2009

I am sorry I haven't sent Christmas wishes for awhile. Most of you are aware that in 2007 Dean started to have some serious health problems. With his passing away in April 2008 It has been difficult for me to get Christmas notes off. I hope you will all understand.

May your Christmas be happy this year. It is a wonderful time to remember the life of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and all that he did for us. It is a great comfort to me to know that through him we can again be with our loved ones.
I would like to bring you up to date on the happenings of our family.

2008 brought us the joy of having identical twin boys born to Melinda (Barbara and David's oldest) and Garry Carlson. These boys were a miracle birth. It was discovered they had TTTS. Melinda and Garry went to Cincinnati for a special surgery and home to Albuquerque for bed rest until they arrived. Stockton Marc and Logan Dean were born in May weighing in at 2 lbs. 4 oz. and 3 lbs. 7 oz. Barbara spent most of the first of the year with them coming to Utah long enough to see Dean and later for the funeral. Their sister Ellie loves her brothers and they are growing well. They are now living in Saratoga Springs. Barbara and David are still in Idaho Falls. They have their daughter April and her children, Caleb and Leanora, living with them. Rebecca (#3 daughter) married Steven Seipert in May 2009 in the Rexburg Temple. They live in the East Bay California area. Daughter(#4) Camille graduated from BYU-I this December.

Ruth(Richard) is still in Bountiful. On June 4th 2009 she had open heart surgery to remove a tumor. The day after she came home from the hospital she sent their youngest son Jonathan off to the LDS California Sacramento Mission. In February 2009 Megan and Richard (#2 child) had their 4th boy, Sean Jay, joining Carter, Maxston and Ethan. They live in Farmington. Katrina(#1) has a cute condo in North Salt Lake. Joseph (#3) married Marie Ashcroft in June 2009 in the Bountiful Temple. I have the blessing of having them with me in our apartment. They are a great help.

Sarah and Nick now live in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Nick is at Central Michigan University doing research in cognitive psychology and teaching some classes. Sarah is busy with the boys, Daniel and Samuel. She is very involved at their schools and is on the board for the new Mt. Pleasant Childrens Museum.
I am so pleased to have all my family active and busy in the Church.

As for me I had a little accident in June 2009, falling in my kitchen and breaking my neck, 1c & 2c vertebrae. I was very fortunate that it did not sever the spinal cord. I had an excellent Doctor at the University of Utah Medical Center that did the surgery. I spent the next 12 weeks living 24/7 in a hard collar. I recuperated at Orchard Cove in Bountiful for 8 weeks. It was wonderful to return home! I had much help from family until I could do things myself. Wonderful neighbors also were here to help. I finally was able to drive after 6 months and get myself to where I had to go. Joseph and Marie are a great help to me.

Sorry to make this so long but we have had many things happening, both good and not so good. We know we have had our loved ones close by even if we can't see them. They have helped us through the difficult times. Our Family is looking forward to a much less stressful 2010. I hope you all have a merry Christmas and enjoy the new year and all is well with you and your loved ones.