The Christmas Card That Never Happened

So in "Skype-ing" with some family this week it as brought to my attention that I have a few problems with follow thru. For the third year in a row, I got pretty far in my Christmas Card preparation but just never pulled the trigger.  Then suddenly it's February and you are trying to find a holiday to fit your Christmas letter.  However since I already went to the work of writing said Christmas letter and even made Clark try to take pictures on a timer with his new phone of the two of us, I am going to do a belated Christmas Card Post. Below is our Christmas letter and pictures, Merry Christmas!!!

Dearest Friends and Family,

                We wanted to wish you all a very Happy New Year, since we were a bit belated with our Christmas Cards.  We so enjoy receiving and sending cards this time of year, especially since we live so far away from so many of our dearest friends and family.

2012 for the Gunnerson family was a year of endings, and beginnings. 

In July, Clark finished his three year residency in Internal Medicine at Geisinger Medical Center and began his duties as Chief Resident and as an attending physician.  We truly feel this year of part-medicine, part-administration has been a tremendous blessing to our family (having a more flexible schedule) and to Clark’s future endeavors in medicine.  We also just recently were informed that Clark has successfully matched into the Gastroenterology Fellowship program here at Geisinger, so we will be staying here in Danville, PA for at least 3 ½ more years.  Clark is also adjusting to his new calling in our church as a member of the stake high council with the specific responsibility of handling public affairs and missionary work for the stake.

Tiffany spent the year “wrangling” the three boys which is really a feat of strength these days.  She is also active in the Resident’s Auxiliary at Geisinger Medical Center, and enjoys taking the spouses of prospective residents on tours of Danville.  She is adjusting to her new church calling in the Young Women’s Presidency.   In June, with the help of our close friend and neighbor Peggy Cooper, Clark and Tiffany were able to join Clark’s family on an adult cruise to Jamaica. It was wonderful to get to spend some quality time with Clark’s brothers and sisters.  In October, our whole family traveled to Florida to a Warnick family reunion which allowed us to endure hurricane Sandy first in Florida and then also in PA upon our return. 

Caleb turned 7 in November and continues to have the heart of his mama and the steadfast perfectionism of his father.   His future plans are to become a doctor and work with his dad.  He loves his “parkour” gymnastics class which actually landed him on a billboard in town adding to his sense of his own celebrity.  Besides gymnastics he is in baseball, piano, soccer, and will be joining the swim team in the summer.  He is a social butterfly who loves the company of others.

Eli, who will be turned 4 this January of 2013, continues to be of “great stature”.  He and Caleb are wearing the same size pants and shoes.  Finally this spring he will be old enough for organized sports with T-ball in the spring and soccer in the fall.  His mother has high hopes for his athletic pursuits since he was “born a runner”.  Eli is currently in pre-school twice a week, but wishes to go all the time.  Eli makes every day an adventure and keeps our family laughing. 

Jared, now 2 years old, is really developing his own personality.  He is very particular about everything and has a serious love of trucks (not toy trucks, actual trucks he can ride in). His nickname around the house has become “Jare-bear”.    Both of his brothers are eager to do anything to help Jared and often assist him in getting into trouble.   While initially we though Jared would be the pensive calm child, however time has proven he is cut from the same cloth as his brothers.

We are so grateful for blessed gift of our Savior Jesus Christ and for the gospel which has profoundly blessed our lives.  We wish you a very happy 2013 and look forward to hearing more from you soon!!!

The Gunnersons

Clark, Tiffany, Caleb, Eli, and Jared