We pray your year was blessed!
Our family has grown. We were able to be in Tucson for Aiden’s arrival, Andrea and Isaac’s first-born. He is a beautiful healthy boy. Shortly after we left Arizona, Benjamin’s Clarissa delivered Citlali, their second daughter and third child. A few weeks later Aren informed us that we were expecting grandchild number seven. Sarah is extremely competitive. I pray she doesn’t see these as a challenge.
Speaking of Sarah, she decided to stay home for a couple more years and get her Associate in Business Management from the Community College before moving on to a Bachelor degree. I am so very glad she decided to stay as I’ve not had the chance to teach anyone else Grandma Sacca’s pizza recipe yet.
Isaiah still blows. Another year as Nashville High School Band low-brass section leader, all-region band audition coming in January, all-region choir, all-state choir audition coming in January, Nashville High School Winter Guard, and playing Baritone with Arkansas Resistance keeps his grand-staff full. I keep him busy around here helping with farm chores too.
V.Anthony decided baseball wasn’t for him but is playing trumpet for a second year, now with the Nashville Junior High Band. His interest in culinary arts is growing, always asking to try a new recipe. Maybe I should share Grandma’s recipe with him.
Ariel continues to show interest in all things animal. We couldn’t do without her help around the farm feeding the chickens and collecting the eggs. Both her and V.Anthony are junior beekeepers. This year they keep one hive of bees jointly. Next year they’ll keep two. Ariel is a 4H Show Stopper and plans on showing Boer goats at the Howard County Fair next year.
Aurelio is doing well. He has been graduated to the first grade on paper, but still visits the kindergarten class from his self-contained homeroom. His speech is improving greatly as are his fine motor skills. He is very smart and works hard when he wants however he can be stubborn. I wish he hadn’t gotten that from his mother.
Vickie is awaiting surgery for a torn anterior labrum in her right shoulder. After recovery she’d like to work for the Howard County Adult Center as a group home supervisor. It takes a very special person to work with developmentally delayed adults, and Vickie is a very special person.
While we’ve always been politically active we are becoming more politically connected. Vickie, Sarah and I joined the Howard County Democratic Central Committee. We attended the state convention, myself as a delegate and Vickie as an alternate. I was elected Howard County Committeeman to the Arkansas Democratic Party Faith Caucus. I've been blessed to preach many times this past year with several more opportunities coming in 2013. After serving a partial term I was re-elected Secretary of the Southwest Arkansas Beekeepers EH Club. These keep us excited, busy and fulfilled.
One year ago we toyed with names like Hectáreas de Motta, and All Good Things Farm. We decided upon Suprasistence Farm. For the past years we have delved wider and deeper into subsistence farming. With the understanding that worship/ministry is a lifestyle we felt mere subsistence missed the point. While subsistence meets our needs Suprasistence goes above barely sufficient to assist others in need, the poor, the sojourner. We also designed a logo to represent the farms product and vision.
The yellow hexagon is for the bees as our main crop is honey and various beeswax products. The footprints are light green reflecting low carbon emissions; three to stand for reduce, reuse and recycle. We strive to do things as close to organic as we are able, being good stewards over what we've been entrusted. This past year at Suprasistence Farm has been busy. We have planted peach, plumb, pear, and walnut trees as well as several flowering bushes and vines for the bees, as well as various beds of flowers and other vegetation for the bees, chickens and soil. We built a new poultry house and two new pens, each 2,000 square feet. We grew chicks and harvested older chickens. Built hives and installed new bees. And still left so much to do in 2013.
We have a guest room with a queen size bed, and WiFi for you. Know that all y’all are always welcome to come visit and even lend a hand if so inclined.
We hope you had an awesome 2012 and pray the best for you in 2013.
With much love,
Albert, Vickie, and all the children
