Half of 2004

In January 2004, the family held a baby shower for Yi-chin at Sharon’s house. The women of the family were there: Sylvia, Erika, Julie, Sharon, Nancy, Leslie, Elann, Becky, Michelle, Stephanie, Rachel, Katie, Hannah and a friend of Yi-chin’s. Mark did a yeoman’s job and kept the other kids watching TV. She received a lot of nice and needful things.

Also in January, we held a surprise 50th birthday party for Sylvia at Los Hermanos. All her children were present as were her brothers and sister, except for Tricia and Alan who lived too far away to attend. Leon and I were also there and we all had a good time.

January was a really busy month. At the end of the month, Leon and I drove to Manhattan, KS to see Alan and Peggy. We got a tour of his studio and he also took pictures of Leon and me. My cousin Velma Skimore also lives in Manhattan and she and her husband took us to dinner and afterwards visited them in their home. A huge snow storm came Sunday with so much snow that only Sacrament meeting was held. All schools and Kansas State were closed Monday because of the snow. It looked like about a foot of snow on Alan’s back porch. We waited until Tuesday to leave for Texas as the roads were then clear and dry, though there as some fog.

In Austin, Leon and Tricia played in a concert called Abendmusick. It was a lovely concert with Tricia accompanying her Dad and also playing solos. They played very well. There were also other musicians on the program. While in Austin, Tricia took us to see a traveling large scale replica of the White House. It measured 60 feet long by 20 wide. It was so interesting. I had toured the White House in Washington D.C. and it looked just like the real thing. It was decorated for Christmas and it was fun to peer into all the rooms. It is always fun to visit our families.

On the way back home we stopped in Albuquerque to visit Tannie and Dan and their little son Austin. He is a darling little boy. It was fun to see them and find out about their life. They graciously gave us their bed and they slept on a large semicircular couch in the livingroom.

While we were away visiting family, the snow was 17 inches deep the day before we arrived home. Luckily for us, Brent arranged for our bishop to have our driveway cleared or we wouldn’t have been able to get to our house.

Back home in Utah, we visited with Gina and John in February. They were staying at Dean’s house. They have been called to serve in the Lansing Michigan Mission, the same one Gina’s son Shane served in. They will be working in the Spanish Branch.

David and Yi-chin’s little son Leon David was born 19 February 2004. I was able to stay with them a few days to help out and give him his first bath. I’ve done that for several grandchildren.

In April, Leon and I were privileged to attend the sealing of my aunt Lucy and her husband Lou in the Vernal Temple. It was a special occasion. The old Tabernacle was remodeled into a beautiful temple. We go to visit them a few times a year; it is a long trip from Mt. Pleasant, at least 3 hours each way.