Happy Holidays from the P---!
1998 has been quite a year at the P--- household! Sarah, travelling, and settling into our house (landscaping) have all kept us very busy!
February --, Sarah turned one. We had a small celebration, and she enjoyed her cake, as you can see from the photo! Sarah’s second year has been a busy one - in April, genetic testing revealed what we already knew – that our daughter is one in a billion! She has an extremely rare chromosome abnormality (“2Q35 deletion with material of unknown origin” – not very catchy). This is the reason for her low muscle tone and delays in development. Sarah has a wide following of doctors and therapists who find her irresistible. She attends several types of therapy sessions each week, which keeps MOM THE TAXI very busy. Sarah hasn’t realized that she’s working; she just thinks she’s the center of attention and everyone wants to play with her! She is making wonderful progress, and keeps the therapists busy writing new goals for her. She’s cruising around, and getting more confident every day. Mom is just trying to keep up with her!
Sarah (and her parents) certainly hasn’t suffered a lack of attention in 98. In March, Grandma and Grandpa K--- visited. In April, Nana P--- stopped in. In May, we took our first family vacation – an overnight trip to Nauvoo, IL where they have a restored Mormon pioneer settlement. In June, Sarah experienced the great outdoors in her first campout. She was a little confused – the tent seemed like a place to play, not a place to sleep! July was very busy – Gary spent most of the month on a business trip to Singapore, overseeing the installation of equipment in a new 3M plant. My sister Karen and her husband Bob came to visit while Gary was away, and Sarah and I drove back to Michigan with them. In August, we went to Utah to see the P---, for a mid-August day at the Pineview Reservoir, and some more grandparent spoiling. In September, Gary returned to Singapore for 3 weeks, and near the end of the month,
Sarah and I joined Grandma and Grandpa K--- at their timeshare condo in Hilton Head, SC. Over Thanksgiving, Sarah and I went back to Michigan to cheer up Great Grandma G---; Gary stayed home and laid sod in the backyard – all by himself! This Christmas we head to Michigan.
When we were not travelling, we were trying to finish our backyard. When the year started, we had nothing but dirt… and now, a sprinkler system, 17 pallets of sod, 3 garden boxes, 3 landscape beds, and 22 trees later… we have a YARD. Lots of work, but definitely worth it. It looks GREAT.
Gary continues to enjoy his job at 3M, especially the travelling. I’m doing well, grateful that I’m able to be home with Sarah. My old job at 3M was a piece of cake compared to this one, though! In our “spare” time, we’ve been busy with church. Gary is the Young Men’s president, and is responsible for all of the youth activities. I’m the Activities Committee Chair, so I organize and plan all of the church socials. Our callings have been a wonderful way to get involved and meet people. We’ve made some really good friends, and really feel like a part of the community here.
In summary, 98 was a great year, filled with family, friends, and LOTS of new experiences. We’re looking forward to 99!
No comments:
Post a Comment