Thanks to Generous and Thoughtful Souls!

Mom has encouraged me several times to write something on her blog. Up until now I have declined saying that I am recording my history day by day in my journal and you will all have that to read someday when I am gone. Following your kind and thoughtful and wonderfully generous Christmas gift, however, I feel compelled to write you all in this open letter to express my deep gratitude and awe for your love and generosity as well as your thoughtfulness. When we first heard the announcement of the Rome Temple, Mom and I both commented that we should go but later as we contemplated the cost, we felt we should forego the opportunity in favor of more important things. It's not that we didn't want to go! I can't tell you how many times I have had the urge to go back to my beloved Italia--but it just seemed so out of reach that I just had to put it out of my mind. But your gift to us--truly a gift from the heart--rekindled our desire and our belief that we could possibly go. And now for the rest of my life, it will be a gift never to be forgotten--just to contemplate that you wanted us to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity together is the sweetest feeling a father could ever experience.

I love you all with all of my heart and soul. I pray constantly that Heavenly Father will continue to bless and protect each of you and your beautiful children. Your marriages are such an example to Mom and me--we learn things we should do whenever we visit your homes. Please accept my deepest love and gratitude for your kindness and thoughtfulness.

Love,
Dad

Christmas Joy!

Brigham's Stick Horse Porter and Great Grandma J with his new puppy
Cousin fun!
Todd, Mom, and Kate
Handsome Todd with his Transformer and watch

Grandpa, Stanton, and Julie and the all the little "sardines" packed into our tiny living room!

Our three beautiful babies: Cannon, Porter, and Kamryn

Love this little guy!Regan with her new DVD playerIsn't a Karaoke Machine a perfect gift for our little Jordy?Morgan and her Barbie Hair Styling Head (What do you call this thing?)

Lori and our little Jack with his train conductor hat, scarf, whistle and Thomas the Train Railroad cars.

Grandpa teasing Jack and Jordy! They were giggling so hard!

Our adorable Lily, Chloe, and Brigs with their stick horses!

Kamryn and Cindy On Christmas Eve day, our family (minus Matt and Sara and kids, of course---darn, we miss you!) gathered together to eat, visit, and exchange gifts. It was fast and furious, but fun! Brad took an HR test equivalent to a CPA exam that morning and was through by noon. And great news! He passed!!!! Congrats, Brad! I'm sure that was the best Christmas gift he could have received, bar none! Everyone gathered about noon and we ate our traditional Bratten's Clam Chowder, bread sticks, salads, relish tray, fruit, etc. We didn't plan extra things because we decided we just wanted to have time to visit and to let the kids play together. So that is exactly what we did. The kids had a great time together and we all just visited and played with the babies. The kids opened their gifts to each other (they draw names, which I love!) and their gifts from Grandpa and me! Pictures above. We were so busy that I hardly got to take any pictures! These were the extent! Definitely Christmas joy for Greg and me! We got everyone on their way home before the storm hit. Thanks to you all for making this happen in spite of all the business of the holidays and other family parties.

Christmas Decorating- a Love/Hate Relationship

Christus StatueStocking Closeup

26 Stockings
I have to admit that Greg and I don't love Christmas decorating! We love the finished product and the spirit it brings at Christmas, but let's face it, the actual DOING is not great fun perhaps because there are ALWAYS strands of lights that don't work even when they were fine when you put them away last year, AND strands of lights tend to stop working AFTER you have them on the tree or above the window, etc.

Nine years ago, when Matt and Sara were married on December 10th, we had their Open House here at our home. We purchased a beautiful artificial tree (expensive one that honestly looks real) and some beautiful and, yes, expensive decorations. We elicited the help of our good friend, Mary Cook, to help us decorate it and it turned out absolutely gorgeous! And for 9 years we have LOVED that tree. Reason being, when the holidays are over, we simply wrap the tree in a shrink wrap, leaving all decorations and lights in place, and carry it out into our garage to its perfect little storage nook. And when Christmas rolls around again, we carry it in, cut off said shrink wrap, pull down the branches, make a few adjustments, and stand back and say "Ahhhhh, I love this tree!"

