Christmas Greetings 2018

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope this greeting finds you all well on this Christmas Eve day!  As may be true for many of you, 2018 was a year of triumphs, disappointments, and other challenges for me, but most of all it was also a year of happiness, gratitude, and love because of all of you. I am grateful for you, my family and friends, and I am especially grateful at this time of year to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ who brings hope and light to all. 

I wish you all peace, love, and good cheer in the new year. 

Love, 

Susannah

Mom/Sisters retreat - Zion National Park (March)

Mom/Sisters retreat - Kanarraville Falls trail (March)

"Family reunion" with my peeps at Disneyland! :) (April)

Parents, brother and his kids, and I on new Guardians of the Galaxy ride at California Adventure - so fun!! (Parents on front row, far left; the rest of us in the 4 seats on the 2nd row, left side above the parents.) (April)

Burr Trail overlooking switchbacks and Burr Canyon (June)

First time on a ropes course - Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (I didn't fall!) (July)

Photo taken at family reunion (August)

Shakespeare with friends (September)

Navajo Lake in Dixie National Forest with friends (September)

Summit of Squaw Peak overlooking Provo, UT with nieces (October)

Falling off Squaw Peak! (October)

J. Reuben Clark Law Society Leadership Conference with friend who was the outgoing chair of the JRCLS International Women in Law Committee. I became the new chair of the WIL Committee at this conference! (October)

Magic Kingdom, Disney World in Florida with sister and nephew - and of course the guest of honor! (December)

More fun with favorite characters at Animal Kingdom, Disney World in Florida (December)

Christmas and Holiday Greetings 2017

Dear Family and Friends,

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

This year began when I literally slept away the entire New Year’s Day holiday as I recovered from my first trip to see my parents in Germany over last Christmas.  When I finally woke up I determined to never miss another day like that ever again.  I’m glad I kept that resolve because this year flew by.  If I had even blinked once I’m pretty sure I would have missed everything! J

2017 was pretty amazing.  I was able to travel twice more back to Europe to see my parents and visit my other European friends.  During these trips I felt especially fortunate and grateful to have been able to visit Paris; Bremen and Lübeck in northern Germany; and Berlin, Freiberg, and Dresden in the former east Germany, all for the first time.  My visits to each city were much too short, but I definitely learned as much as I could and gained a greater appreciation for the profound history of these cities.

In addition to my travels abroad, I of course had my obligatory annual trip to Disneyland (rough life).  I also had the great opportunity this past spring to help my sister and her family with their brand new baby girl as well as visit other family in Canada and Austin this past fall. After all of these travels and adventures I am more grateful than ever for my family and friends, including my supervisor who allowed me the time off and my office mates who helped with my work during my absences.  (And for those of you who may be wondering after all this travel, yes I still work! J)

While I have enjoyed all of these amazing opportunities this year, I have also had my share of challenges that at times felt like too much to bear.  I discovered that finding my way through each challenge required a change of heart in both my attitude and perspective.  Through these challenges I learned more than I could ever have imagined, including most importantly that the healing and strengthening powers of Jesus Christ’s Atonement are real, and for that I am most grateful for the opportunity at this Christmas time to honor Him and celebrate His birth.

I am most grateful for all of you, too, and wish you all peace and love in this season and in the New Year.

Love,

Susannah

February trip to Disneyland with this motley crew of sibs and nieces and nephews!

Despite my best efforts to avoid this, I turned 40 in March. I tried to put on a good face that day.

Brandenburger Tor (Gate) in Berlin, Ger. with Mom (April)

With Mom at East Side Gallery of Berlin Wall (April) 

With parents in a Paris Bistro (May)

I really don't think this needs a caption! May in Paris with parents

The Louvre with parents in May

Nearly 25-year dream come true to finally see this beautiful Canova sculpture of Cupid and Psyche in the Louvre (May)

Burg (Castle) Eltz in Germany (May)

Spending time with brand new niece in Indiana in May

Rafting on the Green River during July trip with our LDS ward youth to Flaming Gorge

Summit of Ben Lomond Peak in Utah with the Young Women from our LDS Stake (August) 

Work trip in my beloved DC in August

Chillin' at the SCERA pool in Orem, UT with nephew in August

Hiking in Banff (Alberta, Can.) in August

Riding Remington (my sister's horse) in Calgary, AB, Can. (September)

Freiberg, Ger. LDS Temple with parents in October

With Dad at top of Frauenkirche overlooking Dresden, Ger. in October

October day cruise on the Rhein River near Ruedesheim, Ger. 

