Dear Family And Friends, Not a 2007 Christmas letter but something like it
It has been a few years since I wrote an annual letter out but I realize I enjoy hearing about families through letters at Christmas time whether I have kept in touch throughout the year or not.
Our kids are all growing up so fast and life has not slackened its pace. Sometimes it’s an effort to stop and catch your breath and then sometimes life just takes your breath away.
Erika, 20, is in her third year at BYU-I studying art illustration. She is meticulous in her work and amazing in her talent. She has great roommates and the best job ever as dance costume shop design and production under my old roommate from college, Cindy Guthrie. She will never turn down a late night bowl of Reese’s peanut butter ice cream and loves writing stories.
Lorin is serving a mission to Cambodia Phnom Penh where he rides a bike a lot, plays the piano and loves teaching the people. He is learning how to cook with the native foods and enjoying the 80-degree weather while we are shoveling out from yet another snowstorm. He also studied at BYU-I before he left learning Physics, which he loves.
Zoie, 16, is again the president of the Spandex Club that she founded at Alta. She plays some wild and crazy music on the piano, is learning Chinese and guitar. She sings in the choir with her cousin and does awesome imitations of outrageous accents, but not on demand. She has a love/hate relationship with calculus.
At 14 Bronte loves to cook, sing, play the piano and read. She is ever thoughtful and quiet and if you can’t find her she is in her secret reading place or under the pine tree at the corner with her friends. She is becoming a tae-bo expert so beware.
At the effervescent age of 12, Quin is still an avid jewelry designer and keeps her little business going with orders from school. She plays piano and flute, loves to read and be crazy with her friends. She is a pretty good poet too.
Sabrina at 8 has been trying out her aptitude in piano, singing, saxophone, recorder, jazz, tap and ballet. She likes a lot of different things but playing dolls and pet shops with her friends is still at the top of her list. Cleaning her room is not at the top of her list. She is reading the chronicles of Narnia.
Dave is still a realtor with Coldwell Banker. He keeps the office lively. He still knows just about everyone and can manage to make just about anything happen that needs to get done, especially if prefaced but “you can’t do …”. He still loves road biking, skiing, movies anytime, fixing things, woodworking and good food served hot.
Camille is enjoying being a mom, finishing some long term projects or at least working on them (scrapbooking! Argh) She also likes road biking, music, reading, gardening, cooking and good fresh air in the mountains. She is happy to sweep the floor several times a day because it means we have lots of happy feet coming and going.
Every year we learn and grow. Our understanding increases and we learn new ways to serve. It is only by the connections we make outside of ourselves that help us understand life and self better. Throughout the year we are so grateful for all that we have been blessed with. May this letter find you enjoying the best things in life; family near and far, friends old, new and not yet known.
The Bairds