Merry Christmas 2022!

This post is taken directly from our family Christmas newsletter, with minimum edits (which are not for public posting).

 

 🎄 Merry Christmas, Y’all! ✨

2022 seems to have flown by and we are glad for that, as it was a tough year. It seems we all took turns getting sick (first time ever for so much sickness in our family!), yet thankfully it was nothing major, just very inconvenient and yucky. We are all well now and hope to stay that way so we can enjoy Christmas & New Years - as we hope y’all will, too!

Our updates are for this year:

Bob and I celebrated 33 happy years of marriage back in Feb (he’s still the best!) and continue to adjust to life as empty-nesters. Bob continues with his job at the same Company and I continue keeping the home running, among other things. This year we set a goal of taking family names to the Temple each month. It’s fun & inspiring to learn about our ancestors. For example, while my mother believed all her life that she was the first member of her family line to join the LDS Church, I found out she was not. One of her ancestors had converted to the Church and crossed the Plains with the Mormon Pioneers back in the 1800’s! Who knew?! I bet she knows now & rejoices over that!

Bob continues serving as first counselor in the Bishopric of our ward, a blessing & calling (volunteer position) that keeps him very busy. He also is called upon often to provide sound, music and/or lighting for various events from church to weddings to community events. They also keep him busy. He joined a HAM Radio club this year and really enjoys practicing that with good friends. I (Teri) have continued my daily walking (indoors) to keep up my health and have seen many unexpected blessings from it. I continue to serve as the building scheduler for our church & continue serving on the stake communications council as social media specialist. My cousin Karen Loving as well as my Uncle Ken Lee both passed away earlier this year. We continue to pray for their families’ comfort. Lots of cherished memories!  Another big event was that we were blessed to be able to update our bathrooms in our home this past summer. Very needed & what a difference! We love our new showers, tile, paint & fixtures! Who knew that an updated shower could make such a difference in life!?  In July, I got to visit a bit with my cousin Kim (Lee) Rosendale when she came to visit her daughter, Nicole and family, and in Nov. I got a visit by a special friend, Holly, from my Lubbock days! It’s always a treat!

Emily (21) finished up her second year at BYU-Idaho where she started out the year with many trips to the ER  - once for the C-flu, and several other times for “something weird” where she was eventually diagnosed with Asthma. After figuring out her meds situation she’s doing much better! She’s been home since the beginning of August and working to save up for another year at school. Thankful and proud that she works so hard to cover her education expenses as much as possible. On her way home she was able to stop in Salt Lake City (for her best friend’s brother’s wedding) and stay at Eileen and Randy’s home for about 10 days. She really enjoyed getting to know them, as well as cousins Jasen and Jenny & Jenny’s family on a more ‘adult’ level. Thank you, Lieber/Jones families! She is learning to spread her wings ever further and learning that this ‘adulting’ has many freedoms which come with many responsibilities. Ha! I think her biggest news this year is that she made the decision to go to the Dallas Temple to receive her endowments in October. What a special day that was! We are so grateful and proud of her and pray this will be the beginning of a life-long path of continued learning and growing in her relationship with her Father in Heaven, her Savior and her fellow man!

Jonathan (28) is moving into a new apartment with his best friend, Steven, this month (Dec) as they both try to cut costs in this economy. They both want to save to buy their own homes, so this will hopefully help them do that. He continues to work at the same Company as Bob, in the networking department and enjoys the job and people he works with. He is in the process of fixing up his 'newest' truck - a 1970’s Ford pickup! We’re all excited to see the final product! It will take several months, but that’s half the fun - choosing all the new colors, items, pieces, etc. He continues to work on finishing his degree online at BYU-Idaho as well, and we are incredibly proud of him for paying his own way and making sure to get it done, no matter how long it takes. It is much more difficult to finish that degree while working full time (weird hours), getting ill, and doing it long-distance! But he’s getting there! In August we got to finally meet - in person! - one of Jonathan’s best companions from his mission in Bakersfield, California (2013-15) - Jordan Peterson (and his beautiful wife) - who were on a cross-country drive to move to California where Jordan began his first job as a lawyer. It was so fun to meet them and get to know them a bit! We wish ’em the best!

Jessica (32), her boyfriend Taylor (of about 5 yrs), & Genna (6) still live in Richardson. Jessica & Natasha (previously Nate, Orli's father) divorced earlier this year and they share custody of Orli (9). Sadly, Jessica & Taylor decided we’re not allowed any contact. We miss them & it is heartbreaking to not see those precious girls, yet we have been blessed with tremendous peace. We know the Lord has them in His hands, and ultimately our faith & trust is in Him. We love them & pray for them daily, and look forward to the day we can renew our relationship.  

As we finish out the year with our family traditions of lights, caroling, attending wonderful concerts by the Vocal Majority & Millennial Choirs & Orchestras, as well as time together with good conversation, food, movies, friends & service, we are reminded of the most important things in our lives: God, Family, Friends, America, and the great blessing of the Christ Child! No greater joy and hope exists than that which He brings to us. As we celebrate His life we pray you will be filled with His Light, Peace, Hope & Joy this season & throughout the new year!  “God bless us everyone!”