Judi Craig Judy Craig Estes 

Judi Craig


Mailing Address:

     8967 Springhurst Drive
     Boise, ID 83704-6921

Phone: 208 375-7402
Judi Craig Estes
deanestes@mac.com
 
Updated: June 2, 2009

Dean & I won't be able to make the 45th after all.  We have a trip to make to Colorado that conflicts with the reunion. There just wasn't a way to work both in.  We were planning to leave tomorrow but we had our mechanic check over the Tundra & were surprised that it needed new brakes & a wheel bearing.  Better to find out before the trip than during the trip & while on the road.

All is great with our family.  Dean retired 2 years ago but I think he is as busy or busier now but we are having fun together.  We are about to redo our kitchen so that should stretch us both.  We did an addition earlier but that didn't mess with the cook!  We have come up with a design that will be very enjoyable & I am excited to see it as a reality.  I love to cook so it will be well worth the work & inconvenience in the end.  I planted a garden this year & can't believe how fast things are growing.  Hopefully it won't produce just nice green leaves but veggies too. 

Both our son's Chad & Trevor & their families are happy, healthy & busy.  We have 6 neat grand kids that we sure enjoy.  Both families live in Boise  & only 2 miles from us so we know we are blessed to have the opportunity of watching the kids grow up & participating in their lives.  The kids are Kona 16, Stephen 14, Bonnie J 11, Renton 9, Patience 7 & Paige 4. I have always had a soft spot for babies but all the grandkids are here so now I have to get my fix in the church nursery.  Fast as time goes by the great grandkids will be coming before we know it.  We also have a very loved small black schnauzer named Ember that completes our family. I think we did a better job with Chad & Trev as Ember is an emotional cripple.

We will be thinking of you all & know you will have a great time.  June 7th is also our 45th wedding anniversary
--- we just aren't OLD enough to be married that long!
 
Love to all & see you at our 50th!

Judi

Judy and Dean
Judy and Dean

Hard to believe 40 years has gone by since we graduated from high school. Harder to believe is that Dean & I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary June 7th. It just doesn't seem like we are old enough to be married 40 years. Dean says we were 3 & 5 when we got married! Main thing is that though we were young we had found the right one and have been blessed to grow up together and grow old together. (the old part will start someday)

Our sons Chad (36) & Trevor (33) are both pastors at the Boise Vineyard Church. They were always best friends growing up and have remained that way, so enjoy the opportunity to work together. They both have great wives that have become the daughters we didn't have and have blessed our lives with fun grand kids. Chad & Jamie have 4 children---Kona 11, Stephen 9, Bonnie J 6 & Renton 4. Trevor & Andrea have almost 2 children. Patience 2 & another beautiful daughter due in November. Both families live only 2 miles from us, so we are blessed to get to hug the kids often and have the opportunity to really know and enjoy them. They will keep us young as we get good exercise just keeping up with them.

     
My Family
My Family
 
My Grandkids
My Grandkids


Dean quit Hewlett Packard a few years ago and has been doing some beautiful art work on his own. He does incredible bronze sculptures that are so life like. He is restoring a 13' X 4' 200+ year old stained glass window for the Boise Vineyard that will be installed soon. He also enjoys passing on his skills and is working with some others to start an art school in the Boise area.

I have learned a lot about casting bronze, choosing patinas & working with the foundry and the business end of our adventure. We are enjoying working together and the opportunity we have to talk to people and encourage them. We also realize there is a lot to marketing. Any marketing experts out there? We use a foundry in Hayden and after the reunion will be picking up our "Martin Luther King" sculpture for the Black History Museum in Boise.

Kona Lincoln Martin Luther King


We look forward to seeing all of you at the reunion and so appreciate all the hard work the committee has done to make it all come together. A special "Thank You" to Bill for the web page and for the numerous calls he has made to locate people and to give those of us a bad time for not getting our information in.

July 19th Update - Note to all my classmates

Being not to computer savvy and having just got my information in a few days ago, here it is the weekend before the reunion and I just read the updates on all of you. Sounds like we have all had very blessed lives and reading the accounts has made me smile, laugh, reminisce and cry. My heart has been touched by the number of classmates, their spouses or their children that have had serious health issues to deal with. Here is a excerpt from my writing for the 30th reunion.

"At our 20 year reunion I had made a career change from banking and was working for 2 eye surgeons as their assistant. It was interesting and challenging and I loved it. I thought I had found my niche in life, but 6 years ago I was shocked to be diagnosed with a brain tumor. We know these things happen, but to other people. Sometimes we are those other people. Fortunately, the tumor was benign but very life changing. I have found a deeper appreciation of life itself, family, friends and have seen how Jesus can bring good things out of bad situations. I started a support group for people that have had brain surgery that has been very rewarding. So many wonderful people that I never would have had the opportunity to meet except thru a common experience. Even brain tumors can be a blessing in disguise."

I am thankful to report that July 20th will be the 16th anniversary since that brain surgery. My life has been rich beyond measure in the gift of more years as well as having a terrific & supportive family. In reading your accounts I see you are pushing ahead looking for new stabilizing drugs, walking out final years with sick mates and finding new faith in Jesus because of situations that have changed your life. In many ways we are the blessed ones as our hearts have been tendered for others going thru tough times and we don't take life for granted but know each day is a gift in itself. My faith has been strengthened and my heart has been touched by everyones courage.

Judi



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