2020 Year in Review

It has been quite a year. It started out OK with a cruise to the Caribbean but the day we got back in March we saw people hauling out carts full of toilet paper and water bottles from Costco. What was going on??? Then after getting home and going to one meeting on Sunday we were closed down for church followed by the closing of the Seattle Temple and Kathleen couldn’t work as an ordinance worker, all due to Covid-19. Fortunately, Stephen was employed in the Temple engineering department so he was able to continue working at the temple but on a reduced schedule.

Relaxing before the cruise begins. 

Having worthy Priesthood holders in the family has definitely been a blessing. As we were able to visit with several of our children in various places, Idaho, Utah and Texas, we were able to enjoy family Sacrament meetings and watch them participate in the "Come Follow Me" program in their homes. Surely the leadership of the church are inspired of God and it will be exciting to see what continues to change and grow in the church. Unfortunately, Stephen’s parents were put on lock down so visits with them were put on hold or through a window. 

In July Liz and Austin hosted a family reunion at their home in Lindon Utah. It was attended by everyone that could make it (only missing one) and was well organized. Jon and Jenna decided to follow Liz and Austin to Utah from Texas so Stephen helped pack and move his family. Rebekah is now our only child in Texas but she has a new home, a new job and is determined to stay. Jon was able to find a suitable home for his growing family after several weeks at the Heath House

.

August saw Ben and Carli pack up and move to Albany, New York for his job with Owens Corning. They had missed out on their final DanceSport at BYU in March and no Graduation ceremonies at BYU in April so we threw a mini-Grad party at Susan’s house in Idaho when they went for a visit.

In September, Kathleen was able to be with Sarah and Michael to welcome in their newborn son, Jason Michael Gordon, on the 10^th. It was a quick trip to the hospital but he arrived safely without the cesarean section that they were prepping her for since the baby was transverse or sideways instead of head down.

Susan made the trip to Utah to help Sarah out with her kids. While there, on her birthday the 12th, she found out that she lost her pregnancy that she had been going through with IVF. It was her last viable egg and quite devastating for their family.

Also in September Stephen and I were able to take a quick trip to Dallas, Texas and witness the sealing of Eric and Detsy Taylor in the Dallas, Temple. We were also able to visit with Rebekah for a few days and get some dental work done which was very nice. 

By the end of summer, the Heath’s found out that the house they were renting was going on the market and they had to be out by the end of October. It was a scramble but they found a great home with a large yard and animals still in Lindon so they didn’t have to uproot the kids who had started school. Stephen and Kathleen had to isolate after being exposed to Covid-19 while visiting a sister in the ward. She let us know that she was hospitalized the day after Kathleen’s visit. Stephen was unable to give his talk in person at Stake conference so he had our ministering brother give it. Both the talk and the presentation were well received. Thankfully after 5 days we could be tested and found that we were negative.

In October Kathleen's brother Michael's wife passed away. We made it down to Utah and drove with Leonard and Richard to California for the funeral. Due to Covid it was outside but still a great many people were in attendance. She was a special person.

 We came back to Utah in time for Halloween and to help with the move of the Heath Family. Stephen went back home alone and brought Samuel back to BYUI for his first semester. Samuel was so very excited to finally have an in-person experience of college. Kathleen stayed in Utah to help out with the birth of Jon and Jenna’s 6^th 
child, Hyrum Jonathan Ralph. 

He made a dramatic entrance on November 13

^th with a mad dash in two vans loaded with kids and a switch at the hospital 20 minutes before Jenna delivered her son. Jenna was able to come home just in time to celebrate Katelyn's birthday and then we celebrated Michael's birthday at his home in Payson.

Kathleen flew to Texas to be with Rebekah and get some dental work done in early December. She was able to enjoy Rebekah’s new home and hopefully help out where she could. She flew back home on the 5^th and then Stephen and Kathleen went back to Utah for two baby blessings on the 13^th of December which was a big sister’s birthday. Heidi turned 2 and celebrated her birthday with both sets of grandparents there as well as lots of cousins and aunts and uncles. We were also able to see Grandpa and Grandma Ralph through a glass door due to Covid isolation. 

The trip home had a detour to Rexburg, Idaho where we picked up Samuel who was finishing his first semester at BYUI. Samuel loved the college life and seemed to do well with his classes though he didn’t like his Anatomy and Physiology class very much.

Managing to get home on the 17^th in the late afternoon was a blessing since Jessica went into labor that night and had her baby, Jaxon Matthew Salcedo at 1:33 am after a mad dash to the hospital in which a few red lights were run.

Samuel started to prepare his papers for his missionary service. We were excited to see where he might go but also realized that he might serve a Service Mission here in Kent. But his hear was opened to whatever the Lord wanted for him.

There were definitely blessings in this crazy year. We’ve also seen the heartache with Susan’s loss and several businesses going under due to the lock downs. We appreciated the talks in conference they mentioned preparedness and dealing with trials in our lives. We’ve seen the wisdom and inspiration that comes to our church leaders. What a blessing to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It has been a wild ride this year but also a good one in many ways.