Hello friends! It is with great joy that I share some family updates!
School's Out!
To think that Murphy has completed his first complete year of school was something dreams were made of—now it's here and we're thanking God for His goodness! Murphy didn't just survive his first year; he crushed it! Today marks his final day of schooling, after a few days of class fun and celebrations this week! Yesterday, Nat was able to attend the class party, and tears were freely flowing. Remarkably, Murphy was awarded the 'Awesome Energy' award! What?! Here was a boy that we held in our hands in 2023 and only felt his skin and bones, someone struggling to make it past midday without a nap, and a boy who couldn't even walk from his bed to the couch without being carried partway! Praise God! His teacher publicly told the class how Murphy never skipped a beat, always smiled, and made his class want to do better each day! Our boy is a true inspiration!
In recent weeks, Murphy's schooling has been filled with fun! Letterland parade, Fun Run, field trips, Field Day, and more! You'll enjoy these photos!
Soccer Firsts!
A few weeks ago, our family was gifted some tickets to our first-ever soccer game! It was quite an experience for us all. With no real reference to go by, I convinced the kids to come and try something new! When we rolled up to the Bank of America Stadium, heard the drums beating, and ate some game food, it was getting exciting... then an hour later, with no scoring in sight, Murphy was shocked to find out the score was 0-0! Haha! We lasted another half hour before it became too late for the kiddos. An ice cream from McDonald's on the way home turned our tired and confused car into a late-night car filled with smiles. I don't think Murphy will be the next Ronaldo, but he can say he's had fun at a Charlotte FC game!
A Character!
There are many words to describe Murphy, but lately, I'm noticing his incredibly fun character! In fact, he is a true 'character.' He's always smiling, chuckling, and up to something!
Easter 2025
I know this feels like a long time ago, but a few weeks back we drove down to ATL to spend time with friends. It was a much-needed trip, with lots of smiles and conversations. Calista celebrated her birthday with a high tea, along with Nat, Glenda, and her American grandma, Mrs. Gail! The kids all ate their body weight in candy and chocolate as they hunted for eggs all around the state of Georgia!
Summer Is Here!
Pool, pool, and more pool! This Aussie Nowak family has already been at the pool A LOT in the past few weeks, even if the temperature has been on the lower end—our kids love the water! Coming up in the next three months over summer are a heap of activities! Some highlights the kids are looking forward to:
A few days in Destin, Florida. A charity has gifted us a couple of days at a hotel, which will be cherished by the family!
Hugo, Ted, and Murphy all have a couple of weeks of various summer camps.
Calista has a 6-week intensive with the Charlotte Ballet.
Calista and Hugo have youth camp in July, which we're praying will be a transformative experience!
Sunshine and pool swims!
Formal, Florida, and Playoffs
Aside from trips, events, and 'what nexts,' I wanted to share some other family-related news.
Calista had her 8th Grade 'formal'! This has been a big year for her, graduating middle school after attending 5 different schools! We are so proud of her, leading her study cohort in the role of 'student body president' in a middle school of 1,500 students (across only 3 grades!). Calista has made friends from all backgrounds, excelled in her studies, and danced her heart out this past year!
To continue my praise for Calista, she is a young woman who isn't shy about her faith. At church one night, the regional leader heard her talk about Murphy in her small group and wanted her to share at the combined youth service! So in front of hundreds of her peers at youth, Calista stood and shared about God's goodness and miracle power! Praise God!
Now Hugo's turn! Hugo has excelled at school, along with many areas of his life, but I want to focus on his music pursuits. Here's a boy who knew very little about music before he walked into the 100-strong music class at Harris Road Middle School! After slowly falling into the percussion section, it became apparent that every other kid knew how to read music—just not our boy... But it wasn't long before he applied himself and gained a seat to go to Florida on a band trip! He played with the band in a real studio at Universal, as well as creating a lot of lifelong memories! Finally, he ended the year by receiving the 'most improved' award at the end-of-year recital! Go Hugo!
Now our third beautiful child, Teddy! Ted has had a wonderful year at school and has loved his sporting pursuits! This season on the baseball field has been a growing season, with the final playoff game being their sole win for the season. Ted has enjoyed being on a team and contributing what he can to it. He has also shown remarkable care in his class, being awarded the 'smile maker.' His teacher shared that not a day goes by where he doesn't make the class smile!
Thank you for your continued love, prayers, and support. Your care gives us more than you'll know. In closing, this weekend Nat, Ted, Murphy, and I are headed to Washington, D.C., for a neuroblastoma conference. I look forward to sharing with you what we learn.
Much love,
Daniel
