Ted and Melinda 2011

Dear Family and Friends,
    We greet you with warmest wishes at this wonderful time of the year.  We love the sweetness of this Christmas season when our thoughts turn to the things that matter most in our lives: the gospel, the Savior, our family, and friends. As we contemplate the goodness of the Lord to our family this year, we are overwhelmed by the many miracles, small and large, that have come to us. We are grateful for those precious events and tender mercies and recognize from whence they came. 
    There were many other things this past year that kept us busy and provided opportunities and blessings. Ted sold his insurance business and is now having more time to pursue other things. He says the problem with retirement is, “There are no days off.”  In August he was called to serve as first counselor in a Young Single Adult Ward Bishopric.  Melinda is still teaching first grade and loving it.  In August she was also called to serve in a Young Single Adult Stake as a counselor in a Relief Society Presidency.  We love working with the college age young people.
     Melinda’s oldest brother, Alan, passed away last January. We all loved Alan as a great spiritual influence in our lives.  Her brother Bryce sang the same song at his funeral that he sang at Alan and Joyce’s wedding reception 57 years prior.  Melinda accompanied him on the piano instead of Mom this time, who always accompanied the performances.
      Our family had a great time last summer at Bryce Canyon, and we went on a few motorcycle trips. Ted and Melinda celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in August and had a fun trip to Southern California. Ted, Melinda, Tyler and his son Jordan (Mandy was home with a new baby), Lisa and Jon, and Mandy’ s parents along with friends traveled to Israel in October. We had always dreamed of visiting the Holy Land, especially since some of our children and spouses had studied there at the Jerusalem Center.  It was fabulous and deepened our appreciation and love of the Savior.  We also spent some time in Petra, Jordan and Paris, France.
    We send our love to all of you and your families.  We are enriched because of our association with you. May all your hopes and dreams for the New Year be realized.  And may every day bring you joy and new adventures.

                        Ted and Melinda

Ted and Melinda 2010

 

This year has been wonderful for Ted and Melinda. We have been able to renew old friendships, make new ones, and enjoy the love of a good family. We added a new grandson, and we look forward to another granddaughter to be born in 2011. Our children all live in Utah County now, and so we have the blessing of spending time with the cutest grandchildren in the world. Ted ‘s Allstate Insurance Office keeps him busy, as well as his calling as High Priest Group Leader, and his work as SUU National Alumni Vice-President. Melinda still teaches first grade and loves to have a grandchild, McKenna, attending the same school.  She was just released as Ward Young Women President (which seemed more like a wonderful career than merely a calling).  Melinda and Lisa occasionally do wedding flowers as a fun hobby. We have been able to spend time riding our motorcycle.  We especially love riding to Bryce Canyon, our favorite National Park. In September Ted and Melinda rode a 4-wheeler to the site in Southern Utah where the pioneers cut a hole in the sandstone rock to construct a passage down to the Colorado River (a truly amazing feat). On Thanksgiving Melinda’s brothers and their families enjoyed a wonderful dinner together in Beaver, where there were 80 in attendance.  This December we had a great time with some of our children in Disney World. We finished reading the Book of Mormon by the end of the year (a challenge from our Stake President).  We love the Lord, the gospel, our heritage, and our family and friends.  May every wish of your heart be a reality in this new year- 2011.