Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Valentines day!
Dear Friends and Family,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We made it! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. We were almost able to have the whole family for Christmas.
It was so fun to have the family together. We did our traditional Christmas dinner of Cornish game hens and mashed potatoes. We decorated the table, got out the candles, and enjoyed candlelight and sparkling cider. It was really fun to have everyone together.
Saturday was so fun and we got to spend time together at my my mom's house. We had some yummy food and then we acted out the Nativity. It is my favorite Christmas tradition! I always feel the spirit so strongly testifying of His birth. I love singing Christmas the hymns.
I did not write a Christmas letter this year. I thought it might be fun to update you on the family!
JAIME AND TATE- They are living in Delaware so we did not get to enjoy their company this year. We did get to Facetime them and had a good chat. They report that they are doing well. Tate has been doing lots of training at work and it has been pretty boring. Jaime is still working for a Ford Dealership in the parts department. They are understaffed and it is a busy season with having to do inventory. She is struggling to keep up and does not have much time off. She got a cold and had to tough it out because of lack of personal days. They are enjoying time with their pets and had plans to get together with friends for the holidays.
BRANDON AND KENZIE-. Kenzie just finished up her last classes at ISU. She is officially graduated with her Bachelors Degree in Accounting. She has been working at ICCU in Pocatello as an intern. It has been a long, hard semester for her. Her work and school schedule worked together for really long days. She will continue to work at ICCU but will not continue schooling for now. We are really excited and proud of her for pushing through. Brandon has a big recital to do, which is scheduled on his birthday, Jan 20th. We are looking forward to it! This is his last requirement to get his Bachelors degree in Music Performance. We are so happy for him! He has been teaching quite a few drum lessons and is helping to lead the elite indoor percussion group, "RIFT." He has recruited Drew to play Synth, Alexa to play Marimba, and Mary to play the Vibe. They practice every Saturday all day. They work so hard! They are preparing for competitions soon. I am glad they get to spend this time together.
CAMILLE- Enjoying her Doctorate Program at the University of Utah. At the moment, she is taking classes and rotating in different research labs for 8 weeks until she finds a research lab she wants to spend the next 5-6 years working in. For her first rotation, she worked with cell cultures identifying potential pathways involved in lupus and other autoimmune diseases. Her second rotation focused on repurposing drugs for treatment in liver cancer using zebrafish as an animal model. This rotation was fascinating for her and the lab enjoyed having her too, offering her a position for her doctoral research. Although she loved this lab, she wants to rotate in one more lab focused in optimizing immunotherapies for cancer treatment using mice as animal models. She has a soft heart for animals and is worried about working with mice. With either lab, she will be working at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, a dream come true for her. Camille's cat, Arthur, is very spoiled and loved but he has not enjoyed his visit to Idaho. I was really grateful for Camille's help pulling Christmas together this year and helping to prepare for the family parties. She is such a thoughtful, helpful person. She is always surprising her siblings with kind gifts and is always willing to play a game with them. She loves Christmas and her enthusiasm is contagious. So grateful for her this year.
ALEXA- At ISU and following Brandon's footsteps. Studying Music Performance in percussion. She is in her second year. She is working at the Stephens Preforming Arts Center. She is very busy! She has been diagnosed with ADHD and she is struggling to stabilize her medicine and find something that helps. She has had some very negative reactions to the medicine. She has a boyfriend, Ryker Harrison. He has been a blessing in her life. They met their first year at ISU doing marching band together. He is from Rexburg and is an old friend of Kenzie's. He faithfully wrote to her on her mission and started dating a few months later. Ryker works at Sportsman's Warehouse in Pocatello. Brandon has also known Ryker for a few years, and they are really great friends. (In fact, sometimes Alexa has to fight for attention when Brandon is around, haha.) We love him and are grateful to have him around.
JOE- Living in Pocatello while he studies at ISU. He has moved in with some really great roommates. They are adventurous and he is enjoying doing fun things with them, including a 3-day winter caving trip. At ISU, he is studying Computer Science. Last semester was intense. He had Calc 2, Physics, and Technical Writing. He is enjoying his classes but is not decided if this is the right direction for him. He is just starting his 4th Semester.
DREW- Graduated from SRHS this May. He enjoyed working for his friend's dad over the summer. They did some really hard work, taking out a pond in the backyard and putting in a amphitheater. It was very physically demanding and he put in some long hours. He is currently seeking a job and plans to work as a substitute teacher. He has been very dedicated at his piano practicing and he is really getting good. I am impressed at the long hours he puts in. He is also learning to play the organ and is playing the organ in his singles ward. He is really dedicated to his current position in RIFT as the Synthesizer player. The songs are difficult and he is writing some music as well.
