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Hello to all of our family and friends wherever you may be. We had great
visits with many of you in 2001 .. can the rest of you call/email and let us
know when you will be making your trip to Magrath? We welcome all visitors!
This past year Shauna and her sisters were in charge of the
multi-generational July 2001 Harrison/Reece Family Reunion. "We were a
little nervous about planning for a gathering of this magnitude. We had had
no previous experience, nevertheless, we all pitched in, combining our
efforts and talents. The results were very encouraging. It was marvelous to
see everyone (104 participants in total) join in with such enthusiasm. I am
so blessed to have such a wonderful extended family." Shauna et al were
happy to pass the torch over to her American cousins to start planning for
the next big Harrison/Reece reunion in 2003.
Also in July, the Davies held a mini-reunion with most of Roger's brothers
and sisters (we had to wait till December to see Leanne and Joe Cook's
family). As part of this event, Grandma Olsen (a.k.a. Roger's Mom) arranged
to have the remains of her first husband, Dale Hulett Davies, moved down from
Calgary to his new resting spot in the Magrath Cemetery. Roger was asked to
perform the rededication of the grave. We took pictures of all by the new
headstone, including one with all the ‘Dale' namesakes: Roger Dale Davies,
Jonathan Dale Bennett (Laurel), Dallin Dale Davies (Randy), and Braedon Dale
Davies (Greg). Later that Sunday afternoon, all 25 of us moved the party out
to Payne Lake Lodge, just SW of Mountain View, AB. The lodge has six bedrooms
and a large open common area with lots of beds plus access to kitchen and
baby grand piano. It is decorated with rustic country style including stuffed
owls and deer heads. Adrien called it the "spooky house". We all
enjoyed three days of boating, fishing, singing and crafts. Grandma Olsen
gave all the grandchildren art lessons. Ali-Jo and cousins drew some great
pictures. Shauna documented all these events photographically with her trusty
camera.
The rest of the summer was quiet and uneventful. Alyssa and Ali-Jo worked
away from home for the summer. Roger, Shauna, and Adrien filled their time
with walks to the park, library, and swimming pool.
We plan to become grandparents in 2002. Roger has put this goal as one of
his new year's resolutions. Aubrey and Deric are expecting a little Canadian
in early January (or any minute now), and Ashley and Kalani are expecting a
little American in mid February. If all goes well, we will get to spoil the
first arrival for a month or so, and then Shauna will travel to Kentucky to
spoil the next arrival.
Shauna, determined to earn enough money to make the trip to Kentucky, took
on extra part-time work stacking firewood in the fall and as a substitute
teachers assistant with the local schools here in Magrath and out at the
Hutterite Colonies. Roger's web design and computer repair work provides
enough flexibility to permit some daily care as required for an active 3 year
old Adrien. Grandma Harrison also donated time to help and play with her
youngest grandchild when she is not working at the Cardston Temple. Aunt
Laurel and cousin Austin have helped out by having Adrien over for play
dates.
In January 2001 Grandpa Theran Olsen passed away after a long struggle
with Parkinson's and other health problems. Since then, Grandma Olsen has kept
busy working at the Cardston, Alberta Temple and then getting her call as a
full-time missionary in the Salt Lake Family History Center starting in
October 2001. The other family missionaries of note are Elder David Bennett
who left to serve in the Provo Utah Mission in the spring and Elder Justin
Harker who returned this past summer after serving two years in the Las Vegas
Nevada West mission.
Adrien: Celebrated her third year birthday in June with a huge
party at Grandma Harrison's featuring a Barbie-Doll-in-a-Cake decorated by
Shauna. Adrien loves playing with cousin Austin and her other friends
Shalisa, Emily and the other Emmalee. Recently Adrien has picked up on the
concept of ‘borrowing' from visits to the public library. She has since
arranged to borrow several items from Grandma Harrison's and Aunt DeNai's
houses. The trick is keeping track of the borrowed items for their eventual
return. Adrien learned more about trick or treating at Halloween this fall,
in a custom made witch costume from Aunt Jeri and makeup by Aunt Krisann as
documented in one of the many Sears photo sessions.
Adrien loves snow and she is fairly sure that if she and Alyssa go out and
build a snowman and put a hat on it, the result will be an actual talking
Frosty the Snowman. It was fun to have her help decorate the tree and open
Christmas presents with us. Not being a doll-person (all requests to Santa
were for ‘a little dinosaur'), she received a noisy school bus and fire
truck play set from Grandma Harrison. She remembers a visit to the ‘fee-ater',
just her and Dad to see a movie. "What part did you like best?" ..
"Oh, the bad parts .." (Atlantis was perhaps too scary a choice of
movie). Regardless, she loves watching movies (her current favorite is
‘Shrek' .. telling anyone who will listen that "the dragon is a
girl" and "the donkey talks") on tape or at the local theater
.. we have to pause the action to get her attention to talk to her. |
Ali-Jo: "I passed Grade
10 this year and started the summer not doing too much. I went to our family
reunions and had a blast with all my cousins. Then on August 1st, I left for
army reserve basic training in Shilo, Manitoba on my very first airplane
flight. After arriving at the army base, I realized that it wasn't what I
wanted or expected, so I asked to quit after my first week. They kept me for
another 10 days in holding troop. They just didn't want to let me go (ha,
ha)! I made pretty good money and I received my ‘honorable discharge'
certificate later in the fall. After I got home I just played for the rest of
the summer and started Grade 11 in September. With my hard earned summer
money, I paid for and completed a driver's training course and then got my
driver's license. All I need now is a car (hint, hint).".
