Merry Christmas and stuff like that.

Merry Christmas from the Kluckings! It’s once again that time of the year for you to read what all has happened and see how much I’ve grown up and how much my parent’s lives have changed without me being at home now.

As I finished up high school my parents took me on the greatest capstone to a classical education—a two and a half week trip to Europe! We went to England, France, Germany, Holland, and Belgium. It was one of the best family vacations we’ve taken—lots of moments that could have come out of a Chevy Chase or National Lampoon movie. In France we explored the Louvre, Versailles, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and got to go to the Palm Sunday service there, a bunch of subway stations (and we didn’t get mugged, YAY!), and we also survived my dad driving out of Paris; in Holland, the Tulip festival (Keukenhof); and we explored castles and cathedrals of kings past and present everywhere we traveled (Neuschwanstein, Cologne, Buckingham, & Warwick). In Amsterdam, we saw Anne Frank’s house (and I got to experience the “lovely” smell that is Amsterdam, I hated it) and in Germany, Dachau concentration camp. We had an amazing time in England visiting our British friends, the Humphreys, whom we stayed with in England; England was my favorite country by far. I loved the history that was around every corner, going to Easter Sunday in a church built in the 1300’s with two knights’ coffins in the transept was just incredible. I could fill pages and pages telling you about Europe, but alas, I’ve got a page to tell you a year’s worth of information and events, and talk about mom and dad. An aside, I want to go back so bad it hurts.

I graduated this May from Evangel Family Christian Academy, a homeschool co-op, and graduated with above a 4.0 (mom and dad are very proud, as am I, and if you think it was an easy task to get that GPA with my mom a PhD and teacher for 30+ years, please reconsider that opinion).

I’m now a very happy student at Auburn University as a Secondary English Education major (following in mom’s footsteps). Auburn has a great education program, not to mention an AWESOME football program this year (War Eagle). If you didn’t know Auburn was one if not the worst team in the SEC last year not winning a single conference game, this year however, we are headed to the Rose Bowl for the National Championship!! I couldn’t be happier to be at Auburn, I’ve loved Auburn for as long as I can remember and as if college wasn’t a good enough experience, being at Auburn for this Cinderella season has been amazing. Since I’m talking about Auburn, my first semester went well, and going to class isn’t too horrible, I actually enjoy most of them. I’ve learned lots about life that my parents have been saying for years that I didn’t believe until I got there and experienced it myself. I rushed and I’m a proud member of Delta Zeta. I’ve created some awesome memories with my DZ sisters, including swaps, socials, and going to the SEC Championship game with one of my pledge sisters. I’m incredibly excited to see what the future has to hold for me at Auburn and beyond!

My dad is still out working at Maxwell Air Force Base writing and editing curriculum for Air Force captains at Squadron Officer College. My mom is back working at Eastwood Christian School, where I attended school for 9 years, teaching the junior class Honors American History. She’s also continuing to tutor other homeschoolers.

With my parents missing me so much (ha ha) they’ve redone the house by enclosing our patio, laying new carpet and tile, refurbishing fireplaces (which my mom loves, she lives by the fire in the colder months basically), painting rooms, and lastly rearranging and purchasing new furniture. I’ve not been moved out… yet. Of course, I can always come home, but they want to see me blossom like edelweiss (a flower that never stops growing and blossoming from Austria).

In closing, may God and His blessings be with you this Christmas and throughout the year. His Son is the reason for the celebration and we have much to celebrate and be thankful for at the Klucking house. We pray you have much to celebrate as well!