Our Family





Dad and Mom (Alvin and Carolyn Schatte) - Dad and Mom have been an incredible blessing to us children.  Dad is an electrical engineer and also runs a window cleaning business.  When any of us have a dream or vision for our lives, he does everything he can to make it possible for us and aid us towards the accomplishing of it.  His ability to keep going when he's tired is simply amazing.  We're so thankful for the example of hardworking determination and generosity he has set for us.

After homeschooling all 7 of us kids, Mom is finding that her job (as school teacher) has come to a close.  She has started picking up household responsibilities that we had done.  She's taken over doing the laundry and sometimes can't fathom how there can be so much of it!  She is such a good example to us, and  has always been there for us when we need her.  She's always a source of good advise and constantly encourages us to continue following the Lord.

They're loving their new adventure as grandparents of their grandson and two grand-daughters (and one more on the way!).

Andrew - 31 - is good at everything.  From math to mechanics to working with animals to fixing computers, there's almost nothing he can't do.  He's taught himself almost everything he knows whether it was from reading about it, or trial and error.  He is incredibly servant-hearted and whenever he sees something needs done, he does it.  He is a great teacher and no matter how hard something is, he never gives up.


Rachel is 29.  She has a job as a baby-sitter, and has many funny stories of what the kids do, and say.  She's very good with organizing, arranging, and decorating.  She also sews like a pro and she's the one we ask when we need help with anything in crafts.  She's also head of the garden, and although she doesn't really enjoy it so much, she does a very good job.  Chief chef and head cook, she reigns supreme over the kitchen and everything she makes is excellent. She also really enjoys singing.


Steven (26) and Rebekah (25) Benner - Steven and Rebekah met in Aug. 2011, and were married just 10 months later in June of 2012.  We are thrilled to welcome Steven into the family and have really enjoyed having him around.  They moved to Missouri in March and, though we are really sad not to be able to see them much, we are excited about how God will use them in St. Louis. They've been blessed with two of the most adorable children, Danny and Del.



Daniel Bradford Benner - 1 - Danny, commonly called 'Danny Boy', was born May 10, 2013.  He is becoming such a big boy!  He's almost always smiling and has more than won the hearts of his grand-parents, uncles, and aunts.  He doesn't talk in coherent sentences, but we all love his baby talk. He also learned simple sign language to communicate with his mommy and daddy. He adores his baby sister, Adele.

Adele Jean Benner - Born January 11, 2015, little Adele surprised everyone by making her appearance a week early. She was the first of our nieces/nephew to be born in a different state. We got to meet her a couple weeks after she was born and totally, totally love this little person. By 6 weeks, she had already rolled over...um, I think we have an early developer on our hands!


Samuel (24) and Esther Grace (24) - Samuel and Esther Grace were married March 2013. They recently moved into a travel trailer which is parked at Esther Grace's family's home. They got rid of most of their furniture and other belongings to down size  and adjust to a smaller living area. Samuel feels called to be a missionary pilot. In preparation for that, he completed his studies as an aircraft mechanic and got a job as one. He is a private pilot, and is now in the process of getting his commercial license.  We really enjoy being able to go flying with him.

We love having them live close enough to be part of our "Friday night, family night" each week. They were blessed with a daughter, Emma. Their next baby is due in June. They're planning to wait until he/she is born to see what they're having.



Emma Elizabeth Schatte was born on "pi day" - 3/14/2014. She smiles a lot and enjoys having 'conversations' with her aunts and uncles. :-)  She's a little cutie! When she was learning to walk, she pretty much decided to skip that stage and head straight into running! Way to go, girl!


Esther - 21 - Is working while looking forward to pursuing midwifery. She's really patient and is SO good with children. She (along with Faith) spent 6 months in doing mission work in India. She enjoys coming up with (what the rest of us think are) strange ideas of things to try - like growing peanuts, for instance.  She's also very experimental in the kitchen and when she first started cooking, it was very exciting.  Remember the time the light bulb blew up and we almost had glass in the pizza, and the time that the jar exploded and we had a flour paste all over the kitchen walls and ceiling?  Or the time we had pear beef stew?  Es is more quiet than the rest of us, but at random moments pops up and says the funniest things.



Faith - 19 - She's very interested in medical missions and is praying about where the Lord is leading her with regards to this. She is enrolled in an EMT class which starts in June. She has enjoyed watching surgeries on youtube and is looking forward to the day when she is the one doing them.  She enjoys running and likes it when Lizzy goes along too. She spent almost two years on staff with Gospel For Asia where she and Es spent 6 months overseas.  Though she has never really enjoyed cooking, she became one of the cafe managers at GFA.  She really enjoys playing the piano and loved the year and a half of lessons she got.  She's vivacious and full of life. She really enjoys spur of the moment parties and tries to turn everything into one.


Lizzy - 17 - Graduated and is seeking the Lord's will in regard to ministry opportunities.  She would like to become a PA (physician's assistant).  She has a burden for Haiti and Mercy Ships and hopes one day to be working in both.  She's very organized and can't stand messes.  Whenever something gets disorderly, before long, you're sure to see Lizzy cleaning things up and putting stuff away.  She is always willing to help with whatever needs done.  She really, really loves being outside and spends almost all her free time out there!  She also likes running with her sisters.  She's such a blessing to us!


As a family, probably our favorite thing is hanging out together - singing, chatting, playing volleyball, drinking coffee, working, having company - whatever it is, being together is best!



1 comment:

  1. awww!!

    I miss you family!!

    You are such a blessing! and seeing Christ in your lives is so encouraging!

    Love you all!

    Marcela Bradford.

    ReplyDelete