Hey everyone I am so excited to see you soon!

Hey everyone,
I miss you all so much and I love all of you a lot. I am so excited to see everyone so soon, tommorow, and Weds./Thursday for Thanksgiving. I am happy that we are all going to Utah, we are family forever, that we are so close and talk to each other a lot. It looks like everyone is having fun, Primary is so fun, I teach the Sunbeams, ages 3 and 4 years old so John I can understand about the screaming too becaseu they do that sometimes, like for example a couple weeks ago their was a class goign on and all 4 were screaming/talkign loudly in the hall so I had to remind them to use their quite voices. I have been playing soccer, flute, ASL, horses-horseback riding/ dogs, Kay and Sammy-they are doing awsome, school-college homework-it is going well adn I am loving it, workign at Kid's BASE, pract. hours at GRCC childcare/Mrs. Buck's classroom, Camp Berachah, helping friends otu with there horses and dogs, family-I love you all so much, teachign Sunbeams adn I have exciteing news in which I will tell you now. At the GRCC childcare they needed more subs, so I applied, and they interviewed me and that day I knew that I have the job as a sub their at GRCC childcare. I am so excited to be able to help them out, so they will call me and ask me that day when they need me, this will give me more job experence. I am so excited. See you soon.
Love,
Mels

A Mormon Moment

Julie and I were called into church early today to be given a calling (job in church). As we walked in a bossy choir director rushed past us into the chapel commanding "We don't have enough time! Get the tenors quick." We then met the second counselor, a kind short bearded man with a mousy voice, who ushered us into one of the primary classrooms. You know the type - small chairs, table, blue industrial carpet with bits of popcorn on it, chalkboard and that really rough fabric wallpaper. After some small talk Brother Anderson brought up our lack of callings and announced that we had been requested for the following positions. The Primary needs a firm, friendly CTR five instructor for the kids who run screaming down the halls into the Relief Society room once church is out. I got that calling. Julie is needed in the Activities Committee where her skills with glass ornament painting will finally be appreciated. During our appointment, we heard the high pitched over zealous soprano in the choir piercing the cinder brick walls of the room while she prepared for the upcoming Messiah sing along. Once finished, we went into the chapel and picked up this program. I can't wait to begin working in the primary.

The X-MAN

Guys - I thought you might appreciate this caricature of our little frenchman (in your honor especially Paul). Xavier's friend Michiyo drew this of him 10 years ago; he's always had the X-Man face. 

Can't wait to see you guys soon. EMILIE

SHANNON & TIFFANY

Shannon and Tiffany, together again. This time they escaped the basement confines of their desks at Prudential to venture out on the streets of Paris. Although they found themselves even more deaf and most definitely more incomprehensible and perplexing in Paris than ever, Shannon and Tiffany were enchanted. They meandered through the streets of the city, took a little journey to Versailles to visit the sweet little abode Marie Antoinette fashioned for herself, and learned countless helpful lessons from the family Joly (e.g. place the piece of chocolate in your mouth and let it melt on your tongue). 

Stephen knocked the socks off Madame Joly and all the rest. They adored him. And Xavier was sugary, as usual, with his review: "I admired Stephen so much for trying to speak french with my family. He sounded so retarded."

Pictures below. 

Further news from Paris includes two job offers! Yes. The woman who started the real estate company here in Paris for american buyers has offered me a full-time position. And more exhilarating still, a study-abroad program (from several universities who use the same program for their students called CEA - Cultural Experiences Abroad) needs adjunct instructors. Courses include: Human Rights: Universal Principles in World Politics, and French and European Integration. Lovely. I have an appointment next week with them to see what we can do. Things are looking decidedly up. 

Much love to all. I can't wait for Thanksgiving. What a reunion it will be. 

Shannon & Tiffany | Paris Sojourn

Decorating Our Den

I love the den in our Enumclaw house. I spend more time in there than I do any room but our bedroom. I go there to work on the computer to read and listen to great music. The windows at the back of the room always provide a great view as they look out on some of Rosie's gardens and the majestic pines in the back of our house. The natural light those windows provide and the cherrywood trim give it a very warm feeling.

The two big bookshelves on one wall contain many of my favorite books. A few years ago I took one wall and made it my Kilimanjaro summit wall with Aunt Melanie's great oil painting of Kilimanjaro in the center and 11 X 14 photos on the summit with Steve, Julie, Emilie, Marc and Paul. But the main wall in the room had only 3 randomly placed photos and a map of the world on it. For a while I have wanted to upgrade this wall and over the last couple of months I have had 11 X 14 prints made up of some of my favorite pictures from our trips and adventures over the last five years.

Rosie bought some matching frames (25) and Andrew and I spent the afternoon putting the wall together. We had to get the pictures in the frames, nail the holder on the back of each frame and then figure out how to hang them so they looked all right. He was able to use his math to figure out where to put the nails in the wall and we had a nice time together.

As I look at that wall I experience a flood of memories from some wonderful times with my greatest asset -- my family. Those memories include:

- Standing above Machu Picchu and feeling a reverential feeling for that sacred place that is a dream of every adventurer.
- A few great trips to Switzerland. There is wonderful shot of all of us (except Melanie, Marc, John and Xavier) at the Faulhorn on my fiftieth birthday. There is no more beautiful spot in the world and what a place to celebrate a milestone birthday.
- Our climb this summer of Mount Olympus. There is one of us on the summit with our arms raised in triumph and one of that most memorable evening when we hiked to the surrounding two peaks before the full moon came up. Another as we hiked from Refuge C with Zeus' throne in the background.
- Canoeing on Moraine Lake in Banff-- perhaps the most beautiful lake I have ever seen and another of us in the valley of ten peaks after our memorable lunch.
- Marc and Emilie on the summit of Mount Adams on a perfect July day with Rainier looming in the background.
- Watching the sun set on Delicate Arch in Arches National Park just a month ago with Steve and Marc.
- Angels Landing in Zions with its incomparable view with Julie, Emilie, Steve, Rosie and Marc.
- A hike at 10 PM on an endless June day in Alaska above Turnagain Arm with Paul.
- Visits to three of the most iconic sights in the world -- Stonehenge, the Eiffel Tower and the Parthenon in Athens.
- A perfect day in Zermatt after so many days of rain on our last trip to Switzerland. That morning as we hiked to the Gornergrat I took the best picture I have ever taken. Paul, Andrew, Rebekah, Julie and Rosie are hiking with the glorious Matterhorn covered in snow as the backdrop.
- Some great days in Mount Rainier National Park.
- A hot afternoon at the Temple of Poseiden and a wonderful picture with everyone except for Melanie (We even have the X man and John in that one).

I included a couple of pictures of the wall to give you a feel for what we did (If you click on them you will get a much better view and will be able to see some of the photos). I'm excited to show you the wall when you come home for Christmas. But I'm more excited as I think about new adventures we will take in years to come and of course new additions to this wall.

I have often said, "I am in the business of making memories" and there is no other place I would rather spend my time and money than making great memories with my family.

Dad