Many of you will receive our family letter with our Christmas Card this year, but I thought I would post the letter here, too.

COOK FAMILY NEWS 2008

Scott (17) is living up his senior year at Hilliard Davidson HS. He is busy singing in 3 performance groups: Senior Choir, Madrigals and Boys in Blue. He serves diligently as Student Council Co-President and enjoys writing and performing songs with his friends. Other activities include Chamber Orchestra, performing in the school plays, early morning Seminary and activities with his Priest Quorum. He was chosen as Homecoming King and is looking forward to college next year. He is a caring brother and son.

Andrew (15), a sophomore, is also busy with high school life. He performs with Scott in Senior Choir and Chamber Orchestra and serves on Student Council. He and Scott played “Come Sail Away” with their band for the Homecoming pep rally and Variety Show. He plays on the JV basketball team and was selected for the OCC Honors Choir. He really enjoys his early morning Seminary teachers and currently serves as the Teachers Quorum President. He is excited to drive with his temps and continues to bring fun and laughter into our family.

Claire (13) enjoys 7th grade and middle school life. She played soccer on the school team and enjoys being goalie. She plays violin in two school orchestras and enjoys all her teachers. She is in the Beehive class presidency and loves the Young Women’s program at church. Her reputation as a great babysitter has gotten around so she earns lots of money! She has another year to go with braces…hurray! For her 13th birthday she got a tabby kitten, Bailey, which we are all enjoying. She is a great big sister to Spencer and Ian and is a great helper for Mindy at home. Having grown 6” in the last 2 years her graceful presence is a blessing in our home!

Ian (9) is in 4th grade. This brought new friends, teachers and homework responsibilities for him at school. One day a week he attends a FOCUS program for gifted children at the 6th grade school. He loves to play soccer and also enjoyed baseball this past summer, especially when he got to be catcher. He takes piano lessons and sings in the Columbus Children’s Nina Choir. He is a Bear in Cub scouts. He loves to read and play with Spencer on Webkins or with their friends on our court. He keeps us on our toes and makes family life fun and lively.

Spencer (6) is in 1st grade and loves his teacher, Mrs. Clifford. He has excelled in reading and writing and enjoys recess where he can collect bugs, spiders and other living things. He has started piano lessons and loves to sing Primary songs from the church website. He is often found singing, humming or whistling a tune of his own creation around the house. He is just starting to play T-ball, soccer and basketball…we’ll see how he likes sports! He is a smiley, social boy who brings joy and smiles to those around him.

Mindy turned the big 4-0 this year and was spoiled by a gift a week from Dave for the big count down. The demands of home and family take much of her time but she does make time for reading, knitting, and supporting community recycling projects. She serves in the Primary presidency in our ward and enjoys teaching and interacting with the children. She is the Drama Boosters Secretary for the high school and PTO Vice President at the elementary school.

Dave continues to successfully balance work, family and church responsibilities. His efforts serving in the Stake Presidency culminated this fall when our new Stake Center was completed and dedicated. He travels often with his legal immigration work but also took the family on some fun trips this year. We visited NYC for Spring Break and the Outer Banks of North Carolina over the summer. He and Mindy celebrated their 20th anniversary with a cruise to the Bahamas.
Although life is demanding we count our many blessings at this joyful time of year. LOVE AND GREETINGS TO ALL!

Christmas Traditions

I am going to be lazy. Each month a member of our Stake Presidency writes a message for the Stake Newsletter. I was assigned to write the message for December. Later this month I will update you on the "family happenings," but for now I thought I would share the message I wrote for the newsletter.

Stake Presidency Message
December 2008

Brothers and Sisters:

We are entering a wonderful time of the year. I love the Holiday Season. I enjoy recalling family traditions from when I was young. We often decorated two trees…one real tree and one silver aluminum tree. We would place a “color” light wheel next to the silver tree and watch it turn from blue, to yellow, to green, and to red. Often our natural tree would be “flocked” or decorated with tinsel. Only my father had the patience to place the tinsel on correctly, strand by strand. Another tradition the kids enjoyed was selecting one present from under the tree and opening it on Christmas Eve, following our reading of the Nativity story from the New Testament. One of the prized gifts we received each year was a “Book” of Lifesavers. We also enjoyed watching my mother look for a hidden gift placed in the tree by my father.

Other traditions involved visiting neighbors and friends. I grew up with three sisters and one brother. We would visit families on Christmas Eve and each of us would be allowed to carry in and delivery a carrier with six bottles of soda for our friends and neighbors.

In our family now, we are working to develop family traditions. When I served as a Bishop, our family invited the members of the Ward to join us for a Family Home Evenings in December. These Family Home Evenings have provided us rich memories to reflect on. We make an effort to go caroling each year. We have started a practice of donating food to the Mid’ Ohio Food Bank and shopping for Secret Santa gifts. We often gather with extended family for an enjoyable dinner on Christmas Eve, followed by a reading of the Christmas Story from the New Testament. Another family of close friends often joins us late on Christmas Eve to assist with important tasks, after which we may watch a movie. Finally, much to the consternation of our kids, no one is allowed to open a present on Christmas morning until everyone is awake and gathered around the Christmas Tree.

President James E. Faust taught that family traditions can enrich family life. He stated:

Some of the great strengths of families can be found in their own traditions, which may consist of many things: making special occasions of the blessing of children, baptisms, ordinations to the priesthood, birthdays, fishing trips, skits on Christmas Eve, family home evening, and so forth.

Underlying these traditions, is a desire to gather with family and friends to feel the Spirit of the Season. It is the opportunity to contemplate and recall the life and teachings of our elder brother, our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. It is my hope that each of us may remember the true meaning behind this wonderful season as we carryon or establish traditions:

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

I know and testify that as we remember the true meaning, we will receive His gift of peace.

Merry Christmas!