Happy New Year 2012!!

I am excited that I no longer feel compelled to list what I did for the last month on each blog I write, since I wrote my History and gave copies to my children for Christmas. They are all adults now and can “write” their own from here on out – especially since their lives will inevitably go in different directions. With that said – I will blog about a few things that happened in my life during the last few weeks.

I DID finish my Master’s Degree! I AM SO GLAD. Also, I did get a cortisone shot in my hip and I only have a twinge of pain every once in awhile. It is wonderful. Of course, they say there’s no telling how long it will last – weeks, months, or even years. I’m hoping for ‘years’.

And, we did have lots of company over the holidays. First, Ingrid, Jeff and Kalvin came for 4 days over Christmas weekend. It was so good to visit with them. Ingrid has been working out and is looking great. Jeff was having a bit of pain in his back again (he had surgery last year) so he was trying to take it easy. And Kalvin is just a cutie! He really is a very good baby. They also brought their two dogs.

We talked to Jesse on Christmas (who was staying a little west of Topeka for the holiday) and everything seems to be going well for him and Amanda. We got to Skype with Dylan in Ohio on

Christmas afternoon. It was wonderful. He is growing in his testimony by leaps and bounds, it seems. Heidi was here for the opening of gifts in the morning, but she had to work that afternoon and evening, so she missed the phone call. Tyler, my mom, and my sister Connie got to talk to him, though.

Then, a few days after Christmas the Wood family came for a visit.There was Dan, his wife Naira, 10 year old son Arman, 8 year old daughter Monja, and Naira’s mother. His wife and mother-in-law are from Armenia. They had a lot of fun seeing some sites around Salt Lake and we tagged along for some of it. Originally, they were going to leave Sunday morning, but they decided to leave on Saturday morning and stay in Las Vegas on their way back to L.A. It was a really nice visit and we enjoyed it a lot.

So, for New Year’s Eve we ended up going out to dinner with Ralph and Sandy Edson at Tucano’s Brazilian restaurant. Then we went back to their place and visited and played a game. We were home and in bed by the time midnight rolled around, but we could hear fireworks going off outside.

We really feel like last year ended very well for us – Randy’s Meniere’s disease has gone back into remission after his surgery and subsequent steroids being shot through his eardrum, his work is going well, I finished my Master’s degree and it is all paid for, I no longer limp from the pain when I walk, and all our kids seem to be doing well. We look forward to 2012. Bring it on . . !