Joseph

Joe decided not to go to college this fall, and instead focus on getting his mission papers completed in hopes of getting out in the mission field close to his birthday. We soon discovered that everything took twice as long as we expected to complete. But he persisted, and finished all the requirements, including having all 4 of his wisdom teeth removed. This was one of the funniest experiences we have had with Joe. After he came out of surgery, he was singing to the radio and waiving to people out of the car window. He entertained us for about half an hour before he went to sleep. It was only after he woke up and the anesthesia had worn off that we realized we should have video taped him. Probably could have made a lot of money on America's Funniest Home videos. Oh well, at least we have a good story for parties.

Right after Christmas, Joe finally received his mission call. He will be serving in the Colorado Denver South mission and will report to the MTC on March 5. He is very excited to start his mission, and is actively preparing for his new routine. His morning schedule includes a lengthy study period followed by exercise. Then he even helps me around the house. He has a strong testimony and we know he will be a great missionary!

Melissa

Melissa is an amazing woman. After a challenging year as coxswain on the woman's varsity rowing team, she decided she needed to leave the team and focus on Dance, which is her major at UT. Training with the team took a toll on her knees and prevented her from participating in some dance programs she would have liked to be in. She spent last summer working as a nanny and also returning as a counselor at the American Ballet Theatre's summer intensive at UT. She is now looking past graduation and making plans for life after UT. She has some amazing goals--we'll keep you posted as she reaches them.

Our kids

It is really hard to believe our kids are so grown up. Melissa is 21 and finishing up her Jr. year in college. Joe is 19 and waiting to leave on his mission (more on that to come). Rachel is a Jr. in high school. And Erin is in 8th grade. Where did the time go? They are all wonderful kids. We have truly been blessed to be their parents!

Greg and Cindy

Greg and I celebrated our 22nd anniversary in December. It is amazing that time has gone by so fast! We have been in Houston now for 16 1/2 yrs. Although we hate being so far from family, Houston is a great place to live and we have had a wonderful life here. Greg is still working for HP, and I believe he enjoys it most days. I got a new job in May as a reservations agent with Continental Airlines. It is a great job which gives me a lot of flexibility, allows me to work from home and comes with great perks! So Greg works to pay the bills and I work so we can travel. It is a system that is really working out well!

In December Greg and I were made the nursery leaders for our ward. It is a lot of fun to be with the little ones on Sunday. We definitely have some of the cutest kids in our ward. Greg is also serving as the Scout Committee Chairman and the Emergency Preparedness Specialist for our ward.

A family Christmas

This year we were blessed to have all of my family come to Houston for Christmas. It was the first time we have all been together for a couple of years. It was wonderful to be with extended family during the holiday season. Although it wasn't a white Christmas, it is hard to complain when you get to wear shorts in December.