Dear Ones: [This was the last Christmas letter that was actually mailed!]
I am writing this in the delicious lull between Christmas and New Year’s. The wrapping paper has been recycled and Christmas dinner has been enjoyed; yet the tree is still up, the house decorated and the Christmas lights lit. I am on vacation this week, and we are enjoying our gifts, each other and the leftovers—it is about as stress free as one can get. The worries and pressures of work and world will return soon enough, but for now, we are healthy, happy and enjoying life. We hope you are doing the same.
Here’s why it’s been two years since you’ve gotten a Christmas letter from us: in Dec. 2004, George lost his job (or, as he likes to say, he “misplaced” it). While it may sound cliché, it was probably the best thing that could have happened to us. At the time, we were in a bit of a panic, worrying about how to make ends meet, how to explain the situation to our kids, family and friends, and how to salvage his senior project, which was tied to Fresh Express. We were just not in the spirit to write Christmas cards.
George took the time to update his résumé, but more importantly he took the time to do some serious introspection. George sought counsel from our Pastor. Not only did Pastor Patti provide some sage advice to us during our time of crisis, but she also offered George the opportunity to do a project for the church! And in that moment, our stress was lessened another notch, and George’s senior project, “Lay-Leadership Education: A Focus on Strengthening Parish Care and Outreach,” was born.
We were grateful for all of the electrical jobs that materialized for George during this tough time. So thank you to all of you whose homes and yards needed electrical work! And within a month, George landed a “regular” job with Weyerhaeuser Paper Company as a mechanic—not his dream job, but something to get by. So, a few months later, when an opportunity came his way to get back into produce packaging—in a management capacity—he took it. Let’s just say had this job been something George had purchased, he’d have returned it with the explanation that “the contents did not match the description on the box.” It was, if nothing else, a learning experience—and an important one at that. It gave him nine months’ experience supervising production crews. This experience has led George to his next adventure: in January 2006, he will join HSBC Card Services (formerly Household Card Services, where I worked from 1986-1991!) as a Unit Manager in its statement processing facility.
Amidst all this chaos, George finished his senior project and is now taking his last core course with St. Mary’s College. With just a couple of electives to finish, he’s in good shape to graduate with his Bachelor’s Degree in June 2006!
In hindsight, we can see that we were blessed and strengthened by what initially appeared to be an unfortunate event. And in seeing the terrible damage that the tsunami and hurricanes wrought, our plight seemed very insignificant by comparison. Now, on to the kids!
I am writing this in the delicious lull between Christmas and New Year’s. The wrapping paper has been recycled and Christmas dinner has been enjoyed; yet the tree is still up, the house decorated and the Christmas lights lit. I am on vacation this week, and we are enjoying our gifts, each other and the leftovers—it is about as stress free as one can get. The worries and pressures of work and world will return soon enough, but for now, we are healthy, happy and enjoying life. We hope you are doing the same.
Here’s why it’s been two years since you’ve gotten a Christmas letter from us: in Dec. 2004, George lost his job (or, as he likes to say, he “misplaced” it). While it may sound cliché, it was probably the best thing that could have happened to us. At the time, we were in a bit of a panic, worrying about how to make ends meet, how to explain the situation to our kids, family and friends, and how to salvage his senior project, which was tied to Fresh Express. We were just not in the spirit to write Christmas cards.
George took the time to update his résumé, but more importantly he took the time to do some serious introspection. George sought counsel from our Pastor. Not only did Pastor Patti provide some sage advice to us during our time of crisis, but she also offered George the opportunity to do a project for the church! And in that moment, our stress was lessened another notch, and George’s senior project, “Lay-Leadership Education: A Focus on Strengthening Parish Care and Outreach,” was born.
We were grateful for all of the electrical jobs that materialized for George during this tough time. So thank you to all of you whose homes and yards needed electrical work! And within a month, George landed a “regular” job with Weyerhaeuser Paper Company as a mechanic—not his dream job, but something to get by. So, a few months later, when an opportunity came his way to get back into produce packaging—in a management capacity—he took it. Let’s just say had this job been something George had purchased, he’d have returned it with the explanation that “the contents did not match the description on the box.” It was, if nothing else, a learning experience—and an important one at that. It gave him nine months’ experience supervising production crews. This experience has led George to his next adventure: in January 2006, he will join HSBC Card Services (formerly Household Card Services, where I worked from 1986-1991!) as a Unit Manager in its statement processing facility.
Amidst all this chaos, George finished his senior project and is now taking his last core course with St. Mary’s College. With just a couple of electives to finish, he’s in good shape to graduate with his Bachelor’s Degree in June 2006!
In hindsight, we can see that we were blessed and strengthened by what initially appeared to be an unfortunate event. And in seeing the terrible damage that the tsunami and hurricanes wrought, our plight seemed very insignificant by comparison. Now, on to the kids!
