Dear Family—
Thank you for writing your family letters. I do feel so much more connected when I read of your comings and goings and how you are meeting life’s challenges!
November was certainly a full month! Scott’s niece, Allison Handy, who lives in Belton, Missouri, got married the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Scott and I drove there and attended the wedding (yeah!) and picked up Scott’s parents, Clyde and Gerry, and drove them back to Fayetteville with us. Clyde is now 89 years old and Gerry is 85 years old. I suspect this may be their last trip out here; it is very hard to travel when you are older. Scott’s niece, Tenille Anderson, and her husband and three children, also came to spend Thanksgiving with us. We had a full house and that is just how we like it. We enjoyed games every night, lots of good things to eat, and great company.
Tenille’s husband is in the Air Force and they are leaving in December to live in Germany for 4-6 years. They are coming to stay a couple of nights before they fly from Atlanta to Utah, and then on to Germany. Yeah! More company! Scott and I went with Clyde and Gerry to a musical Christmas program about World War II. It was fun to listen to music from the 1940’s and to hear real letters sent home from the front. Tenille’s husband brought up 900 rounds of ammunition that they would not be allowed to take with them to Germany and the girls and Scott enjoyed several hours shooting assorted weaponry. They shot off over 800 rounds! The Anderson’s were very generous with their resources. They also sold a great minivan that they had to leave in the States, to Emily and Steve for a very low price. We have enjoyed having the Andersons visit from time to time. Yeah, family!
We are so proud of Erika! She is graduating from BYU this December and has already accepted a full-time position with The Heritage School, where she has been working this past year. She and another woman will be in charge of a new girls’ home at the school. Erika is also taking out her endowments when she comes home at Christmas. We are so happy for Erika! She is living in Provo with some young roommates and is enjoying social activities available in her singles’ ward.
Liz and Stacy just finished their semester at Georgia Military College and they both did very well. I’m so proud of both of them! I don’t know where they will go to school from here, but Liz brought her GPA up admirably and Stacy was a star student. They were diligent students and it paid off.
Rose loves the social aspect of high school, much to my amazement. I asked her to name a few of her friends at school and she must have named 30 right off the bat. Wow! Rose is also a diligent student and is doing very well. Rose is very good to get up on her own for Seminary each day and I appreciate her good to me around the house.
Caroline went to the temple for the first time last night. I took the opportunity to be a driver and it was a privilege to be in the temple with Rose and Caroline. Caroline was a nervous Nelly and Rose was happy to fill the role of experienced woman-about-town. I was working the changing room when a temple worker came and directed me to go out to the font. He positioned me at the font where Caroline could see me as she came up out of the water. The priesthood holder who was doing the baptisms pushed her firmly under the water and then powerfully brought her up out of the water. Eyes wide and a grin from ear to ear, Caroline positively glowed as she bobbed above the surface each time, and then re-settled into the font. The topper for the evening was a trip to Smash Burger afterward. “The shakes are the best here!” I was advised. I have sampled shakes many places and have found that shakes are pretty good anywhere they are found; these were no exception.
It is good that I continue to have obligations with my younger children. I get to go to band concerts, choral concerts, parent-teacher conferences, and field trips. I am surprised how much joy they bring to my life. They have become simple things in my life; I actually know how to do these things! It is comforting to be able to ‘retreat’ from my evolving newer responsibilities, into something familiar.
This past year I have been taking classes through the Pathway program at church. In one of my religion classes I had to memorize this scripture: Mosiah 4:9 Believe in God; believe that He is, and that he created all things, both in heave and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both I heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.” When I have had trouble believing in myself and my abilities, I can recite this scripture and find great peace in it.
I love you, family! Thank you for being a warm, supportive group that I can count on in all the stages of my life.
Love—(Aunt) Chris and (Uncle) Scott
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