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So it is interesting how easy it is for me to not post ... good habits are hard to form sometimes.

So it seems that there is going to be connecting with family over the 24th celebration in July on 21-23 at the cabin and see whom we can recognize at the Manassa Parade.

All is well and hot in Kanab.  The family seem to be getting ready for new doors opening soon.  Hope all is well with you as well.

New Arrival

We are excited about the new arrival of Lyle Leroy Ensz!  born May 18, 2017 in Alamosa.  Mother and baby are doing well, as are Dad and sisters.

Settling In

I am not the best at accepting change in life, and this change has been a big one.  The city is smaller, the people are different, the church is different, the landscape is different, the climate is  different, and I am struggling to adapt .

Because the city is smaller,  most of the people are friendlier.  If I had walked up to a stranger in Colorado Springs, I would have been treated like a pickpocket.  Here, it is not uncommon to strike up pleasant conversations with total strangers.  It is rewarding to be in a friendlier community, but it has been slower for me to feel a part of the ward.  I think that might be attributed to the number of medical students, doctors,  university professors, lawyers and other professionals.  I also consider my own insecurities to be an impediment.

The Black Hills are beautiful.  Bikers from all over the world come here to enjoy riding in the hills.  Hills, however, are not majestic like the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains that I have always relied upon for help in navigation.  I've confused north and south.

In Colorado Springs, it would snow then melt within a couple of days.  Here, the cold and snow has lingered and lingered.  It is wonderful to finally see the birds returning and buds forming on the trees.

We have new callings in the church.  Betty has been called as Relief Society Secretary some months ago.  I was called as assistant ward mission leader today.  Both of us were called as Family History consultants.  A lot has changed since we last had callings in family history.  We both have a lot to learn.  We will be busy and we will enjoy it.

Betty is loving the opportunity to be closer to Brenda and getting reacquainted through frequent impromptu lunches when work brings her to Rapid City or she has errands to run.

Brenda and Tim are busy with work and Chloe works hard in the gifted program at school.  She is also adjusting to braces.  Here face is changing.  She's a lovely girl.

Today would have been Ed's 48th birthday.







Andi is in Longmont, CO and is busy working two jobs.  She is a legal assistant and an Uber driver.  Sometimes, that worries her ol' dad.  I don't get a lot of news about her boys, but I know that Ashleigh is busy with school and with babysitting.

Robert is still in Loveland, CO.  I don't hear from him.  I need to work harder in staying in touch with him.

Slow but sure...

The Don Vance family are still hanging around their stomping grounds.  I know it has been a while since we posted.  I had to remind myself how ... what button to push.  I am posting under my hubby's name.  We have had Grandma Gatha here with us since Thursday.  She is trying something new.  She is now taking Insulin shots when necessary.  She told me she can feel a difference.  Bonnie is coming to get her today (21).  Don has had a cold/flu bug the last few days.  I have been watching both of them (Don and Gatha) sleep for two days.  So we have had an exciting weekend.

Austin Vance graduated from boot camp as a Marine.  His family and Grandma Bear were able to go watch the graduation service in Fort Pendleton, California on the 10 of Feb.  Then he was able to go on leave for 10 days.  We were glad to see him in St George for a few minutes as he and Kendra drove home to Idaho.  Kendra is an RN working in the Pocatello, Idaho hospital in surgery and medical.

This past weekend our Adam Hansen had a another accident and broke his right leg this time.  Now he has a rod in both legs.  He is home with his parents for the recovery time.

These are the two major events which have happened in our family.  I was great to have Cory, Lorrita, Grandma Bear (Lorraine) along with the Ensz Family (Jason, Brandi, Quierra, and Sadie) stop by Kanab to visit for the night on their way home from California.  We were so pleased to have them visit.  The Ensz family are looking forward to their new baby boy due in May.

Our Jason Zinn has decided to take another route than graduate from high school.  I have not talked to him, he is hard to get a hold of.  As far as the girls, Becky Zinn and Katee Hansen, graduation from high school is still on board for end of May this year.  Riley will be not far behind on those plans.

Jacob Vance will be graduating from mechanic school I think this summer.  He is enjoying the tech school and working part time.

The Yates couple are staying busy with work and plan on a trip to Las Vegas for a show for the business.  They are trying to fit in a time to visit with us for Aubree's birthday (which is the first day of Spring!)  We are looking forward to that.

Marcy and Jim Warren along with Gary and Danette Hansen are keeping up with their jobs at home and in the work field.

We are sending lots of love to the rest of the family.  Don and I are busy doing the things we

commonly do ... not wavering far.  

I enjoy reading about the family.  I think it will take a while to catch on again.  There are so many other programs out there.

