Happy Summer to our extended family and friends!

Here is our Hood Family update:

1. Brianne Kristina

Brianne Kristina and her husband celebrated their 1^st Wedding Anniversary this year on May 30. They now reside in a townhouse in downtown Portland, Oregon. Her husband works in computer technology and programming. He moved from India to the U.S. about nine years ago. Brianne will be finishing her Ph.D dissertation for social work, Differential Parenting. She plans to be able to defend her Ph.D. before her 30th birthday on September 29, 2010, then plans to graduate from the doctorate program before the year ends.  Brianne and her husband joined us in Sandpoint, Idaho, over Independence Day to visit family and enjoy the 4^th of July holiday.  They returned to Portland on June 5^th, taking Keisha and Kianna with them.  Keisha and Kianna will spent 2 weeks there for some special time.  They had lots of fun and spent some quality time bonding with their sisters and sisters-in-law. Keisha and Kianna did all sorts of fun things, such as hiking, soccer, camping, going to the library, listening to tapes, cooking, and art classes. Brianne and her husband are both vegetarians, so they introduced a lot of vegetarian cuisine to Keisha and Kianna, and they said that everything was very delicious.  We are sure glad to have them home safe and sound. We hope to get over to Portland sometime this fall.

2.   Marissa Kimberly

Marissa Kimberly continues working full-time as Office Manager of the dental office.  Marissa also continues to cater through her side business, “Big Cakes & Little Parties.”

3. Janelle Karina and Paul Joseph Turcotte

Janelle Karina and Paul celebrated their 3^rd wedding anniversary on May 12, 2010. Janelle teaches math and science at the junior high level at Assumption Parish School.  Paul continues to work as a firefighter in the Spokane Valley and really enjoys it.  This last year they landscaped their yard and it looks great.  Janelle calls it “a work in progress.”  Janelle wants to travel and spent a week, this spring, in Hawaii.  This summer, she is teaching at Gonzaga Prep.  They are both active in sports and play Hoopfest every year (world’s largest 3×3 basketball tournament).

4. Mikayla Karlene – DOB 5/29/85, age 25

Mikayla Karlene continues working as a dental assistant at the dental office. She completed the Nursing Assistant Program in November 2009. She is active in church choir, cooking, and of course, kid transport.  She has resumed her voice lessons and sings at Mass, as well as for funerals and weddings.

5.   Kyler James – DOB 9/9/87, age 21

Kyler James graduated from Gonzaga and is currently enrolled in the MFA program for Creative Writing at the California College of Arts. This last fall he lived with Aunt Mary temporarily and also spent time with Aunt Ann and family in San Francisco. He moved into a dorm on the Oakland campus, and recently completed his first year. He has really developed a passion for photography alongside his desire to travel.  We are looking forward to going to San Francisco for a visit.  Kyler is looking to organize a Hood reunion over July 4^th, 2011, in Sandpoint, Idaho. All are welcome!

6.   Kelsey Katrina – DOB 11/19/90, age 19

Kelsey Katrina recently completed her freshman year at Gonzaga University, and is having a blast. Her dorm competed with other freshman dorms and won the championships in freshman intramural sports. She also loves going to the basketball games.  Over spring break she volunteered with other GU students in Browning, Montana, through a community service trip called Mission Possible. She is glad to have survived Organic Chemistry, and looks forward to her sophomore year.  Her sophomore roommate is from Mexico, and she’ll visit Mexico this summer.

7.   Corbin Joel – DOB 1/22/93, age 17

Corbin Joel is a junior this year at Central Valley High School. He loves basketball, soccer, swimming, and jumping on the trampoline. He enjoyed his broadcasting class, where he showed his creativity.  Recently, he has been putting together music pieces with a techno edge and has some of his original songs on a CD. He hopes to make a number of songs which he is still working on.  He will be a senior already at Central Valley next year!  This summer he is taking French I and works periodically at Uncle Dan’s.

8.   Caleb Jerome – DOB 5/17/94, age 16

Caleb Jerome is a sophomore at Gonzaga Preparatory School.   He still is making adjustments to high school, but he loved participating in wrestling and debate freshman year.  He is growing, quickly surpassing other family members in height.  It looks like he will be tall like his brother Kyler. He got his license to drive the day following his 16^th birthday.   Watch out!

9. Keisha Kalani Hiwot Hood – DOB 01/23/96, age 14

Keisha Kalani finished the 8^th grade at St. Mary’s School and has been accepted at Gonzaga Prep for next year. It has now been almost 2 years since her adoption from Ethiopia. She still continues to speak with Kianna in Amharic to retain her native language. Her favorite food consists of all types of chocolate desserts, and she loves baking them. She continually has a big smile for everyone she meets.  Keisha is always active, whether it be participating in two sports every season, figuring out homework, or singing in the choir.  She is a well-focused worker.

