Christmas Letter 2010

Happy Holidays! It is hard to believe that it is December already. Time has gone extremely fast this year. Maybe it is me and the fact that I am getting older. 2011 will be here before we realize it. We have had a rather good year considering that it could have been worse. Just days before Thanksgiving we were hit with a snow storm. We got about 6" of snow, which may not sound like much but, for us that is a hefty amount. We were out as it hit and spent 4 hours trying to go 16 miles to home. It shut down the city for the week. It was also power outages because of wind that made things rough. We made it though without much problem.
Michael is in 9th grade this year. He is a freshman but is still at the Jr. High. He played on the football team and did very well this year. He is going to baseball practices already and try outs are at the end of January. He really wants to play this year for Olympic High. He is doing well with grades and is working already to make sure that he is accepted to BYU. We went to a seminar that is on a 3 year rotation and he is planning. This summer just after school was done he went on a pioneer trek with the youth. I will talk about it more later.

Justin is doing okay. We received notification around our anniversary that he was given the status of 100% total and permanently disabled by the Veterans Administration. That was not an easy road but we did it. He still battles migraines sometimes daily as well as the insomnia. One physician is trying to look at the big picture to see if there are other factors that may be contributing to that. We have to keep working on it. This ruling gives Michael and I medical coverage, which is such a relief. We now teach Webelos/Cub Scouts and so that is a new adventure for us. He keeps busy with college courses, helping me with the projects for the boys as well as playing games on the computer.

I am still working at the Family History Center each Wednesday from 2P until 6P as well as still doing PR for the Kitsap BlueJackets. I enjoy it. Then teaching the cub scouts, keeping all of the schedules together and straight, running Justin to his doctor appointments and keeping my head on straight is quite a load at times. Typical Mom chores.

This summer as I said, Michael did a pioneer trek with the youth from church. Justin and I were called to work on the base camp committee. We helped plan and prepare all of the meals that were served the 4 days. We were supposed to be around Mt. Rainier but just a month before the location was changed to the border of Washington and Oregon by the Columbia River in Eastern Washington, Near Tri-Cities. We had cool weather and going there it was 95 and humid. The participants had a hard time because of it. Lots of blisters, heat & hydration issues, rashes as well as bug bites. I got them really bad on my arms and legs. They sent me home early the last day because they wanted me to get Benadryl in my system on a regular basis. I have some good scars from all the bites but okay none the less. Michael was the biggest kid in his family and ended up being in the yoke of the handcart 98% of the time. He had to step out when they did the women's pull but then took over again. His Ma & Pa really praised him for his help and his attitude. They sent us a beautiful letter telling us what a special spirit they feel he is. We are very proud of him.

In July, we went down to California to visit with friends and family. We were there for 2 weeks. We had a great time. Grandpa Raul was gone but came back just in time that we could spend a day with him. We would have been really disappointed if we had not been able to see him. We spent 3 days in San Diego with the Martin's and that was a great visit. We love them so much. In Los Angeles we were able to visit with the Vargas' and get together with Brain & Sarah Thomas and their girls. They now live in Minnesota. It was great to catch up with them as well as others we do not get to spend much time with. We also spent some time with Justin's parents while in California.

In August, we experienced the loss of my Great Uncle Ray. He was 94. In some ways I was happy to know that he was freed from the confines of his earthly mind and body, but the loss still hurt my heart. I do miss him He was always so active both physically as well as mentally until almost the end. The positive side of this was that we are so glad now to have the contact with his daughter Linda, her family and his son Don and his family. We are so glad to have communication with them now. Uncle Ray will be missed but he is now with his parents and family that have been patiently waiting for him. I am sure it was a glorious reunion. In retrospect it does not seem like it was 7 years ago this month that we lost my mom. Uncle Ray actually died the day before her birthday. I am really missing her.

In September, we had gone down to Astoria Oregon to the Commercial Fisherman's Festival. I called my Uncle Ben who lives over in the Portland area to see if it was possible to stop by and visit with him. I did not realize that we were so close to the Portland area being here in Washington. That weekend we took the opportunity and went to go visit with him and his wife Kathy. Justin and Michael had never met them. It was great to see Uncle Ben after so many years. I had forgotten that family had told me that he was due to have heart surgery at the beginning of September. He was looking great when we visited. He said that immediately after the surgery that he felt so much better. It was kind of fun to be able to tell him some things that he never knew. I told him that Uncle Ray was 2 years older than their mother (my Great-grandmother) was at the time of her death. It was nice to walk down memory lane a little, as the last time I was really in Portland was to visit him and his family when I was maybe 8 or so. I remember that his kids had been sprayed by a skunk and they had to bathe in tomato juice to get rid of the smell. I am pleased to find that both of his girls are here in the area of where we live and his son is there near him. It was a great visit and we hope to see him and Kathy more frequently. I hope to also be able to get together with his girls since they live in my neck of the woods.

It is so good to be able to be in contact with a lot of my extended family on Facebook. I am under the impression that I have some cousins near in the Vancouver, BC area as well as here in the Puget Sound. It is a blessing to find that there is family so close.

I have rambled on long enough. I will close this newsletter for this year. We sincerely hope that all of you have a wonderful Christmas season. We are busy but cherish our friends and family. Please keep in touch. May God Bless you and keep you in the coming year. We wish you a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. May 2011 be filled with many blessings and fun filled memories for you.



Love and Holiday Greetings,

The Leyva Family ~ Justin, Shirley, Michael, Smokey, Sylvester, & Shadow