Natalie had a great year in fourth grade, including her project and report on the Carmel Mission (the “mission report” is a standard fourth-grade project in California). Now, she’s 10 and in fifth grade (the year of the state report—Pennsylvania, in case you’re interested J), her last year at the elementary school. It’s hard for me to accept that she’ll be in middle school next year. This year, she has joined the school band and is learning to play the flute (which brings back all sorts of “band” memories for me!). She is also singing in the children’s choir at church. 
And she’s now in her second year as a Junior Girl Scout, in troop 3011. Natalie has earned a number of badges, from the “Sky Search” badge (at summer camp) to the “Music Fan” badge (during an excursion to the San Jose Tech Museum and its “Amazing Music Studio” exhibit). She learned to crochet with her troop, and her potholder won a second place ribbon at the Monterey County Fair! Her troop also adopted a troop in Mississippi and sent the girls backpacks filled with books, stuffed animals, toothbrushes, games and more!
In Spring 2005, Natalie also joined her first organized sport: soccer. It was such a good experience that she also participated in the Fall 2005 season, and we’re already signed up for the Spring 2006 season. She has been rotated through a number of positions, but she enjoys being a defender—and she’s a strong one!
Leland “graduated” from preschool and entered Kindergarten at Spreckels Elementary in the Fall of 2004. Now he’s six (almost seven!) and a big first grader, who loves reading, math and science.
He, too, has joined the world of scouting. Leland is now a Tiger Cub Scout and a proud member of Pack 60, which is sponsored by the Spreckels Volunteer Fire Department. He looks adorable in his uniform, and I’m told he looks just like George at that age! He has earned tiger-paw beads toward his Tiger Cub badge and also a Soccer “belt loop.” Speaking of soccer, Leland also joined the Salinas Valley Youth Soccer League in Spring 2005, and George joined the coaching staff for the Fall 2005 season. It’s been a lot of fun. Leland wants to try out baseball in 2006—and keep going with soccer. It will be an interesting juggle.
My mom is still living in a private-care home for Alzheimer’s/dementia patients. Physically, she’s doing fine for an 82-year-old woman. But mentally, she continues to decline bit by bit. She still recognizes her children and some of her older grandchildren. However, I have to reintroduce Leland and Natalie on every visit. It’s hard on Natalie, but Leland just throws himself at her with a big hug and says, “I love you, Grandma Mamie!” She still works her search-a-word puzzles and enjoys root beer floats, butter rum lifesavers and 3 Musketeers candy bars. And she’s been in a non-smoking environment so long that she’s finally stopped asking for cigarettes! Please keep her in your prayers.
I’ve kept busy this year with work and church, plus all the kids’ activities. I’m on the Vestry and Preschool Board for our church. While it has been a joy to serve, I am looking forward to a little more free time in 2006 when my commitment ends. I will continue to be active in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, an awesome event in Salinas that raises more than $1 million each year for cancer research and support. In 2005, I participated in my second Relay, and in 2006, I will be captaining my team.
I am still working for XL Insurance (formerly DPIC Companies) and am approaching my 10-year anniversary. I am still analyzing claims against architects and engineers (A/Es) and developing education programs and resources to combat the causes. I’ve also taken on the business management of an IT project for another department, which has added a little spice to my work life. My job-related travel takes me around the country. Some places—like Cleveland, Chicago, Austin, San Diego, Los Angeles and Indianapolis—have been pretty routine. Others have been a lot of fun because we’ve been able to make family vacations out of them. In 2004, George and the kids joined me for a week in Honolulu, where I delivered an education program to over 200 A/Es. And later in 2004, George, the kids and Grandma and Papa Mika joined me after a conference in Orlando for a week at Disneyworld!
Our 2005 vacations were more low-key but no less enjoyable. We kicked off the New Year in Santa Rosa with our friends, Sal, Merrielle, Domenic and Sofia Lucido. We brought our 5th wheel trailer out of storage in the summer and took it to Spirit West Coast, a Christian music festival at Laguna Seca in Monterey. Our great-niece Brittany and our friends, Michael, Michelle and Nick Mascarello, shared that adventure with us. Then, continuing with our camping theme, we spent a week with our friends, John and Sheila Whitney, at an RV Resort in Benbow, CA (a beautiful spot in Northern California near the giant redwoods). For our last camping trip of the year, we journeyed over the Labor Day weekend (with gas prices topping $3 a gallon!) to Buellton, CA, near the
Danish community of Solvang. We met up again with the Whitney family, and this time Grandma and Papa Mika joined us in their motor home. Camping is such a joy: swimming, barbecuing, playing games, relaxing, riding bikes, and on. We’re so glad to be able to share the experience with our kids.
On the pet front, we are still enjoying the company of our wonderful and affectionate cats, Nimbus and Misty (AKA Mister and Missy), adopted from the SPCA in 2002.
