Monday afternoon
December 7, 1970
Today as I sit before my typewriter preparing to write our annual Christmas letter I look at the date and see that it is "Remember Pearl Harbor" Day. And it reminds me as we enter Advent season and approach Christmas, our slogan should be to remember Jesus Christ. Remember He whose birth we celebrate; Remember Him - the greatest of all gifts! And as we give our gifts and receive others' gifts, to do so in His Spirit of Love. Merry Christmas!
We don't have a big trip to a lovely island or a far-off paradise to tell you about this year. Our travels last summer were only as far as Brainerd for a two-week stay at a cottage on a lake. We have been spending the past year traveling - in our area - sharing our slides and experiences of the previous summer. In fact, we still, have a couple of engagements to fill in the next two months. Each time we show them and tell about Anguilla it is almost like going back again. Our summer's experiences on the island have followed us in a peculiar way. Luther College has granted to Eleanor (Peggy) Bynoe, an Anguillan, a scholarship; and so she is enrolled as a freshman at the College. Several organizations and individuals have helped contribute to her support. We are trying to be her family away from home - so we see her quite often. She shares with us her good news as well as her bad. Peggy is quite a singer and has been doing some solo work when her studies permit. She will be with us this Thursday to sing for our ALCW Christmas party.
Each year brings some gladness, some sorrow, it seems. My younger brother, Averland, passed away last March - he had suffered with lung cancer for about a year - and we grieve our loss at his death. But we are comforted by being able to be with him some of his last three weeks (as he was hospitalized in Minneapolis) and by knowing that he died in peace, realizing that Jesus Christ is the Forgiver of all sins and the Giver of eternal life.
Otherwise, we are pretty much the same. We see Vince's oldest brother, Spence, and his family, every once in a while. Steve was confirmed in October, so we were to Mason City to help him observe that. Vince was one of Steve's sponsors at Baptism. Lyle, Vince's other brother, was here for a visit Memorial Day weekend and it was so good to visit with him again. Thinking of my brother being gone now, it seems more important to get together with one's family - we just never know about tomorrow. Vince's folks are much the same. They still live in the apartment down the block from us and get along as well as we can expect. We try to get to Windom to visit my folks, but the trips are short and sweet and not as often as we'd (I'd) like. It is fun when we are all there - and we plan to be again during the Holidays.
Our children are growing up faster than we would like to admit - Dawn is a teenager now and in eighth grade. She is involved in so many things - piano, flute, Girl Scouts, 2nd year confirmation. And she is beginning to notice that maybe boys aren't all nuisances. Mark is almost as busy but he has dropped Boy Scouts. He started on the trombone, so he also quit the piano. But he was manager for the 7th grade football team, and is now on the 7th grade basketball team, and in 1st year confirmation. Arik is 6 and in the first grade. He is so enthused since he now can read. Jené is 4 and anxiously waiting for next year so she can go to kindergarten. She goes to Wednesday Church School so she doesn't feel completely left out. She still checks at Mayo every 6 months, and is doing fine.
I am still principal of the Wed. Church School, have been Bible Study leader in my circle, and served on the nominating committee for ALCW (I think that is almost as bad as being president). Vince is resting a year from Sr. Choir but is still teaching 10th grade boys in the Hi School Bible Dept. They have a really, going department. He belongs to the Lions, and to Symra, a local literary society, and with his dental groups keeps busy. His latest excitement is his motorcycle. He bought a Honda 350 this fall and really enjoys it. He is the envy of all the neighborhood kids and they have all had rides. He stlll hunts and fishes and both Mark and Arik like to go along. In fact, we all go fishing. You should have seen Jené's face when we were out fishing once while on vacation. She was pulling in one bluegill after another and having a ball. And if you ask her yet, "Who is the best fisherman of all?" she will answer, "Me!"
As ever,
Vince and Verla,
Dawn, Mark, Arik and Jené
Verla Williams
Showing posts with label Averland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Averland. Show all posts
Friday, March 18, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
1968
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas to you, you, you, you! That's our greeting to you in the voice of Jene as she sits on the davenport, sings and bounces her head!
Another year has come and gone and all too quickly. We seem to be as busy as always, only with a few different jobs. I'm principal of the Wednesday Church School this year, and so every Wednesday morning, Arik, Jene and I rush off to church. (Jené stays in the nursery with another little girl whose mother teaches.) We have two dozen energetic and eager three and four year olds who are busy learning Christmas songs. Our group is not in a Christmas program or service but we have invited our mothers to come next Wednesday to our birthday party for Jesus, so we will sing for them then.
Dawn is in sixth grade and Mark is in fifth grade - both of them enjoy school. Mark has started playing basketball. He had a game the other night during the half of the sophomore game. He loves sports and bemoans the fact that he is so small. Maybe his interest in music will win out-he likes piano and does real well. Dawn is getting to be real good at the piano. She is in sixth grade band, but I don't hear her practicing her flute very often. Both of them are in Scouts and in the church choir - too much doing too much of the time! Arik, 4, and Jené, 2, keep busy just keeping busy! Mark and Dawn were asked to sing at the Birthday Party for the Retirement Center last week. Arik and Jené sang with them - at least they stood up there and pretended. All four are real hams and love to perform!
And of course, Vince is like us and the rest of the world - busy, too. He isn't teaching Bethel this year, but he is teaching in the High School Bible Department and enjoys it. The principal is terrific! Vince has 10th grade boys and sometimes wonders if he gets to them at all. He sings in the choir yet, and with his practice and his dental meetings, etc., fishing and hunting some, his time is occupied. His mother is not too well and so we've tried to do what we can to be of help to his folks.
