Christmas letters

I was looking through my dad's desk (I'm pretty sure that's probably not something I'm supposed to be doing, but I needed to find a piece of my past), and I found all these Christmas letters. It was interesting to read what was written about my family as I grew up... things change in-between, but it's mostly the same, year after year. So I'll post bits. (My father wrote all but one).

1988
Sheryl has blossomed in several directions... I have spent the year writing grants... doing research... and running a clinical DNA testing lab. Craig is now 7 1/2, in second grade... and into... karate and soccer, video games, and collecting 100's of baseball cards. We cheated, took advantage of genetic technology, and found out that we're having a 46xx (otherwise known as a girl!!)

1989
This year, little 46XX, AKA Lindsay, has added a new dimension to getting ready for the holidays. Sheryl has spent the year being pregnant, a mother, and... a part time student. John continues... at Children's Hospital. Craig is in 3rd grade and doing ok, though he has caused visible greying of his parent's (and teacher's). ...He played soccer... and will play... Little League. Lindsay has had reflux for her first months and this has caused "Lindsay spots" on the carpet all through the house. She is a real charmer and a joy for all of us. Craig is happy to have a sister.

1990
Well folks... [we] have finally gained Yuppie status with... Microsoft Word, a totally foreign concept to [us]. ...Craig scored the winning goal in the... championship soccer game. Sheryl continues taxi serve. She may finish school by the end of the century.

1991
We went on a family trip. ...Craig tried out some of his early teenage behavior... to make things more interesting. Sheryl... is often double scheduled. Lindsay, on the contrary, doesn't grow at all and still wears things a few sizes behind her age. However, we think that some day a long time from now she will stand over 5 feet tall anyway. She is incredibly verbal, especially when she hears... words we aren't supposed to use. She... loves her "Craigy." She... learned to get in and out of the crib, stopping the blow with her right harm, which required pins in the OR to be put back together. Hardly showed her a bit as she immediately learned to do everything left-handed. ...I just try to... reduce the size of piles on my desks.

1992
[I wrote] an article on atherosclerosis gene mapping. Sheryl [is a] professional student and spends her daytime hours chasing after Lindsay and doing homework with Craig. Craig is definitely into puberty in a major way in terms of attitude and shoe size. He is extremely popular with the opposite sex and we have had several major crushes (mostly directed from the female side) with which to deal. ...School is not a priority. Craig played well on the basketball team... we hope for good things this Little League season. Lindsay has started preschool and ballet lessons. Lindsay is happiest reading books, which she does for hours every day. We're hoping that "Wead a book" Lindsay will be our future outstanding and independent school student.

1993
I am still working solo. I will be glad to leave California and its problems behind. Sheryl has temporarily given up her student career with so much to do to run the household and manage the kids. Lindsay loves preschool, 'pre-kindergarten' as she always corrects. She is definitely 4 1/2 and don't forget the fraction! Loves to draw and do gymnastics. Craig continues hormonal toxicity with arguing as the main symptom. He is doing basketball, Little League, and football. We finally had to say no to soccer....

1994
We all really like [Montana]; however, the locals have not been friendly. Craig has not bmet as nicer a group of kids as he had in our isolated and protected suburb in Danville. His friends often come from broken families with significant smoking and alcohol abuse. I have made the easiest adjustment with my work. Sheryl... is busy. Craig continues to be a social animal with all the usual teenage interests and challenges for his parents. [He] still loves his sports. Lindsay is a marvel. She is quite an artist and is quickly learning to read and write and has an interest in the piano. I think she will be the intellectual type. However, she is unbelievably strong-willed (a little bull), and I think will be an equal though different teenage challenge. Fortunantly, that's a ways away. ...She got another arm X-ray and it was broken. She doesn't even know how or when she did it.

1995
We had to send Craig... to a residential behavioral treatment program in March. He has been a challenge. He became a danger to himself. We hadn't seen him fort 8 months and he was in Western Samoa, so we finally visited him for Thanksgiving. Lindsay has the toughest time. Sheryl and I have both been busy. Lindsay is taking violin lessons and excelling with her reading and with school in general. She played T ball and soccer this year.

1997
We had Craig back from last November until this October, but he crashed and burned again and is back in his program. We know he needs to be there. Lindsay is much better adjusted this time. [She] is doing very well. She is excelling at the piano, violin, and is taking art and horse riding lessons. Sheryl is busier than if she worked full-time. My work is going well.

1998
You will never believe this, but it is really true. I, Sheryl, am finally writing the annual Christmas newsletter. I'm in college for my teaching certificate. Craig is home for good now- well at least until he turns 18. Right now he's taking a couple of correspondance courses from BYU and working full time. Lindsay has turned into quite an artist. She does piano, violin, girl scouts, art lessons, and if she has her way it'll also be cello and riding lessons again.

2000
I Have been a lot busier for the past two months. Work goes well, and our band plays when we can. Sheryl is busy teaching sewing. Lindsay is in 6th grade and brought home her first report card, all As or better. She is incredible! The violin and piano go well, and she has begun cello as she was too advanced to play violin in the class orchestra. Craig is paying a few debts to society [he was in bootcamp] He has been out on his own for almost 2 years now, but is again "under supervision."

2001
I did not think I would live to see something as awful as 9/11. I viewed it from... California. Other than that, I decided to quit the band. I love my work in the church, but it is very busy. Sheryl too has been busy and spent the year working at a sewing shop. Lindsay continues with violin (she is becoming quite accomplished), piano (a close second), and now cello. She is a great artist, taking art courses, adn quite a writer, having recently compiled a book fo very good short stories. She is still interesting in astronomy... but with all the above talents I am not sure where she will end up. Craig is working 3 jobs, paying his bills and fines, and maintaining his probation, with several years left. He has no more chances with the authorities.

2002
Believe it or not, having a 13 year old girl at home is a deligh, which is not even to say enough about what a joy Lindsay is. And Craig!! Finally he is seeing how much easier it is to follow the rules. The authorities are very happy about his progress. He has a very nice lady friend, fairly serious, and we actually approve her company. ...Our department, hospital and state budgets are a worry. Church is a real anchor for me. Sheryl is overcommitted as usual.

2004
Lindsay is in the symphony now, just to make her life a little crazier! Sheryl and I continue with our same activities and jobs, sewing and genetics.

And that's all I found. But it was interesting to me, how although you can see some progressions, mostly my family (including me) has stayed pretty static. My mom was always overcommitted with jobs, being a student, and volunteering everywhere. My dad was always discovering some new gene and playing in his band. My brother was the most dynamic, slidding further into the abyss, spending 2 and a half years on an island off of Australia, going to jail several times, and finally, landing in bootcamp with one last chance. I'm not sure how he pulled everything together after that, but since 2000 he's been doing well. He's still on probation, but he's married and has his fines paid (and he's visiting us this week from Florida!). As for me... I don't know. I've changed a lot internally, but I was never as external with my inner problems as my brother was. I was always the musical, artistic, intellectual one, always reading, always the good child while my brother caused most of the problems. In some ways I felt ignored.

Anyway, I found those interesting. It's weird to go back and see censored versions of our lives like that, leaving out the bad details, because nobody wants to read about horrible stuff like abuse and almost dying from drug overdoses and stays at psychiatric hospitals and suicide attempts on their Christmas cards.