It was great to receive all your letters!  Even though I am late, I will
send one.
Our Christmas was a different one, but wonderful.
We became great grandparents!  We are so happy for the Jensens!
Christmas Eve with the Jetts minus LeeAnn was sad, but we had a pretty good
time anyway.  Many thanks to the Jetts for making a caroling stop with me.
Then Christmas day without seeing the Santa loot at the J.Johansons was
hard, but flying to St. George and having Christmas dinner with GreatGrandpa
and the Buchanans was lovely.
The many activities in St.George - shopping with Great Grandpa, attending
the temple, playing with the Buchanan and S.Johanson's Christmas toys, going
bowling, eating Linda's good food, Brian's farewell - will be in our
memories all year!
We came home on the "red eye" New Year's Eve day, rested a while and then
went to Joe's for a buffet and to see their toys.  Tyler said it wouldn't be
right if we didn't come and bring our party hats and noisemakers.  He had
his pans all set up and ready.  WE didn't stay till midnight.
We had about 4" of snow on the 2nd.  We were at the temple.  It was so
beautiful.  The temple closed on the 3rd because it was too icy for workers
and patrons to drive.  We got a puzzle to work in our little apartment and
were cozy.
A young family in our had their house burn to the ground a few days after
Christmas.  She woke up to what she thought was hail on the roof, but when
she looked out the window, it was the crackling of flames.  They quickly got
their four little girls out of the house and Jack put the hose on the house,
but it was gone in about 20 minutes.  Fireman said they had guardian angels
that protected them.  The ward and community have rallied around them as
best they could.  You can imagine how they are still emotionally unstable.
It has made us more aware of a few things I wanted to share with you.  She
lost much genealogy.  Be sure you have a backup disc of your work at a
location outside your home.
Think about a fireproof safe to keep pictures and those kind of
irreplaceable things.  WE are.  Check your fire insurance to make sure it is
sufficient to replace your home and furnishings.   They are not going to get
enough to cover rebuilding.  They had sufficient to cover furnishing, but
the insurance company is being picky about value.  Keep up to date pictures
of your furnishings, etc.
Last week our RS had a special enrichment night where they tied a quilt for
Ruth and Jack and everyone brought a can of food to help rebuild their food
storage.
While I was at Grandpa's I found a book I had given to Grandma some years
ago.  It is titled "In Love With Eloquence"  It has some wonderful classic
sayings and some not so well known.  I asked my Dad if I could have it.  I
may occasionally quote from it as -
" God, who gave us life, gave us liberty.  Can the liberties of a nation be
secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are a gift
from God?"  Thomas Jefferson
We love you all.  WE love working at the temple.  Go often.  It helps keep
the eternal perspective alive.  In this month's Ensign someone commented
about the joy of a righteous posterity.  A visitor from SLC church temple
department spoke to us recently and similarly said that our greatest joy is
in the righteous lives of our children.  We feel great joy in having all of
you as our posterity.  WE bear testimony to you youth that true happiness
comes only by living the gospel.  Live lives that will bring you to the
temple.  Therein lies power to succeed in your goals on earth and eternally.
Much love,

Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad, Lee and JoAnn

January 2001