Christmas Card 2008

Happy Holidays To All!

Where does the time go? Fall has passed and with the first storm of the season in full swing here in Oregon, winter has arrived. The time has come for the search from photos for my annual Christmas card and the search for words for my annual Christmas letter. I always love this time of year. I enjoy reconnecting with so many people via holiday cards. I look forward to the holidays, especially this year with two weeks in Coos Bay and Fortuna for Thanksgiving, and three weeks in Colorado with the ‘Denver Crew’ for Christmas and New Years. Not working and just being a student has its advantages.

The year has gone by so quickly. Up until the end of September I was working full-time and enrolled in the MBA program at George Fox University. I am now officially halfway through the program and looking forward to graduation in a year, but I am no longer working. Now it is time to figure out what to do when I grow up and have a graduate degree fast approaching. For now I am going to enjoy the holidays, ten hours of sleep a day, two hours a day at the gym and completing all my reading for class. I have been running on high octane fuel with full time work and full time school for the last five years, so I am going to enjoy the time I have now.

So 2008, in brief. January and February passed in a flash. I spent my 35th birthday in Colorado with the family at the end of March. We had a great time just hanging out. In April, I was flying again. This time to California for my cousin Will’s wedding to his longtime girlfriend, Nora. Laura, Sadie, Ryan, Mom and I had a fabulous time. California offered great springtime weather and the wedding was amazing. Congratulations Will and Nora! May passed quickly and the end of June brought a bit of heartache with the breakup of a relationship I had been involved in for almost a year with great guy. Right guy, wrong time. By July I was headed to Colorado again for the Fourth, and camping with the ‘Denver Crew’ and many of their friends. August came quickly and I was moving again. This time into my mom’s new house in Portland. She is still living in Gearhart for a couple of years, so I am renting her house from her for a couple of years. The situation works well for both of us. She has full access to the house at all times, rent for cash flow, and a renter who paints and keeps the house in order. And it’s big, so anyone is more than welcome anytime. I love the company and have guest rooms that need use. Three days after moving I was picking up the ‘Denver Crew’ at the airport in Portland and we were headed to Coos Bay for a family wedding. Brent and Patty got married on August 9th in Dad and Beth’s front yard. Congratulations Brent and Patty! It was a beautiful weekend, full of family and fun. We all had a great time reconnecting with so many and loved all the seafood. Thanks Dad, Uncle Bobby, and Matt for the ferrying and crabbing. A wedding on Saturday and crabbing (family style) on Sunday, it was really a perfect weekend. Family style is crabbing, cooking it fresh on the North Spit, cleaning cooked crab in the bay, and eating it warm. Delicious! September arrived quickly and I was back in Colorado again for a long weekend visit. October arrived and I enjoyed a relaxing month. Brent, Patty and Sazon came up for a visit over the Halloween weekend. Now November has arrived quickly and the holiday season is about to arrive in full swing.

As you can see I have no new nephews or a niece this year. I am enjoying being Aunt Amy and look forward to more kids to spoil. I am looking forward to what the coming year has to offer. Many new roads and paths are coming my way, and I am excited to see where they will take me.

I wish all of you a happy and safe holiday season. Have a wonderful 2009!