2001

GREETINGS FRIENDS,

Last year was such a bad year, I decided to put off writing the Holiday letter until the new year when we can feel like laughing again. Despite what the kids say, I am NOT lazy. That's my story and I’m sticking to it.

Nicole is now 13, in 8th grade and looking less like her dad and more like an attractive young lady. An animal lover, she’s doing her best to turn the place into a barn with hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, dogs and horses roaming about. Her room is comfortable for animals but unbecoming of a young lady. We are hoping the odors of the dirty little rodents continues to repel boys for a few more years. She won third place in the state dog show - I mean Molly won, Nicole just got the glory and collected the money (he he he, nicole got hold of the christmas letter, I(nicole) did the handling though). She signed up for wrestling with her friend who asked “Nicole, what is wrestling anyway, is that where you hit each other?” Fortunately, that only lasted a few days, until they were asked to be the managers.

Joseph is getting ready for college and working in possibly the only place where his sense of humor (inherited from me) is appreciated - a retirement community. The little old ladies think he is such a cutie. He is having a great senior year playing football and the star of his ceramics class. He will graduate this year and head off to Katie College. He’s counting down the days with only 4.5 years until his wedding. Already very domestic, Joseph managed to cook a turkey dinner for the Homeless on Thanksgiving. When he went to serve the dinner with the youth group, he cooked the van. Then one of the adults yelled “it’s going to blow”, thirty kids hit the dirt. Fortunately there was no explosion, just some melted metal and a battery in flames; nothing compared to melting the school parking lot when he was in charge of the homecoming bon-fire.

Since Michael left for college, we have forgotten what he looks like. All we see of him now is his feet and his back. We see his feet sticking out from underneath the car and sticking out the bottom of the bed. Then occasionally we get a glimpse of his back as he is walking out the door. Michael continues to amaze us with outstandingly average academic achievement. Besides, the real reason for college is to learn to live like a college kid - right? Whereas no effort is too little when it comes to academics, no effort is too great in generating a laugh. As he is growing up, he is beginning to realize older is harder, not easier, and he has his share of problems with money, cars, and girls than I have had in my entire life (and I’m almost twice his age). Next year, things will change. He will try owning one car, having three girlfriends and no money. The no money thing seems to be a constant. The best man at Derrick’s wedding, Michael managed to change the mood during the solemn occasion by spitting the wedding ring out of his mouth and handing it to Derrick.

Derrick, after getting married to Elizabeth Greene (Biz) on a hot dry June day with a wet ring, rented a place in Bellevue and began looking for a job. He plans on making a living as a freelance writer; truly an outstanding writer, many believe he takes after his dad. However, many of these same people think he may starve to death before he makes a dime. He is driving cars in the meantime to make ends meet and is looking for other high paying, flexible jobs with little responsibility or commitment. Biz is working at Starbucks (one of the top jobs in WA state) to contribute to finances but dreams of becoming a professional cowgirl. I think she is still a little bewildered by our family and every once in a while I catch her trying to get Michael’s germs off of her ring.

When the family visited Disneyland this year, the kids were a bit amazed at how many rides Bobette went on. She ran from ride to ride and when the kids were all sick and wanted to go home, she wouldn’t leave. As they carried her from the park you could hear her mumbling about not wanting to leave the happiest place on earth. I think all the Bazaar crafts have finally gotten to her. Bobette is leading the family in the contest to own the most possessions. She buys them, cleans them, hides them, finds them, worries about them, guards them, insures them, shines them, loses them and gives them away. I think our family is winning.

My job is to work harder to make sure we can afford all the possessions. There are some things you get better at as you get older. I am definitely getting better at crushing the garbage into the garbage can. Occasionally I sneak some of Bobette’s stuff in there to get rid of. Seriously, I feel very blessed with a loving family that always makes life interesting, a wife who is creative, beautiful, and capable, and a house that is free of bazaar craft people more than 350 days a year.

God bless you all, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts and the word of God dwell richly within you.

The Washington State SCHEIDS,2001