"May you have an interesting year," was fulfilled in spades in 2011, with natural and world events fighting for news space in an unrelenting torrent.

Thankfully, most of us lead much more parochial lives, and if anything, world events have brought into focus the people that really mean something to us. A bit of adversity can make us put a little more reliance on God, and Christmas is a time when we slow down and reassess the big picture. I hope we can all do that.

Looking back over a year, we suddenly realize that a lot happened in our little circle of life. In January, I joined my Navy friend, Lope and his daughter, Amy, for a trip to Southern Chile. We played it by ear, and that lead us to Chiloe Island to see the penguins and quaint fishing towns, we rode horses in the Chilean Andes, and we spent time in the university city of Valdivia. We concluded in Santiago and got a taste of a big European style city in Latin America.

In February, it was time to get out of the Pacific Northwest gloom, so Pat and I drove over the Cascades and spent three days at Lake Chelan. Even though the temperatures were about the same, the sun was warming, as were the fine restaurants and a day of exploring the wineries in beautiful rolling foothills.

In April, I joined Ed and Dorothy (sister) on a drive down the Pacific Coast Highway to Santa Rosa California, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Santa Rosa Bible Church, started by our grandparents. Both the drive and the celebration were memorable.

In July, I joined our "Hole in the Wall," kayak club for a four day trip to Sucia Island. This northernmost of the San Juan Islands has spectacular geology, deep fjords to explore, and access to paddle adjoining islands.

July 3 was the date of the long anticipated, and prepped, Tammy and Marty wedding (nephew.) No one in the family escaped a role in this, and my job as MC elicited plenty of well deserved groans. It was a beautiful wedding, and as I write this, Tammy and Marty are still married, a very good thing.

An unanticipated consequence of the wedding is that Mom, Flo Webster, broke her hip at the groom's dinner. This necessitated surgery and six weeks in skilled nursing to rehab. As with everything she does, Mom was aggressive at physical therapy and was soon back on her walker. We moved her to the adjoining assisted living center, where she has turned her apartment into a comfortable home. Certainly, Mom has plenty of health issues on her plate, but she focuses on others, and knows that the Lord will take care of her needs.

In September, Pat and I did a New Orleans cruise to the Yucatan Peninsula. Our stops in Belize, Honduras and Cancun were beautiful and interesting. I got in a very nice wall dive in Roatan, Honduras, and we really enjoyed the tropical greenery in all three destinations. Eric and Irene happened to be vacationing in Cancun, so Eric was able to take a ferry and meet us in Cozumel.

We were barely back from the cruise, when I received a short notice invitation to join an unguided raft trip of the Grand Canyon. It was a chance to connect with friends, and the terms were great, so I spent three weeks in a spectacular setting riding a very sporting river. Most of these adventures are written up on my website.

Pat and I taught, once again, the Alpha Marriage Course. It is a very practical eight week course, and we always learn more about the course and one another when we teach it. As a retiree, Pat has resurrected some quilting projects. We spend some time each week helping Mom as needed as her mobility is somewhat dependant on others.

Living in Chicago has turned Eric and Irene into confirmed urban dwellers. They love being able to walk to restaurants, shopping and the many other activities a big city provides. Irene is working as an Assistant Controller and takes the "EL" to work every day. Eric is finishing his MBA.

The summer was difficult, as Eric did an internship in California while Irene continued at her job in Chicago. They celebrated getting back together by going to Cancun for a week. They are spending Christmas in Southern California with Irene's extended family.

University connections have given them new friends, many of them international. One past-time is cooking exchanges and sharing recipes from their different cultural backgrounds. Stories I've heard make me anxious to try Inene's new Japanese pork belly recipe (kakuni).

Carla made a major change to her neuroscience career and took three months training as a neurophysiologist. As such, she assists neurosurgeons in back or brain surgeries by affixing electrodes to the patient and monitoring the nerve activity throughout the surgery. She can alert the surgeon when a nerve is being insulted. Before closing up the patient, she does a continuity check of the nerves to check for function and possible pain. The instance of post-operative complications and pain is greatly reduced by this real-time monitoring. Carla loves being in the operating room and the instant feedback that this provides, which is very unlike research.

The job change necessitated moving to the D.C. area and leaving many California friends behind. All moves are stressful, but she is starting to feel more at home in the new environment. There are many new places to explore and she is slowly working through them as time permits.

It has been another interesting year, not entirely easy, but one we will remember. As we look forward to next year, we ask the Lord to bless each of you, and that he will give us, and our nation, wisdom for the many decisions ahead.

Don, Pat, Carla, Eric and Irene