Thursday, December 25, 2008

Recap of 2008

The Holiday season has prompted us to get going on our blog again after many months of neglect. To quickly recap our year: We spent New Years 2008 celebrating with family in the Bay Area in California; in March Stephan took Kathleen on a special outing to Gold Beach for her 65th birthday. Also in March, Heather and family came to Grants Pass for family festivities for Easter such as an outdoor Easter egg hunt and barbecue on Saturday and Church and Easter dinner on Sunday. Henry Seable's baptism was held later on Easter Sunday; In May we attended a Rotary Club luncheon where Sabrina Seable (11) was honored as student of the year for her school and given hundreds of dollars worth of prizes!; We also went to Heather's graduation in California where she received her Masters Degree in Education and her teaching credential (to make sure she could homeschool when she wanted to without being challenged). We also heard her Windsor's Community Children's Choir perform. It was also great fun to attend the Pleasant Hill Ward 50th Jubilee celebration in Pleasant Hill. We were able to see many old friends and feel a great spirit at each activity; Back in Grants Pass, Eliza Kirsten Savage was born May 30th and is a delight to all; In June we attended the baptism of Julie Jarvis (As you will see, we had five grandchildren baptized in 2008. The year we were on our mission in China it was the year of the dragon, and we had five grandchildren born. We call them our dragon babies. Well, this was the year of the baptisms of the dragon babies.); July we celebrated fourth of July with family in California and with our Chinese friends from Beijing who are now living in San Francisco. We also attended Rabekah Lipman's baptism. That same week Kathleen's nephew Michael Schuneman was married in the Oakland temple, and we were glad to be able to be a part of that wonderful event; Later in July, back in Grants Pass, Anson Savage was baptized. At the very end of July we were released from our two year service mission for LDS Employment Services. Although it was challenging to balance all the family involvements and 25-30 hours a week serving in this capacity, it was very rewarding, and we were greatly blessed; After our release, we immediately headed to Utah for the wedding of a wonderful young Chilean couple who are now living in Utah. They were married in the Manti Temple. We grew to love both them and their families while we were serving in Buin, Chile. After a short visit with family in Utah, we came back for a few days to Grants Pass with Ali and her three children with us so they could visit with family here and then up to Tillamook (Bay City) to spend some time with Nathan's family and to see the Weissenbuehlers, Larsens and Seables on Stephan's side of the family. Then on to Utah for Education week at BYU where many family members gathered to enjoy a week of stimulating classes. The day after Ed Week ended, Kathleen flew to California to help Sarah following her operation. Because of scaring and other complications after her emergency Cesarean delivery a year ago, Sarah had to have a hysterectomy. (We are all grateful for her seven children.) Later Kathleen returned to Utah where Stephan had stayed, and we both helped with the final filming stage of Ali and Tom's independent movie sci-fi that they had began over a year earlier before Samuel's birth. Stephan helped build props and watch children, and Kathleen was a production assistant and also ran crafts (food preparation) for the movie crew for two weeks. It was very work intensive, but also very fun and interesting. September also brought the final baptism of the dragon babies with that of Nathan Schaffer in Spanish Fork, Utah. To accommodate our schedule, the bishop allowed the family to hold a special baptism. We couldn't use the church font because it was at a different time than the regular stake baptisms, but Nathan was baptized in a neighbor's pool near the church, and we met in the chapel for the rest of the program. This will always be memorable for Nathan we are sure! On the way home from Utah, we visited Stephan's brother John in Caldwell, ID and also family in Portland and Tillamook, Oregon. We just arrived home when Kathleen heard that her mother was in the hospital with heart problems. Therefore, the next morning she took off for California and was there for a couple of weeks. In the meantime, Stephan received the results of his biopsy taken before we left for Utah. Yes, he has prostate cancer. At 71 years, this is not unusual for men. So far, supplements, exercise and losing weight is keeping the PSA number down, and the doctor says we can watch and wait for awhile. If Stephan loses some more pounds an operation will not be so risky. That is the plan for now. In October we took Katie to the airport in Portland to fly to Utah to watch Jo's children while they went to Costa Rica with friends for a week. While there we saw another doctor for a second opinion and also had the chance to visit with Nathan and Sandra and children again in Bay City. On Halloween we had the big family Halloween Party at our house, and we also put on a great spook alley at the church designed for Primary aged children. Jarvises and Grandparents built and staffed the project in the Primary room for the ward Halloween party. It was a great success! Thanksgiving brought Lipmans, Savages, Jarvises, Adam's family and Nathan's family together at our house for a huge feast. Counting the missionaries we invited, there were 42 people. What fun (and a lot of work). In December the Creche Festival at the church featured Stephan as a local sculptor who demonstrated his work and provided a large table for youngsters to make their own Christmas sculptures out of Play Dough. We also had a table of our nativity scenes which included countries such as China and Chile, and the whole Jarvis family put on a half hour musical performance as part of the evenings program. Traditionally, Stephan was Santa again at the ward Christmas party. On Christmas day, the Christmas dinner and party was at our house after visiting with each individual family in Grants Pass on Christmas Eve. It doesn't get any better! Well, maybe soon. On New Years Day we will be flying to Florida. Stephan's generous brother Don is hosting a two week cruise to the Carribean for all his siblings and their spouses. What a reunion this will be! We will report back later on our adventures. Also, we are looking forward to two more grandbabies in 2009. Ali is expecting another son in February, and Holly will have another little girl in March. We feel so blessed in so many ways. We have our challenges, to be sure, but these are also blessings to help make us more compassionate and closer to the Lord. May 2009 bring to us and to you all that will work for our best good if we are faithful.

Family Christmas



Rudolf


Kirsten and Katie

Grandma demonstrates how to open their "crackers"

At the older kids table


Preston, Julie, Parker


At the little kids table



A Christmas toast!


Stephan, Holly, Adam

Heidi enjoys the bounty

Present time!

Cordy
Levi
Gretel
Keenan
Jefferson
Eliza

Julie and Gretel give us a song

Games galore!

I think Grandma is cheating!




















It's that time of year again!


Santa is a favorite at the ward Christmas dinner and party. He is a regular every year. The children love his visits. Little grandchildren stare hard because he seems somewhat familiar.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Redwood Ward Christmas Party

Naomi Seable

Charlie Jarvis and Anson Savage (cousins)

Santa and Charlie

Santa and Stephan Savage
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The whole Savage family with Santa

Preston Jarvis looks delighted


Julie Jarvis loves Santa

Eliza Savage is a bit suspicious. Does that beard come off?



Anthony Jarvis is Santa's bud





Santa and Anson Savage

Levi Savage chats with Santa

Parker Jarvis thinks Santa is funny

Calvin Jarvis gives a big "hello"
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Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Keenan Seable and Anson Savage
Dad and Adam






Monday, December 22, 2008


Santa and Jingle Bells

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

One Year Anniversary


It's been almost a year since I posted on this blog. Oh, my. It is 1:45am so I will not do much now. Let's just say that I started something good, and the family has taken it and run with it. Who could ask for anything more? Now we get to see all our grandkids and children and keep up on their news. It's too late for us so we are glad to see you are saving yourselves. Dad and I love you all and love to see your blogs. By the time we review all, it is too late to post ourselves. Besides, we just live quiet, little, uneventful lives.......NOT!!!! More to come later. Good night, all...................