December 2000

The leaves are falling like beautiful golden rain and there is a chill in the air, meaning that winter and the most blessed time of year are around the corner. It also means a time of reflection on the year that is ending and warm thoughts of family and friends.

The first year of the millennium brought many good times to all of us. Jenk has continued to be busy with the computer program at school, and thankfully a slightly lightened class load has meant fewer weekends away from home. He has spent much of his new-found time working on his family genealogy research.

Marc is in his second year at UCLA. He is working hard at his biochemisty studies and continues to enjoy playing his clarinet as a part of the marching and symphonic bands. In March he traveled to Notre Dame University in Indiana to play at the NCAA women’s tournament, and on the 26th he will be leaving to fly to Texas with the band to perform at the Sun Bowl.

Beth is buried in homework from her junior-year honors and advanced placement classes, but still manages to find time for a social life. This fall she became the assistant drum major of the marching band and helped direct her classmates at football games and band competitions. She also ran both track and cross country for her school team. She even completed her second half marathon, finishing in second place for her age group.

Patty has had another good year. She is thankful for her better health and enjoys keeping up with the rest of the family.

This summer Jenk, Patty and Beth spent four weeks traveling in the motorhome. After two weeks visiting relatives in Texas and Oklahoma we also toured Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado, where we spent 5 days in spectacular Rocky Mountain National Park. In the meantime Marc was working at Magic Mountain amusement park in the customer relations department. (He says he got paid to be yelled at by unhappy customers.) Then while Beth was in band camp, Jenk was teaching other teachers and Marc was working Patty flew to Boston to spend five wonderful days with her Dad’s best friend and his wife.

The four of us join together to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.