2009 Mom's first message

Dear Children,

I had planned to call everyone on New Year’s Day but I have a big cold and could not talk.
2009! When one is young one wants to be older, and when one is older one wants the time to slow down. We are always amazed to see how fast the time goes by. We wonder if it is the same for everyone.

We hope that each of you started this New Year with a positive attitude and thinking of all the good things that can happen to you during the year. If you had a bad year, it cannot get worse, and if you had a good year, continue on the trend.

Our Mission President is very concerned because to this day, he doesn’t have a couple to replace us in the office. Replacing me is Ok but replacing Dad is going to be very hard because he can do so much. For example: some missionaries had lost the poles that are needed to connect bunk beds when the beds were not used as such. Now, the Mission needs bunk beds. Yesterday, Dad went to the store, bought some tubes that would fit, made holes at the right places and voila. We have bunk beds again. The Elders that have seen him say that they want to become like him when they get old.

We spend the evening of 1 January with my sisters and it was very nice to be together for maybe the last time or at least for many years. My maternal great-grandmother had the tradition to have all her children and their families together the first of the year. It continued on with my grandmother and my mother. My sisters told me that they had it this year because I was there, but it was the last time. I wish that we could do this in our own family but distances are way too large.

Dad is very happy that Utah beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl!!! He is a BYU fan but he was for Utah in this case.

It really makes a difference that couple missionaries can keep in touch with the family and the News at home.

This Sunday, we invited to dinner by Teresa. It will be wonderful.

Keep us posted on your news. Some of you are very good and some …….well, not so good.

Kim, do you have Finn’s pictures yet? We need to see that he really exists

Have a great week.

With my love,
Mom

PS: Thank you, Fabienne, for your Christmas gifts. We love them.