We thought, and perhaps with some envy, of the Bethel teachers and the marvelous tour they took in November. We had originally signed up to go on the Holy Land Tour, but when the final definite decision had to be made, we were faced with new challenges and so withdrew. By next year perhaps I will be able to tell you about "our trip" which we will, by then, have taken.
Our trips this year have been short and sweet - Vince took two jaunts to Canada for some fishing, one week in June (when I took the kids and went to visit my folks on the farm) and the other over Labor Day weekend. I had told him he couldn't go in September because he wouldn't be home for our anniversary; in his absence he sent me a dozen roses! We spent a week at Heruth's cottage on Gull Lake in August and really enjoyed a leisurely rest. Dawn, Mark and Arik had such fun! (Jené stayed with Grandpa and Grandma Blakey.) My sister, Sharon, was married the end of June so we were to Windom for that. Pam, my other sister, and I were both in the wedding party as was my brother Averland. My other brother was an usher, Vince was the soloist, Dawn was a gift runner.
Pam moved to Decorah about ten days before the wedding and started working at Luther College - it is fun to have her here. She has a small apartment on the West Side, but drops in every once in a while. She is handy when we need a sitter.
To get back to our trips - we attended the annual State Meeting in Des Moines, and the annual homecoming football game in Iowa City. We enjoyed visiting with the Dresslhaus', home from Venezuela this summer and hope to see them again before they go back. We looked for the Cahalans from Des Moines but missed them (or they missed us). Would it ever be fun to have the Mitchells from Ohio, The Thomas' from Massachusetts or the Daniels' from Houston come this way. We haven't seen them in a long, long time!
Our family has really grown this year - no, no new little ones, but we did acquire a new brother-in-law. And Vince's two nieces were both married this year: Linda in early spring, and Lanita this fall, so you see we have two new nephews-in-law.
May Christ's Peace be yours this Christmas!
As ever,
Another year has come and gone and all too quickly. We seem to be as busy as always, only with a few different jobs. I'm principal of the Wednesday Church School this year, and so every Wednesday morning, Arik, Jene and I rush off to church. (Jené stays in the nursery with another little girl whose mother teaches.) We have two dozen energetic and eager three and four year olds who are busy learning Christmas songs. Our group is not in a Christmas program or service but we have invited our mothers to come next Wednesday to our birthday party for Jesus, so we will sing for them then.
Dawn is in sixth grade and Mark is in fifth grade - both of them enjoy school. Mark has started playing basketball. He had a game the other night during the half of the sophomore game. He loves sports and bemoans the fact that he is so small. Maybe his interest in music will win out-he likes piano and does real well. Dawn is getting to be real good at the piano. She is in sixth grade band, but I don't hear her practicing her flute very often. Both of them are in Scouts and in the church choir - too much doing too much of the time! Arik, 4, and Jené, 2, keep busy just keeping busy! Mark and Dawn were asked to sing at the Birthday Party for the Retirement Center last week. Arik and Jené sang with them - at least they stood up there and pretended. All four are real hams and love to perform!
And of course, Vince is like us and the rest of the world - busy, too. He isn't teaching Bethel this year, but he is teaching in the High School Bible Department and enjoys it. The principal is terrific! Vince has 10th grade boys and sometimes wonders if he gets to them at all. He sings in the choir yet, and with his practice and his dental meetings, etc., fishing and hunting some, his time is occupied. His mother is not too well and so we've tried to do what we can to be of help to his folks.
We thought, and perhaps with some envy, of the Bethel teachers and the marvelous tour they took in November. We had originally signed up to go on the Holy Land Tour, but when the final definite decision had to be made, we were faced with new challenges and so withdrew. By next year perhaps I will be able to tell you about "our trip" which we will, by then, have taken.
Our trips this year have been short and sweet - Vince took two jaunts to Canada for some fishing, one week in June (when I took the kids and went to visit my folks on the farm) and the other over Labor Day weekend. I had told him he couldn't go in September because he wouldn't be home for our anniversary; in his absence he sent me a dozen roses! We spent a week at Heruth's cottage on Gull Lake in August and really enjoyed a leisurely rest. Dawn, Mark and Arik had such fun! (Jené stayed with Grandpa and Grandma Blakey.) My sister, Sharon, was married the end of June so we were to Windom for that. Pam, my other sister, and I were both in the wedding party as was my brother Averland. My other brother was an usher, Vince was the soloist, Dawn was a gift runner.
Pam moved to Decorah about ten days before the wedding and started working at Luther College - it is fun to have her here. She has a small apartment on the West Side, but drops in every once in a while. She is handy when we need a sitter.
To get back to our trips - we attended the annual State Meeting in Des Moines, and the annual homecoming football game in Iowa City. We enjoyed visiting with the Dresslhaus', home from Venezuela this summer and hope to see them again before they go back. We looked for the Cahalans from Des Moines but missed them (or they missed us). Would it ever be fun to have the Mitchells from Ohio, The Thomas' from Massachusetts or the Daniels' from Houston come this way. We haven't seen them in a long, long time!
Our family has really grown this year - no, no new little ones, but we did acquire a new brother-in-law. And Vince's two nieces were both married this year: Linda in early spring, and Lanita this fall, so you see we have two new nephews-in-law.
May Christ's Peace be yours this Christmas!
As ever,
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