Dear Joel,

Another year has come and gone! You survived your first year as a teenager and didn't grow up too much...yet! Thankfully, you still haven't surpassed us in height and you still have moments when we are reminded of the more childlike version of our "baby". This year, like almost every single year of your life, was lived at full speed. You don't have any other speed besides full speed!

You wrapped up your first year of junior high by trying out a new sport - track. You've been a runner for awhile now, but track was definitely new and different from cross country. You tried out a few events like shotput and hurdles, but ultimately found your sweet spot in running - no surprise there! You enjoyed running in the relay and were a reliable runner in the mile race. Unfortunately, your season came to a screeching halt in early May when you decided it was a good day to have your appendix removed! You woke up complaining of stomach pain, which escalated quite quickly and landed you at the ER. After a few tests, an ambulance ride to the hospital, and what felt like an eternal wait, you ended your day with a surgery. You handled it like a champ and, thankfully, your recovery went well after just a few days of being in quite a bit of pain. You were able to head back to school in time to finish out the year and, by the time summer break hit, you were back to being 100%.

Summer was filled with all of your favorite things - running, fishing, golf, and plenty of time outside. You worked hard to keep up with the high school XC runners at the LWC camp. There were some really hot and tough runs, but you made it through! What was truly amazing is the fact that you'd endure a long run in the heat and then turn around to go play golf that same afternoon! Grandpa sure loved having a built in golfing buddy this summer and you loved getting to pal around with all the old guys on the golf course. Somehow you're 14, but there are days when it is very evident that you have such an old soul!

You are definitely wise beyond your years and have a maturity that makes you seem much older than you actually are. Perhaps that is part of what comes with being the baby of the family, but it's also just who you are and who you've always been. You are always listening, watching, asking, and learning. There isn't anything you don't want to know about. You still follow us around asking questions and finding out how to do everything on your own - building, making, baking, cooking, you name it! You are incredibly hard working and extremely dependable. Even when you don't want to, you'll always lend a helping hand if it's needed. You are always willing to go the extra mile to make sure your friends and family are cared for.

That willingness to put others above yourself is exactly why you've been blessed with the amazing friends that you have! Your core group of friends are such a great bunch and we are so thankful that you've been able to navigate junior high with such wonderful friends. Many of those friends have come from your years of cross country, but the circle has expanded a bit as well. Indeed, the bonds that have formed throughout your years of being a Viking runner are a gift. You've shared so many memories and it was bittersweet to watch you in your final season as a Martino runner. You took on such a great leadership role and were so encouraging to the younger runners. 

Your leadership and encouragement is also what God has used to help bring such a special club to Martino. With two other friends, you started the Youth Alive club and are making such a difference right within your own school. God has given you such boldness and faith, which we are so thankful to see. Your faith has taken off this year and our decision to find a new church made such an impact on your walk with God. We pray that as the years continue and you enter a new chapter next year in high school, you'll continue to lean on God's guidance. We know that He has such big plans for you and that you will do great things!

Love,

Dad and Mom

Holidays 2025

Something about this Christmas season felt so different from the previous years. Our family was so busy with the everday hustle and bustle of life that we didn't get nearly as much time to just sit and enjoy the season. Some of our yearly traditions took a backseat to the daily grind of work, school, sports, and other activities. Adding to the chaos was a work trip for Tyler right smack dab in the middle of December....great for him, but not for the rest of us! Caleb also had two wrestling tournaments that took him away for two nights each time. Nonetheless, we made the most of it all and had a great December.

We enjoyed kicking off the holiday season with a trip to the Walnut Room. We always love our time there and are thankful for another year with everyone (minus Nyla) able to go.

The kids all had holiday band concerts that were great! Caleb and his buddy, Liam, left their mark on the annual Vespers concert by creating a giant slapstick to use in the yearly finale of "Sleigh Ride". Who knows if it will resurface over the years with the next Sturm percussionists. It's also hard to believe this was our last Martino holiday concert. We've always loved the festive songs and the final sing-a-long!

We loved getting to see extended family at our annual Lamont cookie day. Almost everyone was able to be there this year, so that was a nice treat!

The week of Christmas flew by and we enjoyed the simplicity of Christmas Eve at TiTi's followed by a relaxing Christmas Day at our house.

The festivities continued with a nice, relaxing birthday for Sara and then celebrating Leah's Sweet 16. She and several friends had a blast during their overnight hotel slumber party. Lots and lots of laughs were had and everyone had a great time despite the minimal amount of sleep. We followed it up with a family party on her actual birthday and then she capped off the fun by getting her license on the 31st!

We rang in the new year with friends from church and had a blast hosting that! By the time 2026 rolled around, we didn't have much energy to do anything for the rest of break...and that was totally fine by us!

Dear Leah,

Sweet 16!!! Where has the time gone?!? It seems like we were just picking out the plates and decorations for your Minnie Mouse themed birthday and now we are here. Watching you grow into the amazing young woman you are today has been an absolute joy!

This year included the end of your first year of high school and beginning of your second year. So much growth and maturity came with that transition. Though you still doubt yourself over and over, you do a fantastic job in school. You work incredibly hard, are super organized, and manage your time well. You never have to be reminded to study or get your work done and you panic more about your grades than you need to! You are an amazing advocate for yourself - never afraid to reach out to teachers and ask for help or clarification. When you aren't focusing on academics, you're busy with various other sports and activities. You did great during your first season of track and even earned a varsity letter for shotput. You dealt with some difficult moments having to practice with the boys and dealing with their immaturity, but you handled it well. You jumped back into tennis season this fall and showed a significant amout of growth there. You struggled a bit with your doubles partner and her big emotions, but you had fun nonetheless. Your biggest accomplishment this season was being named captain of the JV team. It was quite an honor to be voted into that role by your teammates, but not too surprising given your leadership skills and kind heart!

Your kindess is still one of your greatest qualities and one that doesn't go unnoticed. Earlier in the school year, you mentioned that you wanted to write encouraging notes on the mirrors of the school bathrooms. You took the right approach and asked for permission first. This ended up running through one of the clubs at school and your initiating of the whole thing earned you a nomination for student of the month! We were incredibly proud that you used your good heart to make a difference. It didn't go unnoticed by the staff at your school and it certainly doesn't go unnoticed by your family and friends. You have so many friends from various groups and do a great job of keeping up with all of them. Your influence and reach spreads far and wide. When some friends from youth group were looking to start a new club at school and needed a petitioned signed, you were the go-to girl to get it done! Within 24 hours, you had more than enough signatures, which was awesome to see. You truly know how to make people feel seen and valued. You love to include others and make sure that nobody is left out. You are great at planning get togethers and taking charge as the leader of whatever fun your friends are up to! When you're not physically with your friends, one can almost guarantee you're talking or texting or facetiming with them on the phone!

You definitely make the most of every single day and are not wasting these precious teenage years. We know that you will one day look back and be so content with how you chose to live out your high school days. You've stayed true to who you are and have never changed for anyone. Your faith is at the core of all that you do and you live out God's calling on a daily basis. You are making a difference in the world and we are so proud of who your are. We pray that you continue to grow into the beautiful woman that God has designed you to be. From the inside out, you are just amazing. Keep being you and there is no telling how far you'll go!

Love,

Dad and Mom