Here is the Christmas letter we sent out with our cards this year:
This year was here and then gone in a flash. Whew! Part of me wishes that time would just slow down a bit so I can take in this wonderful life better. Before I know it my “babies” will be going their separate ways with their own lives. That makes me feel a bit melancholy and old, quite frankly!
We miss Kayla, not seeing her very much now that she’s all grown up and independent. But she is happy with her life in Salt Lake. She joined the Ballroom Dance team at the University of Utah this fall, so that keeps her extra busy and in great shape. She treated herself for her 25th birthday in October by flying to Maryland to visit the Denyer clan. While there, she took day trips to Philadelphia and D.C. She is still at her same job, but moved from her solo apartment in downtown SLC to a place she shares with roommates closer to the University of Utah.
In February, Brianna got her first official, full-time job as a hygienist. She really loves the office and her co-workers. She also bought her first car. She is on the go all the time. She keeps so busy between her job, church callings, and traveling. She has visited Utah, New York, and Arizona to see family and friends. She had season tickets to all the USC home football games. Trojan loyalty runs deep and lasts a lifetime. I’m grateful that she continues to live at home with me, keeping me company and helping out a lot.
Kiana returned to LDS Business College in August. She had a fabulous year last year making the Dean’s list both semesters. This year she is living closer to the University of Utah with some of her best buds. She is growing into a beautiful, young woman, increasing in her testimony and faith in the Lord. She had the best summer. She worked just enough to have money to spend on adventures with her friends. In November she traveled back to New York, her love, with her roomie Paige.
We started this new school year in August with Bryce as a senior. The full reality of that has not completely hit me yet. He is deep into college applications as I write this. He attended EFY again this summer on the campus of BYU in Provo and that experience sealed the deal of making BYU his #1 choice of colleges to attend. October brought our semi-annual General Conference for our church and an announcement that the age for missionaries was being lowered to 18 for young men and 19 for young women. We went crazy! After much prayer and soul searching, we decided that Bryce will attend one year of college as previously planned before going on a mission so he can take care of some important things that need to be done which will help him be that much more prepared to serve the Lord. One of the highlights for me this year regarding Bryce was in the spring. He was involved in the stake Roadshow. Kayla came home for a surprise visit. When Bryce first saw her at the Roadshow performance he said, “What are you doing here? I think I’m going to cry!” I love that my kids love each other!
The year for me has been full of so many blessings. February brought a visit from my baby brother Steven. He came all the way out from the east coast just so he could take me to lunch for my birthday. While he was here, we also took in the temple, Santa Barbara and the zoo. We so wish we had family living nearer! In June I attended my very first Dodger game. The drive was terrible and I got horribly car sick, but I enjoyed spending the game with Bryce, Brianna, Kiana and their friends. The Dodgers lost, but the fireworks show afterward filled my heart with joy for the freedoms we enjoy in this country. In July, I ran away to Maryland for a week to visit with my family. I needed that! I saw Yorktown, Jamestown and Williamsburg for the first time. Despite the fact that those days were the hottest of the entire year, I enjoyed immensely the rich history found in that area of our beautiful country. In August, Brianna, Kiana and I went to see Gavin DeGraw and Colbie Caillat at the Santa Barbara Bowl. I hadn’t been to a concert in over 25 years, so this was such a treat. Hanging out with my girls in Santa Barbara and then rocking out to tunes together—it doesn’t get much better than that. At the end of the month we took our annual trip up to Utah. We needed to return Kiana to school and wanted to visit with Kayla. We spent some time downtown and up in the canyons where we saw the first hints of fall colors. I am teaching seminary again this year, New Testament, and am loving everything about it, especially the extra time each morning that I get to be with Bryce. The opportunity to actively study the scriptures each and every day has been so incredible.
We are so thankful for our countless blessings. As each year passes, it becomes more and more clear to our family how much the Lord loves us. He is our Savior and Redeemer and we love Him. May you and your family be blessed with the Spirit of this season.
Love, the Abilez family
