I'd like to keep track of good things from 2020, so I jotted down a little list in my journal. There is more, too.

EXTRAORDINARY

 IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE

If ever there was a year that needed Christmas, this is it. Hold onto the magic and share flurries of kindness wherever you can. Spread warmth and happiness with the whole street. Light up those around you. Let's make the most of the season - however we can!

from Winter 2020 Boden clothing catalog (Britain)

(Hey, right now I'm copying inspiration and beautiful sentiments from anywhere I can - and I like this.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Today, 14 July, is an important family date: it is Ursula Franziska's Birthday! 

In a family of good-looking children, she stood out as a beauty. And she had the grace and elegance to match. When she was very small, just four or so, Mom delighted in telling friends how, on a walk up to the Freinberg with the children recently, little Ursi had said to her, "Mama, you need to push the baby carriage holding your hands like this", demonstrating, "it looks more elegant!"

Of course she became our elegant Aunt Trude's favorite, and it was fine with us.

She should have been a princess, and Mom tried, but she was the middle child in a family that sometimes lacked even basics. It was a situation that was truly not fair, but Ursi shone anyway, and blazed  her own trail. 

Based in Lucerne in recent years, she became, as John said, "the Woess Family Goodwill Ambassador", (re)establishing and strengthening contacts with long-lost cousins and other dear relatives near and far. Thank you, Urs, for being a kind and generous sister, aunt and friend.

Happy, Happy Birthday to you!  You're Queen for the Day! No, let's make it A Week! Or how about A Month?

Letter

It was a beautiful, mild June. I remember it well. This letter captures the mood of the time.

John Charles, age twenty-two, was on his way home from his mission and briefly touring in Europe with some BYU students he had met in his last mission area, Salzburg. (This was permitted at the time.)
Add scanned letter

Hello, 2020!

Our new bishop, Don Cooper, remarked last Sunday that while in the previous century the 20's were known as 'The Roaring Twenties', how about making the 20s in this century 'The Joyous Twenties'? Yes, I like that! 

When this decade is over, I will be 81 years old. John will be 85. Yikes! Crazy. -

The past decade has brought us much joy and happiness: a very dear new daughter-in-law; darling grandchildren who bring so much light, love and hope with them; kind and faithful friends and siblings and adult children and daughters-in-law; there have been wonderful successes and progress and heart-warming opportunities to serve and help, too.

The decade also brought me some unwelcome surprises and much sadness and a broken heart. But I have grown and gained understanding and I'm feeling better now.

Good-bye, 2019!

2019 in one sentence:
'We were very busy with new, full-time jobs (real estate), family, church, farm."

Me, I'm trying to make sense of it all, with my heart spread out from the western US states to Kentucky to Switzerland and now to Russia.
John and I can hardly believe all the positive changes and good fortune that have come our way in this year.
Feeling very thankful.