Waning Days of Fall and the First Taste of Winter

The last of our trees have shed their leaves and our neighbors are again visible through the bare branches. We have entered late fall and Thanksgiving has come and gone. Yesterday we cut and hauled home our Christmas tree from the tree farm and today winter is announcing its arrival with the first snowfall of the season. Here are some highlights since our last blog:

Trip to Utah

The first weekend in October, Dad and I were able to enjoy a great conference weekend in Utah which was really our excuse to visit Nicole and Jeff and Ashley and Ryan. Arriving mid-day on Friday, we got our first look at Nicole's and Jeff's sweet nest in the married student housing just a block from the Provo temple in Wymount Terrace. We were able to get tickets for the BYU-Utah State football game that evening and as we waited at Brick Oven for our pizza order, we clearly saw from all the blue t-shirts that we were definitely in Cougarville. As usual, our high-priced tickets landed us with choice seats in the end zone five rows from the top of the stadium but at half-time, Nicole led us to some empty seats in the student section next to her, Jeff, Ashley, and Ryan and close to the field. It's always fun to see BYU win and we were proud to see Jeff and Nicole have the honor of shooting off the ROTC cannon (appropriately named "George Q.") to celebrate the fifth BYU touchdown.

Saturday we were off to the Conference Center where we met up with Dave and Michael and had a chance to visit with Dave's parents. While Dad and Jeff attended the priesthood session, Nicole and I did some grocery shopping to stock her pantry a bit and for our Sunday dinner.

Sunday morning found us all again at the Conference center, this time with the addition of Ashley, Ryan, and Ryan's brother Spencer. Afterward, we returned to Provo and were able to put together a credible Sunday dinner at our Residence Inn suite and sit cozily together to take in the last conference session.

Football Season

As a true-blue Cougar fan, Dad schedules his Saturdays around BYU's football schedule. Each Saturday game day finds us in front of the television either at home or at Holly's, depending on which of us receives the cable station broadcasting the game. Dad has been known to express wonderment that any ward event or wedding reception could possibly have been scheduled to conflict with such an important event as a BYU game.

Holly and Dave Go to Las Vegas

With Holly taking the opportunity for a brief vacation while Dave did some business in Las Vegas, Mom and Dad got to have Reed and Sadie as house guests for four days. What fun! But what changes in our routines! We were fixing kid-oriented meals rather than adult food, driving kids to school, picking them up, mopping and picking up the house far more frequently, playing games, supervising bedtime routines, and then dropping our weary bones on the sofa at the end of the day. How did we ever do this full time? Of course, the reward was in having the pleasure and company of two extremely sweet-faced, charming, and cheerful children to love and to care for.

To Holly's credit, it took several adults to manage what she does daily: besides us, a caretaker for Molly, helpers to put Molly on and take her off her schoolbus, and the Daly family that hosted Michael.

Brett runs another marathon

Brett took a quick trip to New York City to complete yet another marathon (number 9) -- this one (with apologies to Boston) he declared a most spectacular venue in which to run. While this was not his personal best, we all think his running time of 3:54 was very impressive.

Sara and Ian are homeowners

After a long process of much searching and interminable paperwork, Sara and Ian closed on their first home at 2622 Longfellow Avenue and now have the joys of home ownership. After a month of carting over many boxes, moving heavy furniture, and working with contractors to remodel the kitchen and bathroom, they were able to complete the move by December 1st.

Dinner with Sisters Stephens, Lant, and Dalton

Dad tends to be rather low-key about church assignments and I tend to be oblivious to what is going on. He had mentioned that on November 13 we had the responsibility to be the host for a general Relief Society board member who would be coming to teach some training meetings for all the stakes in our mission. Finally, the day before Mom pinned Dad down what our schedule would be: we were to pick up Sister Carol Stephens, who would be coming from Philadelphia, at the BWI train station, take her to the stake Relief Society president's house for lunch, participate in a focus group meeting with her at our stake, and then drive her to Frederick stake for more meetings where she, Sister Cheryl Lant (the general Primary president), and Sister Elaine Dalton (the general Young Women president) would be giving training meetings. As we pulled up to the train station, I asked Dad, "Will you be able to recognize Sister Stephens?" Dad answered, "Sure, she'll be with Sister Lant, and Sister Dalton." (Fortunately, just a few minutes later, Frederick stake President and Sister Suhaka drove up to escort those sisters to their meetings).

Later that evening, we had the enjoyable privilege of sharing dinner with all of the aforementioned and Elder Ralph Hardy of the Seventy. All three sisters were delightful to meet and we marvel how well they manage their exhausting schedules.

Ward boundary change

We will be moving into the new Clarksville chapel within the month and last Sunday, we had a long-awaited four-ward special meeting to announce the boundary changes. The Catonsville ward received a new name -- the Ellicott City ward and gained our members who lived in the Centennial and Running Brook neighborhoods -- the Spencers, Crosbys, Moessings, Frenches, Heisers, Hendersons, Beada Hill, and Elmores. Our ward, Columbia First, picked up a small area portion of the Olney ward in Howard county along Mink Hollow Road and a several families from the Savage Mill ward -- Brain Meshkin and family and Alex and Jeff Franco family among them. Boundaries were also realigned between Columbia Second, Ellicott City, and Savage Mill. Mom had not considered how sad it would be to see dear friends moved to new wards. Dad came home from church about five hours later and said he had fewer tears to dry than expected. In his talk, Dad emphasized the great amount of prayer and study that went into the changes.

Another Fine Thanksgiving

This year we enjoyed another fine feast that included Dave's uncle Dee and aunt Nadine and their son Jeremy and his wife Valerie. As always, we wish we could have had Brett, Lisa and Brian and family, Sara and Ian, and Nicole and Jeff.

We were especially blessed in having Ashley and Ryan here for the holiday. We wish we could keep them here always and were very sad to see them return to Provo.

First Snow

Our first snow of the season fell on December 5. According to the forecast, it will be shortlived and will be all gone by morning.

A Thought From Dad

On Thanksgiving day I gave thanks as I was thinking about how grateful I am to be your father and grandfather. I am really blessed to have such a wonderful posterity. Our family was really blessed this year with the addition of Ian and Jeff. Thank you all for warming my heart. I love you all with a love which is eternal.