1963

December 9, 1963

Hi!

Looking back at last year's letter, I see that I wrote that on the same date. What a rut! Or maybe it is just that I'm so well organized.

Dawn and Mark are so excited about so many things this time of the year. It's just fun to listen to them bubble, and tiresome at times answering all the questions. Dawn is in first year primary at school, learning how to read, do her numbers, and print. She is doing just fine. Her big excitement at the moment is the school Christmas program which the Grandmas and Mamas are invited to observe - she sings a solo; she has a sweet voice and quite a bit of musical ability - all inherited from her Daddy. Mark's excitement seems to be new every day. Today it is that we are going to put together our "Christmas train" which holds our Christmas cards, but it is so hard to wait until Dawn gets home from school. Tomorrow it will be something else.

Next Sunday is our Sunday School Christmas services at church. The Primary Dept. is again part of the morning worship service, and I for one will be relieved when it is over. The 100 students have really learned their songs this year, though, so I'm hoping that they sing them on Sunday. Mark's is in the afternoon.

Being principal of the Primary Dept. of S.S. and Devotional Leader in my Circle has been the extent of my activities at church this year. This is Vince's third and last year as a Trustee. It has been a busy year for him, too. The church bought new pews and floor covering and, with a project like that in progress there is always extra things to be done.

We have been on the go some this year, too. The last week of June and the first week of July we locked the office doors, and drove out to Salt Lake City to visit Vince's brother, Lyle and family. We had such a nice time and saw so many interesting things. While there, Vince and Lyle drove to south Utah for a fishing trip up in the mountains. It was so cold they slept in every bit of clothes they had with them, but they came home with about 30 nice trout. On our way home, we took the long way and drove through the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. We stayed in Jackson, Wyoming one night and in Cody, Wyo. another night. Beautiful country!

I spent a week this last summer visiting my folks at Windom. It was such fun to go gadding every day and visit with so many old (of long standing) friends that I just don't get a chance to see on our short weekend jaunts. Think Mom and I just about wore Dawn and Mark out, but every day they were game to go visit someone else.

Besides trips to the Mississippi for fishing, and of course, to the local trout streams Vince took a long weekend the first weekend in October and with three other fishing enthusiasts drove up to Kenora, Canada. Then they boated about thirty miles further into the wilds and fished for three days and came back with quite a bit of northern pike. Vince caught the biggest one - the way I hear it is that he caught four that together weighed 37 pounds, the biggest one was 11 1/2 pounds. He hasn't done too well at pheasant hunting this fall, but he again has a deer license so next weekend he hopes to get a deer. We again went to the State Dental Convention in Des Moines last spring, the Dental District Meeting in Dubuque in September, Homecoming at Iowa City in October, plus Vince spent a couple of days at the Minnesota University taking in a dental seminar.

We are thankful to God for His bountiful blessings another year - we have had no serious illinesses or accidents. Business has been good - in fact Vince has hired a dental hygenist to help him take care of the many patients he has. Now we are looking forward to the birth of our third child - expected about the end of March. Time will tell if we will go to the Midwinter Meeting in Chicago in February, or at least if I will be able to go.

May the Christ who laid in the Cradle, the Christ who died on the Cross, the Christ who wore the Crown of Victory over death fill you with His joy and peace.

Sincerely,