2011 Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas!

It's snowing outside as I sit down to write this year's Holiday Letter--it seems rather appropriate. Life has been so busy, so hurried, that we find we almost have to force ourselves to slow down long enough to write. But slow down we must, we should, for it's Christmas--it's time to celebrate our family and friends and appreciate the central part they play in our lives.

We will have many happy memories of 2011. New Year's Day was also a chance to celebrate Christmas with the Clouse family. Great friends joined us for an adventurous trip to Costa Rica in March. I started building a small boat (a project that still continues), and our shed that was damaged the previous year in a storm was rebuilt better than ever. We had fun with family at the Elk Lake annual retreat in August, and survived another Father-Son backpacking outing in October. Buen Tiempo provided fair passage on a windy September sailing cruise. The hospital continued to grow with a new building addition and a new branch office.

We will also remember 2011 as the year we had to say goodbye to Granny. She lived a spirited life of 93 years and had an impact on all of us. Elk Lake will never be the same without her.

This year we celebrate Christmas locally. Betty will be joining us, and we'll gather with the rest of Kathy's side of the family for fun and feasting.

We look forward with excitement for the coming year and the promise of more fun, family and adventure. May 2012 be wonderful for all of you!

Steve and Kathy