Tuesday, December 19, 2017

                                       Merry Christmas 2017

"Home for Christmas" 
We found a quote recently that captures much of what seems important to us: “Fill your minds with truth, your hearts with love, and your lives with service.”  Chief among truths we treasure is the living reality of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world ~ and as the saying goes ~ “the reason for the season.” We contemplate the grace of our Heavenly parents as they sent their beloved son to earth that “whoso believeth in Him might have eternal life.”  We’re grateful to share with you the light He brought, and the joy we feel in His love.

We feel that love from you as well, and treasure our years together ~ they have added so much richness to our lives.  We had opportunity to catch up with many of you via Luke’s wedding to Camilla Dudley in September.  We gathered in Provo, Utah to celebrate the wedding and were grateful to see many of you there.



 
The wedding made a family reunion possible for the second time this year, as we began earlier in May with a family reunion in Cascade, Idaho where 34 of our 35 family members gathered (grandson Alex is a missionary in Romania). 




Luke ~ wishing Camilla would have been part of the family then!
Then again in November, 29 of us were able to gather in Corvallis for a Thanksgiving celebration.  We had such a good time together!

In August, we travelled to New Hampshire to stay at the family cabin on Squam Lake where Rockywold/Deephaven family camps are located (started by Annie’s 2nd great grandmother in 1897).  We joined Laura’s family there for a few days and also had Annie’s 92 year-old mother, Beverly Howe, with us as well.  After they all left, we stayed on and traveled to Prince Edward Island where Tom’s family of origin has lived since the 1840’s when they emigrated to escape Ireland’s potato famine ~ they are still potato farmers!  We loved our time on that beautiful Island of “green gables” and rolling hills covered with lush farms and red cliffs tumbling into the blue ocean.

“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”
― L.M. MontgomeryAnne of Green Gable-

Cousins : George and (2)Tom Sherrys ~ Seacow Head lighthouse on Sherry land


 8 mile bridge from Nova Scotia to PEI
 A little over a week after Beverly left us and returned to her home on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, she suffered a significant stroke that permanently disabled her.  What sadness.  Just days earlier she was hiking with us in the NH hills, paddling a canoe, and swimming in the lake.  Now she is confined to a wheelchair and largely unable to communicate.  We are left to primarily love her with our eyes and hugs, giving back something of the wonderful years she cared for and served her family and so many others.






Notwithstanding our sadness, we are grateful for the knowledge that through the atonement of Christ, we will all be healed and made whole again ~ free to love and rejoice in all the many relationships that have become integral to our lives.  With that hope, we send our love to you this blessed season.

                                      Annie & Tom

For those who know some or all of our children:

Matt & Jessica, with Sofia and Lizzie Jane ~ SLC, Utah

Sara & Birch, with Alysee, Nathan, Tyler, Cooper, and Chloe ~ Yakima, Washington

Elder Alex Ditto~Romania/Moldova Mission

Emily & Ryan, with Sage, Hazel, Truman, and Mila ~ Yakima, Washington

Leah & Geoff, with Lucy, Isaac, and Kate ~ Mapleton, Utah

Seth & Caroline, with Cali, young William, and Tommy ~ Corvallis, Oregon

Laura & Jared, with little Rue, Isla, and Sawyer ~ Elko, Nevada
Luke and Camilla ~ Las Vegas, Nevada

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Beautiful card!! Sure wish you'd post things throughout the year as well. Such a treat remembering our times together as a family this year!! Love you both! --sara

Peggy Nyberg said...

Thank you so much for including me in your Christmas card. Merry Christmas to you, thank you for all you do through the year for others.

Eldon and Janeil Olsen said...

I've never seen a more photogenic family! So glad Luke got married. He looks happy! Thank you for the numerous ways you uplift our family.

Meg said...

We love the Sherry family!! Thank you for the card and family recap. So many family memories for you to cherish. Merry Christmas! Hope to see you in the spring.

Unknown said...

Dear Annie & Tom, what delightful photos! We love seeing your family and hearing about everyone. How very sad to see the differences in Annie's mom. It was hard to hear about her stroke, and then to see the photos really helped us to understand what a change this has been. Hugs to you and all of your family, especially Beverly. Love, Heikki and Vicki

benilhalk said...

Hope the lovely eve was well celebrated by all. Liked the birthday cartoon theme planned by my sister in law for her son. One of the alluring event space was booked with great tea party. Yummy snacks, colorful cake and candies were enjoyed by kids with some entertaining activities. Little one got innumerable precious love and blessings from all.