Author: call me TLC

The Lord is my Shepherd.

2020 – The year of the pandemic

by call me TLC

This was a year like no other. The word “unprecedented” was heard daily and every day felt….well…. unprecedented.

John had been working remotely since March 13 before deciding to retire.

Andrew finished his senior year with remote classes and the cancellation of his final lacrosse season. He started his first full-time job remotely, working from home.

Philip signed a purchase agreement on his first house without stepping foot inside. Bubba was his new roommate and constant companion.

Matthew and Michelle spent their first year of married life working mostly remotely from home.

Terri’s business model pivoted to online learning and solo yoga.

We give thanks for our inner circle of family and friends who stayed in touch using technology. We missed your face, your handshakes and your hugs. We look forward to the time when we can gather without fear.

2019

by call me TLC

Merry Christmas from the Caris family! Our theme for this year is preparation and celebration.

The big Caris story from 2019 is the addition of a new Mrs. Caris that occurred in the wedding of Matthew and Michelle. Preparations for more than a year resulted in a beautiful wedding celebration. Their wedding was a celebration of faith and they share many dual career celebrations in the auto industry after their preparation in mechanical engineering. A highlight video from the wedding can be found here.

Philip was a proud brother and groomsmen. He took some vacation time from his job at Dematic in Holland to enjoy the celebration.

Philip prepared for four years in order to celebrate his graduation from Hope College this year with a degree in Computer Science and Business.

Andrew was also a groomsmen at the wedding. He is in his senior year at Hope and carved out time from his busy schedule to join the festivities.

Andrew plays on the Hope lacrosse team and earned a trip to the NCAA game this past spring by winning the conference championship. Preparation as a student-athlete enabled Andrew to travel to Africa with other Hope athletes through the SEED program.

John and Terri are proud parents and celebrate our family every day. John continues his career at Ford Motor Company and Terri’s preparations are changing daily.

We pray that this Christmas finds you healthy and happy in celebration with friends and family. Please drop a note, give us a call or stop over if you find yourself in Michigan. We’d love to hear from you.

2018

by call me TLC

Fröhliche Weihnachten, Feliz Natal, Feliz Navidad, joyeux Noël, Geseënde Kersfees, and Merry Christmas!

With friends and family around the globe we decided to update this electronic Christmas card and share some good news from the Caris family.

John and I have repatriated from Brazil and are now back home in Michigan for the foreseeable future. It’s been an amazing experience these past two years.

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The big news – Matthew and Michelle are engaged to be married in 2019!

Matt continues working for FCA (Chrysler) and Michelle works for Magna so they are looking for a house that allows reasonable commutes for both. The wedding is planned for Fall of 2019 and we are so excited for this beautiful couple.

The father of the groom and two of the groomsmen (Andrew and Philip) are shown below:

Philip is a senior and Andrew is a junior at Hope College. Philip is majoring in Computer Science and Business and plans to graduate in 2019. Andrew is president of Engineers Without Borders and participated in two international trips while also playing on the lacrosse team. We are so proud of these young men, our sons.

And, Bo is still our dumb, lovable dog.

Plan for the new year: practice more hygge!

We’d love to hear from you. Please drop us a note and let us know how you’re doing. 😎

Love from the Caris family – John, Terri, Matthew, Philip and Andrew

2016 Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings Dear Friends,

by call me TLC

Happy New Year!

As 2016 draws to a close and we welcome 2017, thank you for taking the time to visit this Caris Christmas/New Year website. We pray that you are happy and healthy, surrounded by loved ones during this joyous time of the year.

Thanks to Philip for his assistance in creating this technology-enabled Christmas card. In this internet age, we communicate in so many different ways that this webpage seemed like a means of reaching to many of our friends who are traveling, moving and using electronic media for communication.

As you will see when you scroll through this webpage, 2016 has been filled with change and growth including celebrations, transitions, and reflections. We hope that you will leave a comment on the site or drop an email to tlynchcaris@gmail.com.

Merry Christmas and best wishes for a joyous new year.

With love from the Caris family – John, Terri Lynch-, Matthew, Philip and Andrew

Original version: 12/25/2016  Revised 1/9/2017

2016 John

by call me TLC

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” – Proverbs 16:3

cropped-wp-image-2036794861jpg.jpgJohn has been with Ford Motor Company for over 26 years and progressed into technical leadership. This year he began an international service assignment in Brazil. His position as the Engineering Director for Ford South America required a relocation to a tropical paradise location near Salvador, Bahia. He will also travel to places like Germany, China and São Paulo. Our new residence is near the ocean in a resort community with sunshine and warm temperatures all year round.

 

 

2016 Terri

by call me TLC

 “Be still, and know that I am God.”  – Psalm 46:10

Terri has the joy of being “mom” as the top priority even as the kids leave home for college. This fall she began a leave of absence to support John’s international assignment. She had been with Kettering University for over 14 years, serving as the Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and Full Professor of Industrial Engineering. She was honored to earn a spot on the Faculty Wall of Honor. She’s now keeping a blog of their Brazilian adventure at this link and is reflecting on God’s purpose in this new phase of life.

2016 Matthew

by call me TLC

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“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”  – Colossians 3:23

Matthew, our oldest son, graduated from Kettering University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering after completing five years as a co-op student at Ford Motor Company. His experience in vehicle dynamics earned him a position at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles or FCA, better known as Chrysler. He is now driving a Jeep and enjoying his full-time employment. We are very proud of his achievements and his conscientiousness to take care of our Hartland home. Check out his exciting adventures on his Facebook here!

2016 Philip

by call me TLC

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This picture shows what Philip looks like while he is doing the Pull. Yes, that’s actually him.

“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.” -Hebrews 12:11-13

Philip, our middle son, is a sophomore at Hope College planning for a double major in Computer Science and Business. He participated in The Pull which is a tradition at Hope that is indescribable. He will coach the Pull Team as a Junior. If you’re interested in knowing more, check out the Pull link. He continues to make us proud with his academic accomplishments as well as his personal depth. In the picture he is enjoying a bottle of refreshing Coca-Cola while he was in the Dominican Republic sharing the Lords work on a week long mission trip where he  helped build a chapel for a local community. Check out his Facebook for more happenings in his life! Really, he’s an exciting kid, do it.

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