Merry Christmas!

This will be my last blog I write this year since I leave tomorrow and won't get back in town until the first of the year. Our plane is actually going to land a little after midnight. So I want to take this opportunity to say I hope all of my family and dear friends have the most amazing Christmas ever, full of love, laughter and cheer. Christmas is my favorite Holiday.  I don't know if I will get to send all the Christmas cards this year. But I did write a letter.

December 2015

Dear family and friends:

We have had a nice, surprised, stunning, perfect, priceless, awesome, incredible, amazing, blessed, miraculous, wonderful and memorable year! “These are a few of my favorite things.”

In January we started our New Year with Alejandro and Lexi in Miami. We were coming back from Uruguay. Daniel’s brother let us stayed in his beach house during Christmas. Nice!

In February I surprised my mother for her 75^th birthday. Celebrated in Mexico. Surprise!

In March Ani and family came to see us for the weekend of Easter. Earlier that month we traveled to Cuzco and Machu-Picchu for the annual DTA cluster meeting. Stunning!

In April we had the visit of Pablo and family. Grandson Tiago was born in Miami. Perfect!

In May I attended Women’s Conference and got to spend Mother’s day with the girls. Priceless!

In June we went to El Salvador to attend my niece’s graduation/ Flores reunion. Awesome!

In July we packed to move to The Philippines! Hard to do as we said good -bye to the people we knew for over five years. On our way to Utah we made a quick stop in Houston to meet Owen, born last December. We drove to Colorado and Idaho to see the rest of the family. Incredible!

In August we were busy looking for a home in Manila and getting used to the new time zone, food and language. Our address remains: 50 E. North Temple SLC UT 84150. Amazing!

In September we experienced a big miracle! Bianca gave birth to a three lb. premature baby girl, Ruby. I flew down to Idaho to meet Ruby and while I was there, Cristi gave birth to a son, Asher. Two babies were born within days.  Blessed!

In October after attending General Conference Daniel returned to the Philippines with Valentina, and I had to stay because my mother had open-heart surgery. I went to be with her in Orlando during this life and death moment, and thanks to a priesthood blessing, a fine medical team and all the many prayers, she came out fine. Miraculous!

In November we were favored with visit of Elder Andersen, Elder Renlund and Elder Maynes and their wives to the area. Their inspired messages touched our hearts deeply.  Wonderful!

Now it’s time to wrap up the year spending family time in Utah! I sure hope we get to see our dear friends while we are there this Christmas and that it will be like always. Memorable!

Merry Christmas and happy New Year!

Veronica & Daniel R. de Almeida