ABRAHM- Also graduated from SRHS this May. He worked for Agri-Store over the summer and into the fall. He was able to put in some long hours. They did not have enough work and had to lay him off. He just got hired at the State Hospital South. He is not sure what he will be doing exactly but will be working with patients. He starts next week. He has a little bit more paperwork and background checks to do before he starts. He is taking three online classes through BYUI. A math class, a religion class, and a study skills class. He is trying to remember how to be a student! He enjoys spending extra time with his girlfriend, Oliva. He bought himself his first car and is enjoying it. It is a 2010 Chevy Cruise.
ABIGAIL: enjoying her Junior Year. She has two dual credit classes right now, History and Biology. They have been hard and keeping her busy. She just finished a play, Romeo and Juliet. She was a lady in waiting. Her dress was very heavy and made of thick fabric. Abby called in the "Rug Dress." They just finished last night. (Jan 28th) The play was well done, and the kids memorized so many "old English" lines. I was impressed! She was able to go to the Winter Formal in January. (Her date was on crutches, so they did not do a lot of dancing!) He did not give her much advance notice, so we were grateful for a dress from Camille that just happened to fit!
MARY: is a Sophomore at SRHS. She is very involved with the band program. She did Marching Band and Pep Band. She is working hard on her piano skills as well. She is still my adventurous one and loves anything outdoors. She just went skiing and reported that she can do a "loop de loop" on the hill! (I am going to need a demonstration!) She is proud to report almost no broken bones this year. Just a possible broken toe and a sore wrist. She is participating in the RIFT percussion group, playing the Vibraphone. I am impressed at her grit and determination she is developing as she pushes through the long rehearsals.
GIDEON- is in 8th grade. Gideon loves to play games, especially when he beats Camille. He has had his glasses and braces for almost a year. His hair is curly and fun like his dads. He went a little long between haircuts and it was a bit of an afro. It did give him a few extra inches in height!
He loves drama, choir and orchestra, in which he plays the Violin. He is also starting voice lessons. He was able to be involved in the production of "Frozen Jr." this year. He played the roles of the King, and Oaken (the shopkeeper). ("You Hoo...family!") His favorite line was, "Hello little man in the snowman costume!" The dance and song, "HYGGE" was super fun. We love his spontaneous performances.
HANNAH: is a 5th grader at SRMS this year. She is growing up so fast! She did some 4H classes in December and made a few crafts and no-sew projects. She still enjoys drawing, coloring, and doing diamond paintings. She loves listening to audio books. She is listening to Percy Jackson at the moment. She is a great speller and has good grades. She has been struggling with stomach aches quite a bit this year. We are experimenting with taking her off of Gluten and Dairy. It seems to be helping. She has been a good sport but she misses some of her favorite foods.
DENNIS: Dennis has been teaching for 31 years, and he recently got recognized with a certificate and a pin for 30 years of teaching in Blackfoot! He did not want us to come cheer for him. He says we can come when he retires. (Maybe?) He is still coaching cross country and track. He is our "fix-it" man and has fixed sprinklers, multiple cars, bathroom and kitchen facets, and an injector pump. (Not his favorite as we had to haul raw sewage from the basement.) The list goes on an on as he tries to keep everything running around here. It felt like a continual list! It did not help that we bought a new kid car that required a lot more "fixing" than we bargained for. He also has been my main supporter and my chemo-buddy. I would be lost without him.
EMILIE: Did chemo for most of the year, except during the summer. Tolerating it a bit better after my break! So excited to be able to exercise again. Feeling strong and capable. Found a great "barre" workout that makes her feel like a ballerina again! Serves as Young Women's president. Girls camp was very large undertaking. (The Lord wants her to learn to delegate.) Dennis set the bar high as our camp He delighted everyone with his skills! Emilie is substitute teaching, but very rarely because of her compromised immune system. Learning about meditation, visualization, and the power of affirmations. Still learning Mandarin Chinese using the Duolingo app and has a 297 day streak! Signed up to help with choreography with the "Frozen Jr" play. Loved being involved with a group of positive, creative people. Helping with two songs for the high school play, "Footloose." Discovered the company 'Kyani' and is enjoying the health benefits from some of their products. Trying out the business side to see if it is a good fit. Her favorite show is the "Chosen," and she loves listening to "Come Follow Me" podcasts.
This took me until February to write all of this! We will need to call it a Valentine letter now!
but Mary and Hannah make it look really good!
May you all know how much your love and support has meant to us this year. We are filled with love and gratitude with the many angels (you) Heavenly Father sent to lighten our load.
WE LOVE YOU!
Happy Valentines Day!
Emilie
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