Mike here! This is my assignment... kinda like the annual newsletter was my assignment. Which I missed this year, due to significant family changes. What did WE do this year for Christmas you ask? We added 3 new family members! Well, okay, not all at once. It just FELT that way.

It started with Dana. She met, fell in love with, and became engaged to Brian Peterson. The date they chose to seal their love? The Friday before Thanksgiving. So with just less than four months, we had a wedding and a reception to plan; all, including the bride, almost 700 miles away. Oh, and an open house, too.

Then Jon decided to get into the act. His story began two years previously, with an attractive young woman whose first name he could never remember. Fast forward 18 months to Poland, where touring with the folk dancers, she was assigned to be their translator. He had no problem with her first name this time: Sister Stone. (In case you are curious about now, her first name is Amelia) A few months later, back at the Y, they compared notes and liked very much what they saw, so much so that it seemed appropriate to be married. The Friday after Christmas in Saint George.

Then there was Jordan. Not to be left out in the cold, he fell head over heals for a Canadian, Mandee Sabey. I think he would have liked to be married on Valentine's day, but in Canada, that IS out in the cold. Her patience prevailed and they chose to be married May 30th.

So there you have it ~ three weddings in six months, two states and two countries. But Spencer is still with us. He assures us he will stay forever. But it's a fib... he is gearing up to leave in a couple of years on his mission by getting in two or three practice sessions a week with our local missionaries.

And the two of us? I just try to keep the pathway cleared for Julie, and she already has her list of the next projects and trips and everything that needs to be done first. And we're both just as happy as can be!