Merry Christmas One and All!

 This is the Christmas card we sent this year to our family and a very few friends.  Each card was an original print but there was a Nativity Star and the same quote on each one.

Dear Loved Ones,

It has been truly a wonderful year.  We woke up every morning.  The sun shone so many days. We had food for our bodies, mostly healthy. The electricity worked almost always. Clean safe drinking water was available every day. Our eyes worked so we could enjoy God's beautiful creations around us. Our legs got us where we needed to go.  Our hands could manage all the was required of them. We had opportunities to serve, both at home and around us. Technology was a blessing as it made it possible to reach out when we wanted to.  Almost always.  We had the funds necessary to care for our basic needs.  Best of all, we had the joy of worshiping our Savior regularly through scriptures, Conferences, home Sacrament meetings, and finally at the meetinghouse and via streaming on Facebook.  Our Father in Heaven has watched over and blessed us and helped us along every single day.  For all these gifts we are truly grateful.  We pray these same blessings, and more, for each of you this Season and in the coming year.

(These two notes had different authors. It is easy to guess which is which....!)

Hi again from South Carolina,

The enclosed photograph was taken on a windy day in November.  The colorful objects in Pattie's lap are gnomes for each of our grandchildren which she knitted.  It was a lot of work!  Just behind her is a wind chime that lights up at night which Megan gave us.  Behind all this is a pond where our resident alligator, "Ripples", lives.  He shows up every so often, but we enjoy the excitement of having him around.

We have worked hard to steer clear of the Corona Virus.  Since February we have had Sacrament in our home. A little later we were able to have one of our fellow Temple Workers join us for the Sacrament. We were not able to attend Church since we were all over 65 years old.  This fall we were able to attend a one-hour Sacrament meeting with social distancing.  We were invited to serve in the Temple at the end of December - the Temple is only open for individual ordinances.

This fall Pattie was called to be the Relief Society President for the Sumter Ward.  It is challenging since we only got to attend the ward for six months due to the Corona Virus and we did not get to know many of the members.

We have had a variety of health challenges for both of us.  Bob struggled with knee pain but has been able to ride his bike for 4.5 miles each morning. Pattie has had trouble with eczema and vertigo recently.

Merry Christmas from Bob and Pattie Crossett