Reviewing 2012

[Janie Tate Tinsley]

          'Where does the time go'?  I used to wonder what that meant when my mother would casually blurt it out.  I was anxious for the next day to arrive.  Little did I know.

          In March we flew to California to share a family reunion with my brother Jim, Mika and Jim's family.  A son and four daughters...Jim jr, Teri, Suzy, Julie, Stefie and their children.  My Aunt Betty who is closing in on 90 years old and son Erik were there also.  We spent the day catching up.  We all need to do that once in a while.

          After the reunion with family, we met a dear friend of mine since elementary school...Judy Milbourn Burd and hubby Bill...in Maui for a week of fun and frolic.  What a blast we had. Up in a helicopter we saw Maui from the air.  Went to a luau.  Boat ride to see the whales.  Ended up eating lunch at The Plantation House Restaurant at the Kapalua Golf Course.  It was beautiful!  And the food was fabulous!  Judy and Bill came for a visit to Tulsa in November...Judy's sister lives here in Tulsa too...so '...two birds with one stone'.

          Dennis is recovering from back surgery and doing quite well.  Tricia has been there for him every minute.  What a gal!  Dennis' daughter Amanda will be graduating Oklahoma State U in December, then plans are to go to nursing school.  His son Will is graduating high school May 2013, then is headed to OSU...we hope.

          Sandra is doing well and keeping very busy.  Being a dental hygienist she works two days a week at the local (Pryor OK) dentist's office, two days a weeks she teaches at the Community College in Tulsa and somehow is squeezing in some colleges classes for her Bachelor's Degree.   In February Sandra's youngest son Austin (21) blessed her with a granddaughter, Sophia.  Is she adorable or what?  Big brown eyes.  Sharp as a tack.  At the time I am writing this she is contemplating the walk thing.  She crawls really fast to the nearest piece of furniture and pulls up to try to walk...by the time you receive this letter, she will more than likely be running around the house full steam ahead.   Needless to say, Sandra is in 7th Heaven, as is the whole family.  Sandra's #1 son Aaron (29) and his wife Leslie just blessed us with twins (one of each) November 19th...Ashton Tate Ford and Aubrey Taylor Ford.   Middle son Alex (24) is doing great...single and okay with that.

          Jerry's son Stuart, wife Carter and two sons, Ethan and Wyatt are doing great.  They traditionally head to the beaches close to Galveston for Thanksgiving with college buddies, and send us pictures of them frolicking in the ocean waves which I thought was tacky (just kidding, of course) because we were having nights of 25 degrees.  What a great family they are.

          Jerry plays golf with some high school classmates once or twice a week.  I am still dancing and competed on a West Coast Swing team in November.  We came in first place with a trophy and everything. 

          Jerry and I had our high school's 55th reunion this past June.  I always seem to be very involved with the planning and hope I always will be able to.  It went very well.  I still plan dinners at different restaurants here in Tulsa for some of our classmates in this area about every two months.  Our class has always been close and I like to help keep it that way. 

          Please remember what Christmas is all about.?  May the New Year bring you peace and happiness...