party


My Band Flicker	Nice New Guitar!	Meet Amber!

Big year for Jillian as she made the leap to middle school and is now taller than Josephine. She’s every bit as busy as Jack with school choir, a science

fair, band, baby sitting and more. She's in accelerated math at school and it's tough but she's hanging in there. She plays trumpet in the band and after just three months of playing her band played a mini concert at the Round Rock Performing Arts Center. She also keeps busy with an activity called Catholic Girl Challenge where she and her friends do good deeds, most recently they sang Christmas Carols at the local Senior Citizen Home. Her Challenge Team recognized her as Catholic Challenge Princess for accomplishing the most good deeds. She goes to a school where they still say the Pledge of Allegiance, have a prayer moment, honor veterans and say Merry Christmas not happy holidays. She just finished up her second volleyball league of the year and took 2nd place in both tournaments. In July she went to her first real concert to see Asia & Yes in Fort Worth. Not exactly the Jonas Brothers but she hung in there and liked at least a couple of the songs.


Babysitting Markel		Camping at Inks Lake		Boat Trip	Choir


Elementary School Graduation Aunt Suzie & Uncle Joe	Some of My BFFs	Bye 5th Grade	1st Place! Austin Science Fair	Taller than Mom	Almost 13

Busy year around the house and family as a whole too. We had the Arcand Family visit from Missouri, Schultz's from Florida, Gaskins' from California, Joe & Susie of course from Chicago, Bill Thomas from two years overseas, the Lee Family from San Antonio and even the Liljequist Family all the way from Singapore. Lastly the Sikkenga Family are now permanent visitors given their move back from Utah.

Josephine unfortunately was laid off in November. No worries, we'll look for a new job after the holidays. Tim just went over 11 years at Dell and with this crazy economy he's seen his share of restructuring at work resulting in yet another new assignment to a Warranty Cost Reduction team. One thing is always for certain at Dell (and surely any other similar company in these times), change is constant. If you can thrive under those conditions then good things will come your way. Things are very well, we celebrated 21 years together this year, our Kids are growing up right and we've made a good home here in Round Rock, Texas. We’ve been fortunate but we have made our good fortunes too through hard work.


John Liljequist, Wade Zeigler and Tim have been friends since being stationed together in the Philippines 26 years ago. John, his Wife Iku and Kids came for Thanksgiving all the way from Singapore. Pictures include John's Family and John, Wade and Tim with their Sons and Daughters.


Jill's Graduation	Turkey Day - They don't do this in Singapore!			Exercising our Rights


Jill's Graduation		With Teammate Nicole	Jack's Graduation

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe, Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.

In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.

Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old, Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!

Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right, I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ', And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, white, and blue... an American flag.

I can live through the cold and the being alone, Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my sister and brother

Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least, "Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?

It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, "Just tell us you love us, and never forget.

To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled.

Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

I had no Christmas spirit when I breathed a weary sigh,
And looked across the table where the bills were piled too high.
The laundry wasn't finished and the car I had to fix,
My stocks were down another point, the Dolphins lost by six.

And so with only minutes till my son got home from school
I gave up on the drudgery and grabbed a wooden stool.
The burdens that I carried were about all I could take,
And so I flipped the TV on to catch a little break.

I came upon a desert scene in shades of tan and rust,
No snowflakes hung upon the wind, just clouds of swirling dust.
And where the reindeer should have stood before a laden sleigh,
Eight Hummers ran a column right behind an M1A.

A group of boys walked past the tank, not one was past his teens.
Their eyes were hard as polished flint, their faces drawn and lean.
They walked the street in armor with their rifles shouldered tight,
Their dearest wish for Christmas, just to have a silent night.

Other soldiers gathered, hunkered down against the wind,
To share a scrap of mail and dreams of going home again.
There wasn't much at all to put their lonely hearts at ease,
They had no Christmas turkey, just a pack of MREs.

They didn't have garland or a stocking I could see,
They didn't need an ornament-- they lacked a Christmas Tree.
They didn't have a present even though it was tradition,
The only boxes I could see were labeled "ammunition."

I felt a little tug and found my son now by my side,
He asked me what it was I feared, and why it was I cried.
I swept him up into my arms and held him oh so near
And kissed him on the forehead as I whispered in his ear.

There's nothing wrong my little son, for safe we sleep tonight,
Our heroes stand on foreign land to give us all the right,
To worry on the things in life that mean nothing at all,
Instead of wondering if we will be the next to fall.

He looked at me as children do and said its always right,
To thank the ones who help us and perhaps that we should write.
And so we pushed aside the bills and sat to draft a note,
To thank the many far from home, and this is what we wrote:

God Bless You all and keep you safe, and speed your way back home.
Remember that we love you so, and that you're not alone.
The gift you give you share with all, a present every day,
You give the gift of liberty and that we can't repay.

(Author Unknown)


Serve Up	Favorite Sport	Coaches Chris & Bethany	# 1 Fan Uncle Mike in Back


I'll be Home for Christmas	Jingle Bells	Medley	Noel	O Holy Night

Rudolph	Silver Bells	Twelve Days of Christmas	What Child is This	Winter Wonderland