10.  Devontay Joshua – DOB 5/18/96, age 13

Devontay Joshua finished his last year at St. Mary’s, also. He is very excited to make the leap into high school. He loves going to middle school dances and showing off his break-dancing moves.    Devontay enjoys reading mythical books, which we encourage.  He especially loves video games, cell phones, and being with friends when he has the chance.  Devontay can be real handful, but works well when directed.

11.  Kianna Karielle Selam Hood – DOB 03/13/1997, age 13

Kianna Karielle just finished 7^th grade at St. Mary’s.  She loves soccer and also sings in the choir. Like Keisha, she is very organized, and is always reliable in completing daily chores. She loves to be in the kitchen, and is a very meticulous chopper. She has a great sense of humor, and is constantly laughing at someone’s joke.  Like Marissa, Kianna can cook most anything and can prepare a complete meal without directions.

12.  Rosy Kiara – DOB 10/4/98, age 11

Rosy Kiara will be a 6^th grader at St. Mary’s.  This year she was cast in the Missoula Children’s Theater Play, and loved it. She still enjoys cooking, and has a lot of patience in the kitchen.  She never minds testing recipes for mom’s upcoming cookbooks. She is a little disappointed that she cannot swim year round, but would not change our winter weather. She mindlessly jumps in the snow and can make snow angels for hours.  Rosy is very rambunctious, but loves to laugh.  She will probably grow fins with the time she spends in the pool.

13. Mercedes Katherine – DOB 1/9/99, age 11

Mercedes Katherine will also be a 6^th grader at St. Mary’s Elementary School and really enjoys it.  This year she can finally be involved in school sports and band. She is beginning to learn how to play the flute and works on making baskets in basketball.  In her free time, she grabs a book, and when she finishes it, she gets very excited to tell everyone all about it. She has a very gentle nature toward pets. She enjoys eating any of mom’s test recipes, and the fresh winter snow. She is very sweet and can be very helpful.

14.  Jasmine Khalia Wengel Hood – DOB 02/06/2000, age 10

Jasmine Khalia will attend 5^th grade at St. Mary’s this next school year, and is also adjusting very well. She likes to make jokes, but when around those she is not completely comfortable with, she is still very shy. She is a very good girl, but definitely a little prankster.  Being the youngest of the three from Ethiopia, she has picked up English the quickest and is very witty. Her favorite sport is soccer, and she loves every chance she gets for practice.  She is also a technology nut and loves cell phones and anything electronic.

15.  Cheyenne Krystal – DOB 02/23/2000, age 10

Cheyenne Krystal will be a 5^th grader at St. Mary’s.  She has high energy and can be very helpful delivering things when in the mood. Every chance she gets to spend with our horses, she takes full advantage. She has a natural ability with horses, and does not scare easily, like some of her sisters, when the horses get spooked. Cheyenne is our cowgirl but most definitely a girly-girl as well, always loving to wear skirts, tights, and put bows in her hair.  She has boundless energy, and needs to keep focused with all that spirit.

16.  Anna Kaylee – (DOB 6/23/2000), age 10

Although the youngest, Anna Kaylee is the tallest of the five youngest girls.  She is very active and is very close with Cheyenne. If it gets too quiet, it is nice to find out where Cheyenne and Anna are.

17.  Karen – Mom (DOB 1/2/53)

Karen continues to work on her cookbooks and novels. She has been on TV a few times promoting her cookbooks and poetry during the different seasons and holidays. She still struggles with Achalasia, an auto-immune disease of the esophagus.  She enjoys writing poetry, and nothing is better to her than spending time with the family.  Family trips to Sandpoint, the Oregon coast, and Glacier Park are highlights in the family life for Karen.

18.  Jim – Dad (DOB 11/27/51)

Jim continues to have a very busy, active dental office, and is very proud of his dental staff. He runs the kids all around to music lessons, soccer, basketball, volleyball, etc. It is now over one year since he had an unusual lung infection and a surgery in May 2009 to follow up, resulting in nine days in the hospital. Our Sunday ethnic meals are a high priority, and he enjoys making different dishes. The loss of his mom last September 2009, although not unexpected (she was 91), was hard. He is looking forward to some quiet time and getaway weekends with the family.

We look forward to hearing from you.

We hope you have a very blessed summer!

Jim, Karen, Brianne Kristina Kothari and her husband, Marissa Kimberly, Janelle Karina Turcotte and her husband Paul, Mikayla Karlene, Kyler James, Kelsey Katrina, Corby Joel, Caleb Jerome, Keisha Kalani Hiwot, Devontay Joshua, Kianna Karielle Selam, Rosy Kiara, Mercedes Katherine, Jasmine Khalia Wengel, Cheyenne Krystal, and Anna Kaylee