Christmas 1991
A true story. The computer died in late November. Not that I had started the letter yet, but by the time I recovered it was Easter and we weren't sending out cards. Not much happened that year that probably won't happen again to us or someone else. If you don't get this, it just means that you didn't miss last year's letter, so return this letter and we will cancel your subscription.
Christmas 1992
Dear Friends, Relatives and others whose handwriting we can't read:
Once again we bring you bold tales of events that probably never happened. To start off (actually to end off) we are going to be having another child (if you think I am kidding, you haven't seen Joan). It will be born in December (most likely), another girl (most likely) and I am sure we'll have more (NOT!).
This full year revolved around the TRIP. Yes we actually placed ourselves and the kids in a contained space of about 200 cubic feet, for periods of 10 to 14 hours, for days on end - things you should not do while operating any kind of machinery. We made a pilgrimage to Joan's roots in the Manitoba mud.
The entire first half of the year was spent deciding whether to go. Once we decided, we had two weeks to pack, two weeks for the trip and till now to recover. Next year we walk.
Sorry I couldn't send slides. Close your eyes and have someone read you the next few lines (if you don't like holiday pictures, go to the kitchen for some eggnog):
- Here we are up early at home, look hard you won't see this again for
a while.
-In Kamloops we force the kid's to eat lunch in the hot sun, beside a
waterslide but they can't go in.
-In Three Valley Gap we stop in the afternoon, wander around but all we
find is a motel so we book a room, swim in the pool and spend the night.
-Next day we're in the Calgary Zoo (no this isn't the part about the relatives).
We spend the night at Don & Marianne's. Visit with old friends, well
not too old.
-Then we head to Rosthern, stop at the Royal Dinosaur Museum, have lunch
in a quaint Alberta town at a Chinese restaurant that serves a mean grilled
cheese sandwich. Then spend the night at Cathy and Elmer's and go for
a ride on the town train.
-Next day head to Brandon, we just keep turning left and right until we
get there. Have pizza and chocolate milk at Pizza Hut (this wasn't a highlite
except that some kids decided we wanted to see their supper again).
-Couldn't find anywhere to crash, so we decided to make it to Altona.
On the way we stopped for the after dinner pizza show. Then the highway
wolf (RCMP) stopped our van on the road to grandma's house. I confessed,
was given a warning and told to watch for deer. This kept the kids occupied
till we got there.
-Joan's parents had arranged a Sunflower Festival in our honor. Parade,
pancake breakfast, music, concessions, the whole works. Then Grandpa breaks
his leg in a celebrity race. We survive, he survives, we celebrate their
anniversary, take family pictures, visit friends in Winnipeg and then
head home.
-The road home - a hotel with waterslide in Regina, a farm in Carstairs,
a Sandman in Kelowna and then home.(sweet home)(at last)(Yeah). Okay,
open your eyes and come back from the kitchen.
This trip was so good, four weeks later we went to Port Hardy. Had fun there too. On the way home we waited for a couple of ferries and Bethany burned her arm from hot coffee. Other events of note - I finished school (for now) although I don't seem to have any more time to spare. The kids get older and we get ready for another round of diapers. I am sure I was young once (at least I tell the kids that) but I am starting to like country music and that scares me. I guess I will have to settle in for a Christmas of Barbies, bikes and other bundles. Hopefully we have time to reflect the alternative (true) message of Christmas rather than absorb the hype that is thrown our way after having been weakened by the sugar/horror overdose of Hallowe'en.
As we expect our own babe, let us all recall the Babe of Christmas, His life, His teaching, His death and His resurrection. The best of the season (and it's reason). Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
John, Joan, Rachel, Bethany, Hannah, Tabitha and _____________
[] Sarah [] Natalie [] Abigail [] Lydia [] Ermagene
[] Isaac [] Ezra [] Silas [] Levi [] Bartholomew
P.S. If you send in your votes, you might be able to sway the voting on
the name (sorry gender has been determined but is not known).