2011 in Review

Dear Family and Friends,

Just a short note to let you know that we are grateful to have you in our lives – whether we see you regularly or once in a blue moon.  2011 has been a busy year for us. 

Rebecca swam for Legacy High School in the Spring, was elected to be Junior Class Treasurer, got her driver’s license, and has read about 3,000 books (maybe a bit of an exaggeration).

Katie also swam for Legacy in the Spring, graduated from there in June, was accepted to BYU-I, worked as a life guard at the Aria Hotel, works at Flip-N-Out (a wall-to-wall trampoline place) and starts at BYU-I on January 2^nd.

Samuel arrived in the mission field, served one transfer in an English speaking area – with his cousins’ cousin as a companion, then was set apart as a Karen speaking missionary (Karen people are refugees from Burma and Sam had to learn the language on the fly), received the Karen name of Edowa, is one of only four Karen missionaries in the world, and loves the Karen people and serving his mission in Minnesota.  His hump day was December 15^th. 

Atkin returned from Albania just before the start of the year, spent a few days at home then headed to BYU.  He was at home for the summer and life guarded at Circus Circus, and has been back at BYU this fall majoring in neuroscience.  He loves bare foot running and cooking his own vegetarian meals.

Laurie is in the midst of her masters program in Marriage and Family Therapy at UNLV, in May she started counseling clients, served in the Primary presidency, now teaches 14-15 year olds in Sunday School, enjoys being back in our stake choir, and attends book club whenever she can squeeze it in.

Kevin still has a job updating master plans, had a garden that didn’t do too well this year, serves as Stake Assistant Executive Secretary, and toys around with projects at the house.

In August we welcomed Line Ødegaard from Norway into our home as a foreign exchange student for the school year.  She arrived in time to go with us to the Snow family reunion to Yellowstone National Park.  She fits right in with our family.

As a family we have been hiking, the girls went on a high adventure camp to Moab, we all (except Atkin) spent some time at the Southern California beaches, went on the Snow family reunion to the Yellowstone area, made it back to Huntington Beach before it got too cold, celebrated Thanksgiving in the Seattle area, went back to Washington the following weekend for Laurie’s brother Mike’s marriage to Barbara Hahn, and are looking forward to a few days in northern Utah with family and the slopes.

In November, Laurie and Kevin celebrated their 25^th wedding anniversary (it just doesn’t seem possible that two such young people could have been married that long – we agree!)!  Yes, we are deeply in love and it was great to get away to a cabin at Mt. Charleston to celebrate.

We love you and wish you all the best for the coming year!