Copy of newsletter to mail with cards.

1/5/11

Dear Friends,

There are so many of you that I would like to write to you all personally but there aren't enough hours to the day! So I am writing a newsletter of sorts and hoping no one is offended! Because I love you all!

The last 6 months have been a whirlwind. This move has been just wonderful for us. But there are some days when I feel like we've been here forever and I miss everyone and other days when it feels like we just got here.

So far the weather has been awesome! Other than 1/ 2 of June, all of July and August and 1/2 of September, when it averaged 105 F! LOL Which even wasn't all that bad. You just have to take it easy and stay in the AC. This was an unusually HOT summer from what I was told. There were about 5 days when it hit 120-125! But right about Sept 20th it started dropping and has hung around 50-80 during the day. The coldest we got was one night in the mid 30's. This past week has been just gorgeous! 70 and sunny. You don't hear me complainin!

Nick and I just gave our first talks here tonight. Went ok. We were both nervous, but hey its been almost a year since we've given a talk! He gave the # 3 and I had #2.

We have been spending a lot of time outdoors since we've been here. Its just so nice you can't help but want to be outside. We have a hottub now and spend a lot of evenings sitting in it watching the stars. Or we sit out on the back patio. We have seen a TON of shooting stars. A couple of planets are visible and we can even see some star clusters. And the sunsets!!! They are gorgeous!

We discovered a neat spot on the island across the London Bridge that's great for swimming. I can't wait to swim again! The weather is warm enough but the water is too cold. Its Colorado River water!

We also enjoy off roading. There are a couple elders and other brothers and their wives who are the leaders of the pack and as long as no giant boulders are concerned we can keep up with the Jeep Rubicon's fairly well with our Liberty. Its is now trail rated and has the 'desert pinstripes' to prove it! Right now it is just covered with dust. Must take it for a bath this weekend!

We have seen a lot of wildlife. Of course my favorite, the quail, also road runners and bunnies. We have a lizard living under the hot tub. And I saw a sun spider! I almost leapt onto the grill when I saw that! But he left me alone. We also saw a small coyote the other day. Still haven't seen any snakes, thank goodness! The guys thought they saw a bobcat the other day.

We have a cute little house. It IS little, at least compared to what we had before. But its snug and comfy.

Mama has 2 bedrooms on one side of the house. She uses one for sleeping and the other for her office/den. And she has a full bathroom between her rooms. We have the master bedroom and bathroom. There is a tiny laundry room. And in the middle of the house a big open great room. A little divider sections off the kitchen from the dining room and living room. We have a high ceiling in there and its SO bright!

The cats think living here is great. All 6 get along with each other fine. Of course occasionally someone steps on someone elses toes. Usually my young Bella picks on Mama's old Chelsie. But for for the most part they behave. I think Puddy misses having steps to hurl himself up and down though!

The congregation here is wonderful. We have made so many new friends and some are already so dear, as if we've known them forever. But isn't that the wonderful thing about Jehovah's organization? We WILL know everyone forever!

We had our special assembly day in Dec and it was so nice! We only have to go 5 minutes away to get there. But our convention is in St George Utah! YIKES. Like 5 hours away! So for the first time since I was a little kid we have to use the lodging list. Wow! But it'll be exciting.

Of course Mike and Holly are here for the winter and are living in a little trailer next to our house. Its workign out pretty well. Its a cute little trailer!

Nick and I are enjoying our jobs...well enjoy is a bit of an exaggeration...but we are glad to have jobs that give us enough to make ends meet and allow us to make meetings, and are in our fields. So its ok. I'm still with CVS and he's with Staples now.

In the next month we will be starting our Kingdom Hall rebuild project. That should be interesting! We'll be having 1 meeting a week at the Aquatic center, the same place we have the assembly, for WT, TMS, SM, and CBS. WOW! And we're getting a WHOLE new KH.

I can't wait to be involved. I hope I can manage to get a couple weekends off.

I am planning on Auxiliary Pioneering in March when we have the reduced hours. I'm going to take a week off work and I think I can make it.

Oh so much has happened but I can't think of it all. So I'll close for now!

Please know you are thought of often and missed terribly, but kept close in heart.

With Love Always,

Abby and Nick

Brenda

Chelsie, Jassi, Brammy, Fidget, Bella and Puddin