The Last Eighteen Months in 18 minutes

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This may take longer than 18 minutes.



The national square dance convention was hosted by our state in 2007. We had a great time working on the committee for the youth hall. We were impressed by the caliber of the kids who danced in the hall for the week. Our friends, the Barnes family, were our roommates in a big suite in Charlotte. Also, the Dempsey's bunked in the suite one night. We enjoyed the convention and renewing old aquaintances, and strengthening friendships in and out of the square.



Our family was involved with the Raleigh Stake Pageant, The Promised Land, summer 2007. That was probably the highlight of last summer. We enjoyed making new friends and getting hot and dirty in preparing the site and sharing our testimonies with all those who were involved and who saw the pageant. This was Leon's second year and he loves to get into his parts. I haven't seen too many who alter their appearance for a volunteer short-run production. Maybe I need to get him involved in some community theater.



Curtis probably had the busiest summer of us. He went to scout camp, then straight to Concord to help all of the RVers who came in to camp near the speedway for the square dance convention, then danced some at the convention. And he was in the pageant, too! At the campground, his brand new pair of glasses got run over by an RV while he was leading one to a campsite on the new bicycle Grandma and Grandpa brought for him. He and Ivan also got stung many times while heading to pageant practice one evening. Luckily, both of them were o.k. and they didn't have any reaction to the stings.



We usually spend time with our favorite cousin, Kathie for Thanksgiving. But this year, our wonderful cousin gave us a great trip to Orlando for Christmas/Birthday/everything. We loved our villa at the Marriott Cypress Harbour. All of our family in Central Florida gathered to spend the holiday together. Since all of them were living in RVs at that time, the villa was the perfect place to stay. We are all in agreement that we'll need to get a place down there someday. It was so nice there.



While we were in Florida, Leon and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary. My mom gave us an evening at Epcot to ourselves. We enjoyed it so much. When we were last at that park alone, it rained the entire day and the temperature never rose above 55 degrees F. That was 15 years ago. It was fun to have the park photographers take our photos throughout the park. We really enjoyed bringing back lefse from "Norway" to the kids and Grandma.

Christmas was very quiet. We are getting used to that around here. Since that's Grandpa's busiest time of the year, we don't see them usually until sometime after the first of the year. After a nice Christmas morning, we went to visit Uncle Bubba and Uncle Charlie, then went to Kathie's for dinner. The beginning of 2008, brought Leon's 49th birthday. We hope next year we can host a square dance for his 50th. That would be fun. Curtis flew a plane for his birthday. That was just insane. I rode in the plane he was flying, Leon sitting beside me, laughing at me, and Curtis was flying with instruments only. He couldn't see over the panel.

Charlotte has made some really good friends. She has a mini posse at church and neighbor girls next door. We were able to have a cookout for her birthday this year. The Henry family, the Absher girls and the Wilkins girls came to the house for hotdogs and cake. Curtis gave the girls "wagon rides" around the garden and yard.

Leon was laid of due to economic circumstances in the first week of June. June brought us a very busy summer this year. Leon, Curtis and I participated in the Pioneer Trek. We dressed and lived as pioneers for 5 days at Camp Reeves in the sandhills of North Carolina. But, thanks to the Marcoms and the kitchen staff, we did not eat like pioneers. Mmm. The Stake had about 200 youth and I guess about 100 adult volunteers take part this summer. Again, Leon jumped completely into the whole experience and started growing the facial hair in preparation. It wasn't long before people around the stake starting to notice the resemblence to our dear Brother Brigham. So, he was tapped for some special duties during the Trek.

While we were sleeping under the stars and pushing handcarts through the woods, Ivan and Charlotte went to Florida to spend a couple of weeks with Grandma and Grandpa. Cousin Miranda could not wait for them to get there. She stayed a week with them also. The three of them had a good time together. Grandma and Grandpa took the kids to Disney, swimming, church, and work. I understand that Ivan has a job at the Bishop's storehouse any time he wants to return.

We took the first week of August and travelled to Wisconsin. We were there for the annual Spersrud Cousins reunion. A small crowd this year, but still a great chance to see relatives we don't see often. It had been too long since we have had the opportunity to see Great Grandma Arlette and Aunt Charlotte and her family and Uncle Norman who was in from California. Three years is too long between visits. We had a great time in Wisconsin. The time we spend in Stoughton is always fun. That town is one of my favorites. The Esselmans have a new house in a new town, so we went to see their place. We really enjoyed the visit there and the time we spent with them. The Dells of Eau Claire was a favorite spot. It was really pretty there.

We went to Grayslake to visit a few of my classmates before heading home. Our mini GCHS reunion was fun. I enjoyed watching Curtis listening to all of the stories (I'm not sure I wanted him to hear), looking at the class photos, and holding his own with my classmates. Thanks to Laura and Matt for opening their home to all of us.

Now, Ivan is in fourth grade with Mrs. Stallings and Mr. D. He enjoys it, but is still struggling at times. Curtis is an eighth grader now. He frustrates me at times. I believe he is probably over-scheduled or stretched to his limit at least. But he's doing good in school, he is a captain on the soccer team this year, he still plays the trumpet and is also starting to team up with the VFW in Wake Forest to play "Taps" at ceremonies for them.

Both boys are progressing in the scouts. Ivan will be ten soon and will move into the Webelos den. He loves being a cub scout and following his brother's lead. Curtis is working on Life now.

Leon is working a contract position at Siemens in Wendell. It's in a good location. It would be nice, however to find something that would promise a permanent position. I am still trying to find time to substitute teach, while still volunteering in and for as many things as people ask me to help with. This year, I've worked the polls during the primary and worked the general election. I am on the district training team for the BSA. I help in both schools on booster clubs and PTSA and in the classroom. I teach every third Sunday at church, plus help sub for primary teachers when they're out. I'm excited this year to be able to help with the Stake Creche (Nativity) exhibit. The list goes on...

What can I do for you? Just ask... I rarely say "No."