Alyssa: Graduated from High School and spent all summer and fall
following the footsteps of her two older sisters by earning money working in
Waterton. "After finishing high school, I moved into the dorms at the
Prince of Wales (a.k.a. POW) in Waterton, Alberta, working as a housekeeper.
I slaved away there, cleaning up after other people. After the POW job ended,
my friend Amy and I found a second housekeeping job in Waterton at the
Waterton Lakes Lodge, which lasted into November. Over the summer, the main
thing I learned was that I really, really do not want to make housekeeping my
life career. I am currently back home for the holidays and plan to get out on
my own again in the new year. I'll try to do something more interesting in
2002 so I have better news to write about when Mom forces me to do next
year's write up." We have enjoyed having Alyssa back home for December.
She has helped out a lot in watching Adrien and cleaning up around the house.
[Alyssa has finished work at POW in Alberta and headed south to Utah to
test the waters for a few months ..]
 Ashley
and Kalani Clifton: Ashley and her new husband Kalani Clifton made the
long trip north and west from way down south in Kentucky to visit us and meet
with the extended family this summer. She writes, "Hello everyone! We
will celebrate our one year anniversary January 20th, 2002 and in February we
are expecting our first baby. We have been told it's going to be a girl and
we are very excited. It amazes us we have almost made it a whole year with
all the stuff that's happened to us since we've been married. This September
I was put in the hospital for 5 days with a brain hemorrhage. That was scary
for us but I'm on regular medication now and have only had a few seizures
since. Shortly after I got out of the hospital, Kalani found out he has type
1 diabetes, so now he is on shots and has to check his sugar level every day,
etc. Besides these little challenges we've come across, the first year of our
marriage has been great. I have been working at the Campbellsville Wal-Mart and really enjoying it. The people I work with are so nice and fun to be with
that it's actually fun to work there! As for Kalani, he's a very busy guy. He
is still in school 4 days a week, leaving at 6am to get to Louisville by 8
am. He should be done with schooling by June. He also works full time evening
shifts at Springfield Products Mon-Fri, not returning home till 1 am. We put
mega-miles on the vehicles and use a lot of gas! It's a wonder we ever see
each other (ha, ha)! Kalani and I are doing great here in Kentucky. I hope
everyone is doing well and having fun. Take care. We love and miss everyone
tons!" [Ashley is scheduled to deliver a little girl on the 13th of
February .. Shauna will be in Kentucky to help from the 6th through the 26th
of February.]
Aubrey and Deric Olsen: Aubrey was excused from contributing to our
family newsletter this year as she is now an ‘old' married woman .. and
over 8 months pregnant. Deric said they are planning to send out their own
letter. They are doing well. Deric is continuing studies at the U of L and
Aubrey is busy homemaking. We enjoy having them so close by for now .. but
Deric is talking about eventually looking for work experience in  far
away places like California after school is done .. sniff. [Deric and
Aubrey surprised us by holding out through the Christmas holidays and having
beautiful 8 lb 5 oz Mailei
Rane at 8:09 am the morning of January 1, 2002 -- the first New Year's
Baby in the Southern Alberta Chinook Health Region .. Yeay!]
Roger and Shauna: Shauna has now been called to be Beehive Advisor
in our ward and Roger will continue teaching the Primary 10 year olds, but
with only 4 students next year rather than the previous 10 that we team
taught in 2001. Shauna's sister Krisann is getting remarried on Jan 1st, 2002
to Darren Wilkins of Lethbridge. They plan on holding a small ceremony here
in Magrath at the Senior's Centre, so that gives Shauna something to bustle
about and help work on until any new grandchildren start arriving. She will
then spend a week in Lethbridge dog-sitting and substitute day-caring while
these newly-weds ‘honeymoon' and visit Edmonton WEM with all the kids
(Krisann's 2 girls and Darren's 2 boys). Darren dated Krisann for the past
2-3 years and has been caught in many of our Harrison family event photos. He
has been around enough to get to know us all .. and he still wants to join us
.. hmmm .. it must be true love. [Now we have to get used to getting
called Grandma and Grandpa Davies -- good thing we are so energetic and young
looking ..].
Shauna likes this quote:
"Merry Christmas, I am thinking of you today because it is
Christmas and I wish you happiness. And tomorrow, because it will be the day
after Christmas, I shall still wish you happiness. I may not be able to tell
you about it every day because I may be far away or we may be very busy. But
that makes no difference - my thoughts and my wishes will be with you just
the same. Whatever joy or success comes to you will make me glad clear
through the year. I wish you the Spirit of Christmas." - Henry Van
Dyke.
Hopefully this letter finds you in good health and spirits. We love you
all and are very blessed to have such wonderful family and friends. Keep in
touch! |
