Vaughan Family Update--Christmas 2022

Vaughan Family Update

Christmas 2022

As Christmas time draws near, we think of all the good folks with whom we'd love to share a few moments of catching up.  Because that won't happen in person for most of us, please allow this brief update to catch you up, at least a bit, on the happenings in the Vaughan tribe. 

Linda continues to thrive on teaching her GED students for Lexington School District 2.  She comes home with a story most every day and sometimes shares a Hallelujah moment with Dee when one of her students graduates or makes a significant gain toward it.  During two medically mysterious months of 2022, Linda was very sick, running a fever each day and feeling weak and tired.  The symptoms abated before we received a clear diagnosis, so we're calling her illness "Gone."  She loves teaching young adults at St. Andrews and cherishes every opportunity to be Nama to our five grands.  She and Dee celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in July.  

Elizabeth Vaughan Davison stays very busy as a pastor's wife, mother of three, special education teacher, board member of a charter school, and graduate student.  She and her husband Josh live in Gaffney, SC (Linda's hometown) where Josh serves as Pastor of East Gaffney Baptist Church and is pursuing his Doctor of Ministry degree.  Their boys, Liam, Creighton, and Josiah, are now unbelievably 11, 9, and 7 years of age respectively.  All three are doing well in school and stay busy with church activities. 

Liam loves to draw and is very gracious in sharing his creations with family.  Creighton has taken a special interest in kick-boxing this year, which will prepare him well for attending Gaffney football games and family gatherings.  Josiah won his school's spelling bee, which means his Papa needs to keep him on speed dial.  

Josh and Jen Vaughan, our resident family physical therapists, live in Lexington, SC, not too far from Dee and Linda.  Their daughter, our only

 granddaughter, Juliana, turned three this year, attends preschool at St. Andrews, and has begun ballet and tumbling lessons.  She loves to sing and practice assertiveness.  Juliana received a baby brother this year.  James is 9 months old, and is presently pursuing a career in crawling, climbing, and falling.  He is an incredibly happy little boy and brings much joy to us all.  He, too, attends preschool at St. Andrews, so Papa Dee has numerous opportunities to sneak a peek during the day and often picks up Juliana and James from school and takes them to his office for a dose of Papa Time before their parents arrive to pick them up.  Josh has competed in CrossFit competitions this year and is presently training to run a marathon.  Having two preschoolers is probably a good start in learning to run all day.  

Andrew Vaughan is thriving in his work at Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union where he was promoted from a teller to a loan assistant.  Andrew enjoys his coworkers and customers and played a part in his branch's Halloween Star Wars theme. He makes a pretty convincing Anakin Skywalker.  He and Richard enjoy video games, park visits, and binging on Netflix series.  Andrew moved into a new apartment this year and has officially entered the adult world by asking for household items for his birthday and Christmas. Judged by this standard, his father never grew up. 

In November of this year, Dee reached the milestone of forty years of pastoring (and pestering) Baptist churches, the most recent eleven years at St. Andrews Baptist in Columbia.  Dee also became an associate with Pinnacle Leadership Associates, a clergy and church coaching and consulting ministry.  He published his fifth book this year, the most personal he's written, a journal of his battle with depression and how the story of Jacob wrestling through the night with a mysterious attacker became Dee's inspiration to persevere in the healing process until he, like Jacob, received a blessing from his adversary.  "Don't Let Go Before Dawn" is Dee's effort to encourage those struggling with depression and those who love them, and to help Christians and churches break free of the stigma too often attached to emotional illness.  Dee was the featured speaker for the 30th anniversary celebration of Helping Hands of Woodruff, SC, a benevolence ministry he helped launch while he lived and served in Woodruff.  Dee received his Medicare card this year, which means he needs to get serious about planning the next chapter of his life. 

So, what's new with you?  The Vaughans would love to hear from you and learn about your life adventures.  As Christmas comes, know we thank God for the blessing of wonderful friends like you.