The Bernhisel annual Christmas Missive-2017
Merry Christmas-Happy Holidays and the most Cool Yule from the south side of the Alafia River.
We are back in our Riverview, Florida home. Hooray! Yes, I can use this long standing phrase of mine again after being absent from our Florida home the last four out of seven Decembers-three in North Carolina for our LDS mission (mission president and companion) and last year in Utah (while working at the U of Utah). I stepped down from the U of U, helping those with infertility and reproductive endocrine issues and working with residents and fellows in the OB/GYN department at the end of June in Utah. Julee and I had taken on a project of fixing up a second home for us in Heber City Utah. Heber City, which like many Utah towns, was settled by the Mormon pioneers in the mid-1800s. The fixing up part took much more time and effort than we presumed, but we love that home nestled in the hills. We had been in Bountiful Utah, 10 minutes from the home that I spent my teenage years. Our rental home was by the beautiful Mueller Park. So, we moved back from NC to our home in Florida in 2015; then from Florida to Bountiful Utah in early 2016. In August 2017 we moved from Bountiful to Heber City and in September from Heber back to Florida. Julee and I have both proclaimed this as our "last move." We will see how that works.
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| Skiing with Brooke at Solitude |
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| Snow shoeing at Yellowstone |
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| Skiing with the Texas Bernhisel's |
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| Your right. This ain't Florida! |
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| Lewiston Utah 4th of July |
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| With brother Todd in Lewiston |
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| A look out on Heber Valley from our home |
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| Deck construction-Heber |
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| Hidden Falls, Jenny Lake, J'Hole Wyoming |
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| Rafting on the Snake River, Wyoming |
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| Food, Water, Smiles on the 200 mile trip from Logan Ut, through Idaho to Jackson Hole Wyoming |
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| Finish Line |
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| Lo (Logan) To Ja (Jackson Hole) |
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| A quick dip in the Snake River would feel so refreshing now! |
In September, we made our way back to Florida as mentioned, visiting kids/grandkids in Dallas and Houston (shortly after hurricane Harvey). Julee is now in full swing of being a special grandma to 20 superbly outstanding grandkids; teaching 13-14 year olds in Sunday School and working like crazy to fix up and “Christmas Up” our home in preparation to hosting kids/grands for the holidays. Her health is stable and no cancer was seen on her followup mammogram. Julee was also the “support team” for a 200 mile bike ride from Logan Utah to Jackson Hole Wyoming (“LoToJa”) through southern Idaho for my son-in law, Mike Walden and myself in September. After the craziness of unpacking from this latest move back, I have been reading, fixing up and riding my bikes. I do have a church calling (has not been announced yet) and will likely go back to being a “Doc” again shortly. We also would like to return as ordinance workers in the Orlando LDS temple.
I truly love my wonderful wife Julee and admire her hard work and enduring the scrapes and bruises of this life. I also love our amazing children and their spouses as well as my 20 astonishing grandchildren.I also love my dear Savior. Let me give the thoughts of my heart with these words of prophets describing Him: “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” (Isaiah 9:6) and the words of a prophecy given before Christ’s birth-“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind…And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy- (by His Atonement for us)”. (Alma 7:11.12)
We wish and pray for a very Merry Christmas to y’all and your dear families. Love Marc and Julee.
I know that y'all have have fantastically wonderful kids and grands like we do. So, using a southern term, I am going to "Brag On Them"- a bit.
Heidi and Tyler Rex, with their outstanding children Mckenzie (19), Savannah (16), Christian (12) and Jackson (10), live in the beautiful area of Seneca S.C.. Heidi is a busy mom and is also substitute teaching frequently now. Tyler had a advancement in his position to assume directorship of Thrive Center (provides services, opportunities and support to special needs people) in Greenville, S.C.. Mckenzie is attending HS and is remarkably talented and fun to be with. Savannah is an outstanding student; attends early morning seminary and runs cross country (6th in state) and track. Christian loves scouts and his family pets. Jackson is a runner, a comedian and he is now interested in being a "rad" mountain biker (yay! another partner for me).
