1987

GREETINGS FRIENDS,

It's time to celebrate the birth of our Savior, fight huge crowds of obnoxious people so we can throw our money away on things we don't really want or need and write tacky form letters to all your closest friends and relatives.

This has been our year of vacationing and expansion. Since our last christmas the whole family has gone to the carribean on a week long cruise, gone to Minnesota for a week on a house boat, and Bobette went to Europe with her brother Charles and her mother. The family has been expanding also. I have gotten heavier as has Bobette and the kids.

In fact Bobette expanded so much we were mistified until she had a baby girl, Nicole Marie. That was a relief. So the family is now six and there is no longer anny doubt that we are completely out of control. Bobette quit her job as church secretary so she could spend more time with the kids. Now she spends all her time dressing Nicole in different outfits and laughing at her and checking her diapers to make sure she hasn't suddenly been changed into a boy. Poor Nicole will either grow up to be a clown or an exibitionist.

Bobette is pretty well finished wallpapering the houuse except for a few spots. If anyone has a good idea for what kind of wallpater goes goo inside the refrigerator please let us know, Bobette is looking for some.

Derrick is now 10 years old and is becoming a real good athelete and a real wise guy. His basketball team lost the championship game by one point and his baseball team won their championship game by a long shot. But, he seems to be getting a big head from all of this and is pretty quick with the wise cracks. His teacher suggested that we reward him if he can make it through a week without verbally attacking the teacher. It seems that he has discovered girls, but he hasn't figured out what they are yet.. When he had some of his friends for a sleepover, they spent most of the night calling girls. We try to protect him by telling him that girls will just make you work real hard kind of like your teacher does. Since all of his teachers have been women, he seems to believe our lies. Constant complaints about all the homework in fifth grade ensure us he's learning alot.

Michael has grown a lot in the last year. He's seven years old and in second grade. in first grade now and has got a mind of his own and it always seems to be on a different track than the rest of the world. He's the kind of person that never hides his feelings and is usually feeling pretty good. One day he said to me "DAD" as he was jumping up and down, flailing his arms about, concentrating on three different things at the same time, "This must have been my lucky day, I got to drink out of a real glass at dinner tonight." That's pretty typical of Michael. He also has a pretty short attention span. One day he was highly distressed when his bike was stolen. But then he forgot and didn't tell us until dark. Michael is not a scholar but will either become one or grow up not knowing what a TV is. I think he will have to survive on wit and good looks.

Joseph is a tough nut to crack. This is may be the kid that breaks his parents. He seems to get his way more than he should and has survived so far on charm. Either his time is limited or mine is. He is doing very well in pre-school, he got all A's the first semester and he loves his teacher. Of course I knew he would (she's young and attractive). One day when I was late picking him up he had a few words with me about promptness. The next day he said that it was OK to be late, he would just walk home by himself (on his way he was going to stop at Wild World which was 30 miles away). I thought little of this, just a little boy's imagination. But sure enough he made a break for it and got out of his room and half way down the hall before he was apprehended. I later found out his route was well planned, he just misjudged distance.

I'm having a good year immersing myself in little league coaching. So far I've only lost a couple of games but I'm getting ready for the next basketball season. Work still isn't my cup of tea but it's getting better. I was selected for Commander and might even make it in this century if the budget loosens up. I'm afraid that I've worked my way into a job that no one else knows how to do or wants. The rest of my time is taken up with Church activities and house projects.

Pray for us and if you're snowed in this Christmas, think of us as we sail the Carribean soaking up the sun. Have a Merry Christmas and remember that Jesus is the reason for the season, and may God be with you. THE SCHEIDS