Dearest Family and Friends
July 24, 2009Season greetings to you - we hope these lines
find you in good health and spirit and that you may enjoy the advent
with your loved ones! Since we don’t get to see most of you
as much as we’d like, we’re sending you a few pictures
of the passing 2009 to give you an update on what’s been happening
in our lives.
August 15, 2009We are very thankful to look back on twelve
months full of health, joy and most exciting of all: Noah
Leigh – but more about that later.
July 24, 2009Markus continues to work as a software engineer
for Edorex,
a company located near Berne. He’s been involved in several
different projects and enjoys the variety of software development,
project leadership and involvement in introducing new technologies
to the company. He continues his passion for climbing weekly, if weather
permits, outdoors.
January 1, 2009I am still teaching dance for three different
schools near Berne. With the new school year I decided to decrease
my workload to be able to focus more intensely on my dance company
“momentum
dance”. We’ve started a big outreach program to introduce
dance to public schools in the Canton of Berne, which I am very excited
about. Kids get to experience dance themselves before watching our
school performances. At the same time I am continuing my studies to
become a shiatsu
practitioner.
February 4, 2009Early in the year we did some backcountry
skiing, a first for myself; I have to admit that I really suck when
in comes to skiing in deep powder…. But the landscape was phenomenal.
March 16, 2009Markus was so fond of it that he spent an
additional week with his brother and girlfriend in St.
Antönien (eastern Switzerland).
December 7, 2008After months of negotiations we were able
to close the deal on our dream house, about
30
km west of Berne. It is an old farmhouse, built in 1829 and we spent
the rest of the year planning the renovation with an architect friend
of ours.
As every year, summer was spent in Ticino with a visit to Taizé,
the Christian community which Markus’ mom Lily joins each summer.
It was fascinating to see thousands of people from all parts of the
world live, pray and worship together peacefully.
March 16, 2009In August my sister Eva
got married and I was maid of honor. With great pleasure we planned
their wedding ceremony in their yard and put together a program for
the festivities.
August 30, 2009After celebrating five weddings in a row,
including our five year wedding anniversary, Markus took a “time
out” and went on the famous hiking trail “Via
Alta di Verzasca” in Ticino with his brother Lenny. It is
a five day hike in high alpine surroundings, enjoying spectacular
views of the Southern Alps of Switzerland.
November 10, 2009In October we relished on one last week
of vacation as a couple in Ticino, to gather our forces for the house
renovations which started beginning November and to be “ready”
for the arrival of our first child.
December 1, 2009After two weekends of gutting
our new house, we were fortunate to face the greatest experience
of our lives: Noah
Leigh Gallagher decided to join us on our colorful planet! After
a scary start with signs of an infection, we were filled with gratitude
and joy to take home a healthy baby boy to start the peaceful advent
season.
We wish you and your families a very merry Christmas, full of warmth, light and
peace. May the New Year be filled with health, joy and happiness and may all your
dreams and wishes come true.
With love
Anja, Markus, Noah and Sidi