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| All the family including Annabelle the cat |
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| Tyler and Savannah meeting us in Park City after the Wind River Back Pack |
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| State Final in Columbia SC |
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| Lunch with Jackson |
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| Lunch at school with Heidi, Christian and Jackson |
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| Roxie and Christian snoozing |
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| Rex duets |
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| Winter time track meet in SC |
Preston and Karee Bernhisel live in Carrolton Texas (close to Dallas and Preston’s law firm Baker Botts) with their exceptional children Cole (13), Carter (11), Caroline (7-almost 8-we are looking forward to being with them for her baptism in January) and Cambelle (3). Karee is a great mom and teaches fitness classes at the gym. Cole loves to play the piano and has some great piano duets with Carter and now plays the euphonium which we call Ulysses. Carter is a good student; loves sports and designing projects with Legos. Caroline is now playing the piano and ukulele; plays soccer and basketball and seems to love life. Little Cambelle, who is in constant motion, loves playing and riding her bike and-she is a good little soccer player.
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| Cambelle surfing the rock |
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| Cole with Ulysses the Euphonium |
 Preston and Karee at Solitude
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| Doing a Bernhisel Stretch during a break in General Conference.We were tending the kids |
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| Birthday girl at our Bountiful home with cousins |
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| Night out at the Thai restaurant when Pres and Karee returned from a vacation in Mexico |
Brooke and Mike Walden and their stupendously good children Leila (14), Andee (9), Ethan (5) and Brooklyn (2) live in Centerville Utah. We miss them greatly as we moved from Bountiful Utah, but we will see them in our trips to Heber City and their visits to Florida. Mike works with an HR soft ware company and is a frequent road and mountain biking companion. Brooke home schools her kids, loves skiing and like all of our family, is active in church service. Leila is in 9th grade and is very active in acting and singing. Andee is in third grade and plays a mean piano, mostly by ear and is in a dance group. Ethan is in kindergarten and is a soccer superstar. Brooklyn is the cutest two and one-half year old who can put a big grin on your face with her cuteness and a look of terror in her dismantling projects. The Waldens also love their 6 hens in the back yard.
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| "I think I like this frosting"--Andee |
Lyndi and Kevin Ballard have four indescribably wonderful children- Annie (7 soon to be 8-who like her two cousins, will be baptized soon in January), Rhet (5), Elsie (3) and Emerson Tad (1-we were lucky to be visiting them on his birthday), live in Acworth Georgia, close to Atlanta. Lyndi, much like our other daughters, is a very busy mom with her four kids. She is also the stake camp director for the church. She loves out door adventures, running and being with her children and the young women of the church. Kevin works as a physicians assistant with a radiology group (formerly with an orthopedic group), which gives him a little more time with his kids and serves as a bishop in the church. Annie is a happy, smart and engaging second grader. She plays the piano, swims and when she is in Utah at the right time, she skies with her papa (she just may follow her mom's footsteps in being a great skier) . Rhet is now in kindergarten and he seems to love sports, wrestling, Legos and model cars and planes. Elsie is growing up fast and wants to be where the action is. She is a charmer with a strong will. Little Emerson Tad seems at this point to be the "laid back kid"(at times). He is our reining youngest grandchild.
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| What a cute family |
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| And a slightly goofy family as well |
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| Emerson Tad's blessing day |
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| Emerson "Tad Bear" Ballard |
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Halloween for the Ballards
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Completing the Brag On group is Jenny Leigh and Lance Pendleton and their remarkably non-surpassed children: David (7, turning 8 this week-we are traveling to Houston for his baptism), Gavin (6), Mille (4) and Maggie (1, going on 2 in May). Jenny Leigh is an active mom, a runner and a great cook. She is a primary teacher for the Sunbeams (3 year olds). Lance is a great dad and loves to captain his motor boat pulling kids and cousins on their wake boards. He coaches baseball and basketball and works for Baker Hughes oil company was an account manager. David is a very happy second grader who does well in school, plays the piano, wake boards behind his dad's boat and LOVES to play and watch baseball (life is good when Houston wins the World Series). Gavin is a tall, bright kindergartener. He does and loves David's lists of activities and has a wonderfully sly smile (particularly when he knows something that you don't). Millie is a great little soccer player and sister (she keeps her brothers in line and watches out for little Maggie) and is now getting up on the wake board. Maggie is a cute and active little gal.
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| Dig the Duke shirts! |
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| Mom Jenny Leigh with Maggie girl |
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| Nothing is funner than bering with grands |
September Temple Trip to the Provo City Temple. Gathering at the Bernhisel Heber Home
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| Banana Pudd'n |
Visits to our Utah Homes (and other places)
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| Israel Cerda shadowing with me at the Univeristy of Utah |
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| Great hike up Little Cottonwood Canyon with Patrick Thornton |
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| With Br McDonald at a wedding |
Weddings and receptions (wish we could have attended all of them. Make sure that I sent you my Letter on Marriage)
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| The Fishers |
Preston and Karee at Solitude
