Sunday, December 29, 2019

Dear Kids,
         Christmas has been wonderful, from the Messiah party to the cousins’ party to Christmas Eve, to visiting some of you on Christmas day, to the sledding party at the cabin and the after-party here, and even Nora’s adventure of the flat tire on her way home.  And the fun isn’t over yet, because there’s going to be a New Year’s Eve party here at our house Tuesday night.  All of you are invited, along with your kids.  Sharon and Nora are planning it, so contact them for details!  I still have a block of ariel fireworks left over from the fourth of July, so we can set them off!  If I bug out early and go to bed, at least I’ll be having fun with all of you in spirit!
         Last night Dad and I went to a fantastic party with my brothers and sisters at Bonnie’s house.  Everybody was there except for Ben and Monica, and it was lots of fun talking to them all, and catching up on some of the news.   Every year that goes by, we appreciate each other more.  It’s miraculous that we’re all still alive, for now, and I wish that could go on forever, but as Katie pointed out in a text, we came into our family one by one, and we’ll start leaving one by one. I’m so glad for the Gospel, and to know we’ll be with our families forever, Dad and I, and our siblings, and all you kids.  I appreciate that knowledge more and more all the time now.
         Dad and I spent yesterday morning working at the cabin, and after two hours, you couldn’t see that we’d done anything.  It will take a long time to get it completely functional again, but I’m planning to spend at least one morning a week there now, and Dad will put in plenty of time, too.  Hopefully it will once again be the great party place it used to be!
         Since 2020 is an even year, we’ll be having the big Allen family reunion this summer.  Bonnie has chosen August 8 as the tentative date, and we’re planning on the same park again. It’s impossible to find a date that will work for everybody (Barbara says we’re up to 281 people now) but hopefully as many of you as possible will be able to come.  And of course our own Ackerson family reunion will be the weekend before that, from Thursday, July 30, to Sunday, August 2.  Tom is in charge this year, and we’ll be at the Chalet.  There’s no stopping the fun!
         Love to all, Mom