Merry Christmas 2009

Nearly midnight on Christmas Day and I am just now penning my Christmas Message. I did finally manage to catch the Christmas bug, but by the time I was able to catch it, I was way behind and didn't have time to drop a Christmas Letter in with my cards.

This year has been one of the most challenging and rewarding for me at the same time. Although work has been a test and a struggle for me most of the year, it has also afforded me the opportunity to grow. More over, in this tough economy we are enduring, I am so grateful to have a job and to work with so many good people.

I have had some good opportunities to spend time with my family this year as well. A week in Wyoming hunting with my brothers, father and nephew was seriously one of the best times of my life.

Personally, I have met someone amazing and she has genuinely made me happy.

That is the short and snappy recap of this year. But I do need to say how grateful I am to have such amazing and wonderful friends and family. I do love each of you and am so thankful to have had you in my life one way or another.

For as many years as I can remember, I am always a little down at the end of Christmas Day. I am always sad to see it go. Despite all of the commercialism of the Holiday Season and the hustle and bustle that goes on, and even the short fuses some people have, Christmas really is a magical time of the year. For me personally, as I am certain it is for many of you, Christmas is the time when we really make a concerted effort to put other people ahead of ourselves. We try to be kinder to one another and Christmas Day is the time when everything finally slows down enough that we can focus on the true meaning of Christmas. I guess for me, it is just really sad to see all of that go away.

I hope that each of you had the opportunity to spend a few minutes in contemplation today and remember the birth and life of our Savior. I also hope you all had a great day and were able to spend the time with your loved ones.

Merry Christmas to all of you. Thanks for being there for me and I hope that I can always be there for you.