Annual Christmas Letter - 2008

Dear Friends and Family,
This year we have gone from one grandchild to three, with a fourth on the way! There is nothing in the world like being grandparents. The little ones bring us so much joy! My new favorite scripture verse is Prov. 17:6a “Children’s children are a crown of glory to the aged.”

The first five months of 2008 were rather uneventful. In June, however, we hosted a family reunion and celebrated Rich’s 60th birthday and his brother Bob’s 55th. A dear friend, Bev Asper, held a baby shower for Sharon that same weekend.

From the Pacific to the Atlantic and places in between…
After the festivities, we headed for Las Vegas for a week’s vacation. Sharon, Laurel and Luke joined us for a few days. We visited Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon, and the Strip. On our 38th anniversary we dined at Joel Robuchon’s L’Atelier restaurant in the MGM Grand. From Vegas we rode home with Laurel and Luke and spent a day on the beaches of the Pacific Ocean.

In July we traveled to Westmont, Illinois, to visit Sharon and Mark and see their new home. We enjoyed the sights of Chicago, hot dogs and deep dish pizza. Mark is attending Kellogg School of Business on Saturdays in pursuit of an MBA, so we met him for dinner in Chicago.

In August, before school started up again, we spent a long weekend in New Jersey, visiting Rich’s brother Bob and wife, Janis, checking in on Uncle George and Aunt Bernadette, and hitting the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean for a day.

In October Carmella (‘Ella) Rose joined our family and I spent two weeks with Sharon helping her with the transition to motherhood. In November, Leah Katherine made her entrance into the world a few weeks early. We plan to spend Christmas and New Year’s with them.

Kat and Jason and Rich and I met Sharon, Mark and Carmella at Chuck and Anita’s home in Ohio for Thanksgiving and joined their family for the holiday. It was like old times getting the Mitchell clan together at Thanksgiving.

Technology makes the distance bearable!
Thanks to a free Internet telecommunications program known as Skype, we are able to visit with our families on a regular basis. Rich and Luke see each other at least once a week. We met ‘Ella for the first time at the hospital the day after her birth, and we saw Leah when she was only one week old. Kat and Jason were able to show off their new nursery furniture just after they got it.

Another great way we keep in touch is through “Blogs” on the Internet. If you would like you can keep up with us by checking out the Blogs we Read at the bottom of this page.

We have lots of guest rooms and would love to have you stop by for a visit if you are in the Harrisburg area. Our next family gathering is planned for June 20 – so stop by then if you can!

Hope you have a blessing-filled Christmas as we thank the Lord for His many mercies and the love He demonstrated to us in that, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” What a gift!

Merry Christmas!

Susan & Rich