Arlo and Gatha Family Meeting

Held 25 November 2016

Notes below were a combined effort of Jeanette and Gloria

President Larry was conducting.  Attendance Gatha, Donnie, Gloria, Kent and Betty via phone, Bonnie, Larry and Jeanette.

 A discussion was held about Larry being in charge of the next reunion in two years.  Maybe at the Fox creek cabin.  He will let us know early enough for people to make yearly plans with jobs and getting time off.

We discussed ownership of the cabin and the status of it’s use.  Gatha has the list of owners and the deed in a binder at her home.  

Family reports: Donnie: Adam was in an accident.  He broke his femur and nose.  He was in a company truck.  Austin joined the Marines and is at boot camp.  Brandy is expecting a new baby  in May

.

Kent: Betty is doing well from surgery.  We had a successful move to South Dakota.  Luke is out on his own now so Ashley is the only one home now with her mom Andrea.

Bonnie: Bonnie is living with Gatha in St. George. Kids are growing up.  Everything seems to be going okay.  Nothing new.

Larry: Debra expecting a baby boy in February.  I bought a motorcycle. Eric and Emma are pursuing their education.  Craig is about finished with Grad school.

Pres. Larry:  Past two years not active as a family organization, including posting to the blog.  Need to change that.  I nominate Kent as the next family organization president.  

Officer reports  (sorry I didn’t make any notes here)

Motion by Gatha to start a fund.  Each core (sibling) family is to contribute $50 a year.  Motion carried.  

Make a new commitment to write more often on the blog.  

Meeting turned over to new president by Larry.  Kent suggest we redouble efforts to post once a month on the family blog.  Other officers elected were Jeanette as secretary, Gloria as Vice President.  Before this happened there was discussion about having Pres and VP not in the same core family.  

Discussed using the Arlo and Gatha Vance Blog more diligently for better communication between family members.  It will be closed to family members only.  Once a month each representative, meaning sibling, is to post information on the blog regarding their family. Access for additional family members needs to be added to blog.  Core members have administration privileges to add their family members.

Gloria’s motion : set a time to have money in first six months of the year.  motion passed

Bonnie would like an Arlo and Gatha family history.  Write what you remember about Dad.  Send them to the secretary.  Jeanette summarize them and put them on the blog.

Meeting closed.

After the closing of the meeting others made additional remarks which included great amounts of praise and thanks for the reunion at this time and for Bonnie’s efforts in planning and carrying it out.  Love for each other was expressed.

December In the Black Hills

This year has brought some significant changes to our family.  Some are wonderful, some are inconvenient and some are going to take some adjustment.

This year, for the first time since we were married, we both were able to both be with Brenda to celebrate her birthday. We enjoyed our time together even though it was cold outside and in.  The food was wonderful at the Guadalajara restaurant in Spearfish, SD.  We got to enjoy one an others company and we got to see Brenda open her presents with us there.  We even had the opportunity to serenade Brenda along with the restaurant staff.

One of the things that has taken some adjustment has been the cold, snowy weather.  We've seen some of the lowest temperatures we've seen in many

years and we have shoveled more snow that we would like.  Rather we should say that Kent has shoveled snow as Betty cheered him on from the warm living room.  We have a wonderful two car garage and no longer have to leave one of our vehicles out in the cold.  That means no more scraping ice off windshields before early morning appointments, but it also means shoveling snow off of a driveway that is twice as wide.  By the time I finished shoveling snow, the mound was quite high.  I was really thankful when a kind neighbor came over with his snow blower and cleaned my sidewalks when I was running out of energy.  I was equally disgruntled when the city came through and shoveled the streets into a mound across our driveway.   It hasn't melted off, so each snow storm means higher mounds of frozen waste to move around.

In Colorado Springs, we enjoyed the deer in our yard.  Here, the wildlife is a bit smaller.  We loved the mountains to the west of us in the Springs, but here there are no mountains.  Here, the Black Hills jut up within the limits of  Rapid City.  I am still trying to get my compass adjusted.  I continue to head north when my destination is to the south.

Christmas came late to us here in Rapid.  The scheduling for a nurse in a hospital is such that Brenda worked.  We postponed our celebration a few days, but we still had a good time.

We've missed a lot of our church meetings this month.  I went alone a few times, but it is just a lot nicer to go together.  Today was the first day we have attended together for the last couple of months.    I love the Gospel and really enjoy going to church. 

Betty is making good progress with her knee.  She is now walking with a cane in public and without it at home.  We are even going down into the basement to watch TV together.  Betty is also riding the stationary bike as part of her PT.  She can now do full revolutions on the pedals.

There is beauty no matter where we go, and there is happiness to be found in every situation.  It is my prayer that we can all find them.

Love,
Kent