And now, as 2005 comes to a close, it seems fitting to leave you with a blessing from the Order of Compline (service for the end of the day) in the Book of Common Prayer:
And she’s now in her second year as a Junior Girl Scout, in troop 3011. Natalie has earned a number of badges, from the “Sky Search” badge (at summer camp) to the “Music Fan” badge (during an excursion to the San Jose Tech Museum and its “Amazing Music Studio” exhibit). She learned to crochet with her troop, and her potholder won a second place ribbon at the Monterey County Fair! Her troop also adopted a troop in Mississippi and sent the girls backpacks filled with books, stuffed animals, toothbrushes, games and more!In Spring 2005, Natalie also joined her first organized sport: soccer. It was such a good experience that she also participated in the Fall 2005 season, and we’re already signed up for the Spring 2006 season. She has been rotated through a number of positions, but she enjoys being a defender—and she’s a strong one!
Leland “graduated” from preschool and entered Kindergarten at Spreckels Elementary in the Fall of 2004. Now he’s six (almost seven!) and a big first grader, who loves reading, math and science.
He, too, has joined the world of scouting. Leland is now a Tiger Cub Scout and a proud member of Pack 60, which is sponsored by the Spreckels Volunteer Fire Department. He looks adorable in his uniform, and I’m told he looks just like George at that age! He has earned tiger-paw beads toward his Tiger Cub badge and also a Soccer “belt loop.” Speaking of soccer, Leland also joined the Salinas Valley Youth Soccer League in Spring 2005, and George joined the coaching staff for the Fall 2005 season. It’s been a lot of fun. Leland wants to try out baseball in 2006—and keep going with soccer. It will be an interesting juggle.My mom is still living in a private-care home for Alzheimer’s/dementia patients. Physically, she’s doing fine for an 82-year-old woman. But mentally, she continues to decline bit by bit. She still recognizes her children and some of her older grandchildren. However, I have to reintroduce Leland and Natalie on every visit. It’s hard on Natalie, but Leland just throws himself at her with a big hug and says, “I love you, Grandma Mamie!” She still works her search-a-word puzzles and enjoys root beer floats, butter rum lifesavers and 3 Musketeers candy bars. And she’s been in a non-smoking environment so long that she’s finally stopped asking for cigarettes! Please keep her in your prayers.
I’ve kept busy this year with work and church, plus all the kids’ activities. I’m on the Vestry and Preschool Board for our church. While it has been a joy to serve, I am looking forward to a little more free time in 2006 when my commitment ends. I will continue to be active in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, an awesome event in Salinas that raises more than $1 million each year for cancer research and support. In 2005, I participated in my second Relay, and in 2006, I will be captaining my team.
I am still working for XL Insurance (formerly DPIC Companies) and am approaching my 10-year anniversary. I am still analyzing claims against architects and engineers (A/Es) and developing education programs and resources to combat the causes. I’ve also taken on the business management of an IT project for another department, which has added a little spice to my work life. My job-related travel takes me around the country. Some places—like Cleveland, Chicago, Austin, San Diego, Los Angeles and Indianapolis—have been pretty routine. Others have been a lot of fun because we’ve been able to make family vacations out of them. In 2004, George and the kids joined me for a week in Honolulu, where I delivered an education program to over 200 A/Es. And later in 2004, George, the kids and Grandma and Papa Mika joined me after a conference in Orlando for a week at Disneyworld!
Our 2005 vacations were more low-key but no less enjoyable. We kicked off the New Year in Santa Rosa with our friends, Sal, Merrielle, Domenic and Sofia Lucido. We brought our 5th wheel trailer out of storage in the summer and took it to Spirit West Coast, a Christian music festival at Laguna Seca in Monterey. Our great-niece Brittany and our friends, Michael, Michelle and Nick Mascarello, shared that adventure with us. Then, continuing with our camping theme, we spent a week with our friends, John and Sheila Whitney, at an RV Resort in Benbow, CA (a beautiful spot in Northern California near the giant redwoods). For our last camping trip of the year, we journeyed over the Labor Day weekend (with gas prices topping $3 a gallon!) to Buellton, CA, near the
Danish community of Solvang. We met up again with the Whitney family, and this time Grandma and Papa Mika joined us in their motor home. Camping is such a joy: swimming, barbecuing, playing games, relaxing, riding bikes, and on. We’re so glad to be able to share the experience with our kids.On the pet front, we are still enjoying the company of our wonderful and affectionate cats, Nimbus and Misty (AKA Mister and Missy), adopted from the SPCA in 2002.
And now, as 2005 comes to a close, it seems fitting to leave you with a blessing from the Order of Compline (service for the end of the day) in the Book of Common Prayer:
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night,
and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ;
give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering,
pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.
With love from Diane and the rest of the Mika Family –
George, Natalie and Leland (Mister and Missy, too!)
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