2016, Part II

Here's an update on the second half of our family's 2016!

We visited Utah in July/August.  It is wonderful to see Michele's brother Jeffrey so well-cared-for and happy at Mesa Vista group home.

It was great to visit with all the family in Utah!  Grandpa and Grandma LeMon continue to show us what it means to live and love.

Kate fly fishing with Uncle Brian in Idaho

John went to a medical immersion camp at Georgetown University.  He got to deliver a baby from a robot!

Michele loved catching up with her college roommate, Amy

And both kids learned to drive a Jeep--on Antelope Island with the Adams!

 Uncle Steven and Uncle Rob visited!  We celebrated Rebecca & Kate's birthdays

 For Kate's 12th birthday, she wanted to go to the Mt Timponogos Temple with John and her cousins

 School started and Kate was on the cross country team

And made a new friend, Theo.  She also assisted the dog groomer on Saturdays, took art and singing lessons and played soccer almost everyday at recess.  She has taken a great interest in cooking and we all enjoy the results!

John studied A LOT.  And started a debate club, tutored a 3rd grader, enjoyed being able to go into the city with friends via public transportation, took rowing lessons, and made time to watch "Parks and Rec" with his mom a few nights every week.

Kate, Jeff, and Emma hiking to Heidi's Village

In October, we went to Lisbon with the Michels family

 

 We loved hosting the Pinegars from Alpine

 

And Sandrina from Johannesburg

The kids overlapped both having braces for one day.  John is enjoying his metal-free mouth.  And Kate has popped off 6 brackets, at last count.

Still trying to go on a date every weekend.  We loved the Regina Spektor concert

 We spent Thanksgiving with about 65 other Americans at the Ledermans' home.

The family surprised me with a week-long trip to South Africa.  It was wonderful to see so many of the best people in the whole world!  A highlight was my friend Jenny's wedding.

I returned just in time for Christmas.  Slightly more impressive than our tree! ... the Swarovski Crystal tree at the main train station.

Not wanting to be left out of the race for the most entertaining medical story of 2016--JEFF!

On December 23rd, Jeff and I were on a date in Bern.  He started having some discomfort so we went to the emergency room.  After some tests and a CT scan, it was determined he had cholecystitis (a gall bladder attack - chronic and acute).  On Christmas Eve, his gall bladder and 12 large stones were removed.  (We wonder if the surgery team was humming "The 12 Days of Christmas" as they worked).   John and I traded nights staying with Jeff at the hospital 2 hours away.  We celebrated Christmas with him but he mostly slept and wasn't too interested in the cake.  He thought the best gift was being with his family!  Aw.

Once Jeff was home and moving along his recovery, we decided he was up to a ~2 hour drive to Strasbourg, France.  We spent a great time there welcoming in the new year!  Jeff got plenty of rest and we ate some great Alsatian food.  Plus it was beautiful!

"The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there"  (LP Hartley).

Some could argue that our family has lived in the "past" for 4 years now as we have lived in foreign countries that have challenged and enriched us.  We are extremely grateful for the opportunities!
As we bid goodbye to 2016, we hopefully look toward 2017.  May it be a wonderful year ahead for each of you and for all the countries of the world.
Love, the Stitts