2004
Well, there went
another year. The boys (Chance and Dax)
continue to amaze us with their unique personalities and perspectives. We are enjoying introducing them to sports
like snow skiing and soccer. Susie
continues to enjoy combining a part-time career as an engineer at the state
while getting to stay home with the boys on Tuesday and Thursday every
week. Travis moved from the government
sector back to the software industry and now works for Motive, Inc., a leading
provider of management software. Motive
had its IPO just four days after Travis joined the company.
This fall brought
a hectic schedule with Chance's soccer practices and games, gymnastics for both
boys, roller hockey for Travis and the beginning of another marathon training
season for Susie. When his work
schedule allowed it, Travis provided a supporting role as an unofficial
assistant coach.
Here are a few highlights for 2004:
January:
Chance and Susana (Susie’s mom) learn to snow ski in
Ruidoso, New Mexico.
February:
Susie runs the Motorola
Marathon in 6 hours.
March:
Travis and Chance return to the Ruidoso
slopes with the Maddox family.
April:
Travis replaces his 14 year old Honda Accord with a new Nissan
Murano.
May: Dax turns
3. Time for another road-trip. This time to Port Aransas, TX for a weekend
with friends. (8 kids and 8
adults!)
June:
Travis travels to New Mexico to join other family celebrate the wedding
of Jaymee Lu Barkmeier and Steve Murakami.
July:
Travis joins his family in South Dakota to say goodbye to his
grandmother, Mary
Helen Scott.
August:
Celebrating 12 years of marriage, the whole family goes to Fiesta
Texas in San Antonio.
September:
Chance starts
soccer.
October: Chance
turns five. Travis joins his Uncles
(Dan and Tim) at the Scott farm in South Dakota for what might be the last hunting
trip at the farm house. Travis also
spends a few days with Jason and Becky Barkmeier in Mitchell.
November:
Susie runs in the Bison
Stampede (Half Marathon) that Motive sponsors benefiting the Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society. Chance runs his first
Turkey Trot (one mile) on Thanksgiving
Day with his mom. Later that day,
Travis and Susie host both sides of the family, including Heather's (Travis's
sister-in-law) mother and brother, making a total of 12 adults and 2 kids. Justin, Katie, Vale and Kyla join the fun by
stopping by on their way home from their Thanksgiving trip to Fort Worth.
December: We
are looking forward to a peaceful Christmas
at home.
Here's wishing you . . .
peace . . .
love . . .
joy. . .
The Hildebrands
Here are some links to old
Christmas Letters:
[1997]
[1998]
[1999]
[2000]
[2001]
[2002]
[2003]