As I end my 84th year I am happy
to have another Christmas season to
enjoy the story of the birth of the Savior to the World, with all the lights,
the music, the gift giving, the Christmas trees, the parties, the movies and
the list goes on and on. The first
Christmas I remember was in a small white house in Glendive, Montana when I was
about 4. We walked to the Congregational
Church for a Christmas Eve service and then back home, probably in the
snow. We had no car and not much money
or possessions but we had five and soon six in the family and there was always
lots of love and fun as we shared the wonder of life and Christmas together.
The thing I know this year is that I probably cannot tell accurately enough to brag about my
children (3) and their children(15) and their children(8) but I do know that the
family that started out as Richard and I in a small apartment in east San Diego
in 1959 is now spread out in 15 households, from sea to sea, in various places,
with various number of members in the household, and doing
many different jobs and education, as
they all experience the marvels of life,
with its ups and downs and joys and sorrows and Christmas’s together or, sadly,
sometimes far away from home. I feel their love and see their beauty as I
talk to them on my smart phone, get a text from them or spot them on Instagram,
Facebook or wherever they choose to shine.
The only one new to enter
this big world was darling Charli, daughter of Amy and Joe. And no one left this year… and we are all
missing Richard and John, who are probably living a more exciting life than we can
imagine in their heavenly realm!
Another thing I can tell
you is that gathering 2017 pictures for this Christmas letter took some time. They are not all in my camera and computer
anymore. And I did have to use one
picture from 2015 because some of us avoid picture taking all together.
This winter I will be with
the family of James and Camber and spend Christmas at their home 15036 El
Camino Reale, Del Mar, CA 92014, for
those of you who still send cards (I
love them). I will be back home in Lake Almanor by April. I am so lucky to have family in sunny
places. And since all three of my
children and some of my grandchildren live within 20 minutes of each other…think of
the possibilities! Life is Good!
Have a Merry Christmas and
Happy New Year and I am so grateful to still be sharing this wonderful life with you at Christmas time in
2017!
