Christmas Letter 2009!

We have decided to post our Christmas letter again on the blog to reach more friends. We have sent out a few hard copies to mostly family members. We hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!Dear Family and Friends, December 13, 2009

I am so happy that it is once again that time of year to sit down and reflect on our year. We have truly been blessed this year and hope that you have too!

Our year started out rocky with us not knowing if Jeff’s employment with Freeport McMoRan Inc. would continue. Due to the economy, they were reportedly laying off 50% of the workforce at the mine where he works. His longevity with them put him in a possible range to be laid off. Fortunately though, for him (and for us) they looked at employee performance and determined that Jeff was valuable enough to keep! We are definitely grateful for that acknowledgement whether it was implied or otherwise! We are grateful for the hard work he puts in for us to be able to enjoy our life. Jeff was also put in as a counselor in our Elders Quorum at church recently. And hunting was a bust for all involved this year despite the amount of scouting and effort put into it. Shucks!
Monica is still a part time teacher at EAC. She is also still a full time mom and homemaker! One thing that did change for her this year was that she was released from her Primary calling at church. She has/had worked with the Primary kids for more than eight years of the ten we have been married. It was strange at first but she is used to it now. Her new calling has her teaching the 13 & 14 year olds in Sunday school. What a change that is…she might actually miss the calm, mellow, non-hormonal Primary age!
Kaitlyn is in fourth grade now. She turned nine in April and is definitely growing up. There is just something a little older about her. She is a little sassy but not in a bad way. And she carries herself differently. I don’t know. She has been taking her growth hormone shots for almost one year now and has reportedly grown more than four inches. We are thrilled they have taken so well with her body and she is catching up on some needed growth.
Madelyn is in first grade now. She turned six in March and has enjoyed learning how to read. She does very well at it too; like her older sister. We are grateful for her enthusiasm for learning and hope it continues. At her parent/teacher conference her teacher just went on and on about how she is leading her class. Madelyn informed me this fall that she thinks she is too old for the Disney princesses now and just likes Barbie! Good to know, right?!
Bronson is still home with Monica and will go to kindergarten next fall. He turned four in February and has transitioned from a baby stage to a little boy stage. We are enjoying it a lot. His best attribute right now is one of humor and entertainment. The things he says have all of us rolling on the floor! I don’t know where he gets it, but we hope it sticks!

Well, that’s our year in a nutshell. Of course, at this time of year we are most grateful for the divine life and love of our Elder Brother and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is because of Him that we have true happiness in this life. May all of you be blessed with true happiness too!

With love,
The Hatches!