Christmas 2001

This year has just finished.
This year has just passed.
It turned out confusing
Even more than the last.

In Two Thousand and "Oh"
T'was election concern.
In Two thousand and "One"
New York City did burn.

As we approach the season
Of peace here on the earth,
Terrorism has stolen
Considerable mirth.

Is it right to be happy
With all of the pain,
We find worldwide
Should not happiness wane?

Or should we be upbeat
And look for success,
And strive to move forward
Right out of this mess.

This year's a mixed bag,
Like nothing before.
Who ever would think
We'd end up in a war?

So that's the dilemma
We find ourselves in.
A world full of stress
Where should we begin?

We start with ourselves,
Our Family is next.
If we take care of these
We'll be much less vexed.

As we look at our family
In Two Thousand and one,
Life is more stable
But I'm not sure more fun.

In one way we grew
And added some fun.
With two children "grand"
One daughter - one son.

Rylee joined us in April
Born to Pam and to Scott.
She joins the two sons
That they've already got.

Wee Braden Michael
Was the last to arrive.
At Connie and Brad's
Yep!  He's number five.

In our letter last year
We awaited the birth,
Of Hannah Noelle
Who was not yet on earth.

On sixteen December
She decided to show,
To Janna and Matt
She decided to go.

Twelve grand kids in total
We have to this day,
And as far as we know
There is none on the way.

Two of the grand kids
Started school this year.
Brooke and Mitchell
Now on student's Career.

Brooke started in First Grade
Down in the city A.B.Q.
Tested out of the "garten."
A neat thing to do.

Mitch up in Portland
Was ready to go.
Turns out he knew 
More than he's needed to know.

So what of Chase,
Scott's number two son?
Preschool he has started
He considers it fun.

Then there is Aryn,
She's Brad's "terrible two."
No better description
Can you possibly construe.

Allyn Ann was baptized,
She's Brad's middle daughter.
She's waited a long time
To get into the water.

Big sister Andrea
She is Brad's other,
Mature beyond years
She's more like a mother.

Brent on the court
Is not the most tall,
But it's really amazing
What he does with the ball.

Then Michael Bradford
The next oldest kid,
He grew up a foot 
In one year he did.

Brian Gregory the oldest
Of the next generation,
Has found music to be
To him a sensation.

All twelve of the kids
Are making us proud.
There still is some room
In the family crowd.

Albuquerque To Greg 
And to Cheryl is home.
It's now been ten years
They've not needed to roam.

Greg's practice has doubled
And doubled again.
Yet his time on the job
Is less than it's been.

With all three in school
Cheryl's free more each day.
But her focus on the kids
Leaves no time for play.

The Quorum of Elders
Is Greg's stewardship.
Getting priesthood to work
It takes a strong grip.

Connie and Brad
Still live on a hill.
But the valley below
Is beginning to fill.

Brad's projects galore
Are filling the place.
With only five acres,
Is that enough space?

Connie still presides
Over women at Church.
Now with five kids
For time she must search.

Brad's church assignment
Remains with the youth.
He's younger than them
And that is the truth.

Scott Lee and Pam
Remain on the coast.
In Oregon state,
They like it the most.

But Scott's tenure there
Is now getting thin.
His transfer of knowledge 
Must shortly begin.

Now with three kids
And Rylee so small,
Pam works with the kids.
Her time?  It takes all.

Scott is a Scouter,
Has been through and through.
He's called as a "Master",
Showing boys what to do.

As mentioned above
Matt and Jana were blessed,
With their first daughter
You can guess all the rest.

Jana's quit working
Now the family is three.
For Hannah the baby
A mother to be.

Into a new home 
They moved early this year.
In Round Rock, Texas,
Which is Austin near.

Matt too is a Scouter,
It's his calling at Church.
He's had all the training
It's for time he must search.

Jeffiner Ann - 
What more can we say?
Graduated again
But this time for pay.

A professional hairdresser
She finally became.
For the first time in life
It was not a game.

But the money came slowly
It was not enough.
Now she has two jobs,
It looks somewhat tough.

With her options wide open
She is waiting to see,
Which job opportunity
Will most lucrative be.

The year closes great
As she has a new friend.
A male by gender
She hopes there's no end.

Too early to tell
Where they go from here.
He has been inspected
By all far and near.

He has passed muster
From Greg down to Mose,
And mother and dad
Would never oppose.

But he is his own man,
His schedule is his.
He's checking her out
And her family he'll quiz.

Courting is serious,
It is not a game.
If Jen gets a ring,
We will mention his name.

Jackie and John
To change are too old,
But their relationship ripened
Is now worth more than gold.

After twenty-three years
John is done at the Stake.
He's back in the ward,
So for him that's a break.

Jackie and Jenny
To New York they traveled.
They saw the Twin Towers
Just before they unraveled.

So most things for us 
Have been pretty good.
Probably wouldn't change much
Even if we could.

May our message find you
And your family as well,
Happy and prosperous 
At least for a spell.

Merry Christmas to you
And a Happy New Year,
To you and yours 
From all of us here.

Jackie, John, Jenny
JORGENSEN

      ...and Moses