Now, I cannot honestly say that there have not been a few problems over the years. After about the 5th or 6th year, many strands of lights went out over the holiday season and Brad and Lori had to come to our rescue! Yes, without taking off too many decorations, they cut the dead strands of lights out of the tree and loosely wound replacements! And because there are so many beautiful bobbles, it still looked great! But each year since, we have had at least one strand which either would not light upon bringing the tree in, or went out over the course of days. This year was no exception. In spite of that, I did LOVE my tree this year!

However, I believe we have seen the last of our "perpetual evergreen" as it is! When we were covering it with shrink wrap this year, we heard a funny noise and realized that the trunk had probably cracked or something. And since I am actually typing this in Feb 09 though posting it with a before Christmas date, I can tell you that we noticed the top of the tree is leaning WAY over out in the garage! Well, I guess a good thing like that can't last forever! We will just have to break down and get another tree this next Christmas and start the whole process over again. I still do have my same decorations, however, and will reapply! Now, do you think we are crazy? Really, you should try it!

Now, notice that I did not take a picture of my tree. I am not sure why, but it tells me that our evergreen symbol of Christmas is not my favorite decoration! My favorites as you can see are my statue of Christ purchased not long after the Madrid Temple dedication and my 26 stockings above our gas fireplace representing each one of our family. As for the Christus, it is a Lladro, the only one I have or will ever have. But I treasure it. These were commissioned by the church and created in commemoration of the opening of the first temple in Spain where my son-in-law, Brad, served a mission. The Lladro artists drew their inspiration from the original by Bertel Thorvaldsen. A life-size statue stands in the Visitors Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake. I love it so much that it stays in my front room all year around minus the greenery you see here. It is a daily reminder of what is really important.

Regarding the stockings, each has a name on it beginning with Greg and me, grouped by families, and ending with our little Cannon most recently born into our family just last August. Every time Greg and I look at it, it reminds us how blessed we have been and how grateful we are for the ministry of the Savior and his teachings that have brought us joy beyond measure! The picture does not do this justice, but I can't put into words how happy it makes us every time I look at these simple little stockings.

So, though I may not like the actual process of decorating, I do love the result and the reminders of the real purpose of the Christmas season!

Rose Family Christmas Extravaganza

Me with my little Kamryn
Our Patriarch and Matriarch

The kids dancing to Uncle Bob's piano silliness! The cast of "The Nativity"

Our two Marys (Jordy and Aubrey)

I think Rosie is cooperating a little better than Porter. What do you think?

Morgan, Kamryn, Kate and Chloe in their new jammies from Great Grandma and Grandpa Rose I don't think Jordyn wants to share Mitch! Kamryn and Cindy Aubrey, Amber and Shalee in talent showSome of the grandkids with Grandpa! Morgan playing the piano

Lily performing

GGrandma Rose with Parker and GGrandpa Rose with Cooper

Wilson Family

The kids got to decorate their "Christmas Trees"

Just a small portion of the fabulous food always beautifully presented at any Rose Family party!

December 13th was our annual Rose Family Christmas Celebration out in Park Valley at the church. It is a wonderful reunion giving us all a chance to visit outside our immediate families and catch up on all the goings on in each other's lives. It is always so fun to see the happiness in Grandma and Grandpa's faces as they see all of their family (less Matt and Sara and kids...we missed you!!!!) gathered together enjoying one another's company. All are doing well and that has to be very gratifying for them.

Some of the things we do are eat (way too much!), play games, have a talent show, act out the nativity, open gifts, and visit, visit, visit. I am always in charge of the Rose Family Cookbook which anyone can add to each year as long as they are tried and true recipes. Everyone else rotates assignments and it works out really well. Janet and family do the decorating as well as their other assignments so they get double duty. We appreciate them so much!

Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa Rose, for your generosity, love, and example.