Exploring Burg (Castle) Rheinstein in Germany (October)

Another dream come true to see this statue of the Town Musicians of Bremen in Bremen, Ger. (October)

Most huggable tree ever! Palmengarten in Frankfurt, Ger. in October.

Fun with niece and nephews in Austin, TX in November

December work meetings in Vegas with my friends from the office

Happy (late) Christmas and New Year! 2016

Dear Family and Friends,

Merry Christmas (late) and Happy New Year! (Frohe Weinacht und Frohes Neues Jahr!) I had the privilege of spending the Christmas holidays in Germany and Switzerland this year with my parents and other dear friends, and so I send you these late seasons' greetings just hours after arriving home.

After all the health challenges I had in 2015, I feel grateful each day for how quiet and uneventful (in a good way!) 2016 has been. And so as the year comes to a close, I’d like to share a list of some of the many things that I have been grateful for this year:

January:

Amazing doctors who healed me from pneumonia and patiently helped me find asthma medications that have actually worked!

Visiting our cousins’ cabin in Idaho where I always feel peace and quiet out in the snow and warmth inside with my family

Cross country skiing with Christina (sister)

Beautiful view of Henry's Fork of the Snake River from inside the cabin

February:

An entire month of good health for the first time that I can remember

March:

Birthday kite flying with my family

Rhys (nephew) helping me master proper kite-flying techniques

Family members flying their own kites

Best way to spend a birthday!!

Visiting my family in Austin -- for free! (work trip that was paid for by my office)

Dave (brother), Otto (nephew), Simon (nephew), Karin (sis-in-law), Sofie (niece), and Moses (friend)

Enjoying late winter hikes and dog sitting in Pinebrook (Park City) and remembering my friend (and former colleague) Emily

Views from the Pinebrook trails

Rosie (L) and Bailey (R - RIP)

Emily's Bench

April:

An amazing week in NYC with my sister-in-law and niece and other family and friends

Breakfast in Brooklyn! Phoebe (niece), Mary (sis-in-law), and Susannah

Our Brooklyn brownstone! Susannah and Phoebe

Waffles with Phoebe all day and night!

Boating in Central Park! Mary and Susannah

Top of World Trade Center 1. Susannah and Phoebe

Yum Yums! Our favorite restaurant on Broadway!

June:

The beauty of flowers and remembering our families who have passed on

July:

The freedom to color my hair! 

It's kind of unintentionally patriotic, just in time for Independence Day!

The many opportunities I had all summer to dog sit for my friend  (I’m especially grateful for this time because one of these beautiful dogs unexpectedly died this past November)

Rosie and Bailey (RIP)

August:

A wonderful family reunion and subsequent Thomas women retreat

Brunch in my backyard

Brunch in my backyard

Thomas women retreat - Stewart Falls! Rebecca, Erin, Christina, Amanda, Paula, Susannah, and Mary in front 

Thomas women retreat - Foundry Grill at Sundance. Mary, Rebecca, Susannah, Celeste, Amanda, Paula, and Christina

Seeing Josh Groban AND Sarah McLachlan together in concert! 2 dreams come true!!

ANGEL

September:

Seeing my parents finally fulfill a dream of serving an LDS mission together in Germany (though it was really hard to say goodbye)

Departure day!

Getting to know and dog sitting a new puppy friend

Cooper! (with a wounded paw)

Visiting Star Valley, Wyoming for the first time and enjoying its natural beauty

October:
Getting a new roof on my house and a new fence around my yard

Dressing up as JOY (from Disney's Inside/Out) for Halloween with my newly blue-d hair

November:
Spending a lovely Thanksgiving in Indiana with my sister and her family and my cousins and their families

Jill H (cousin), missionaries, Nancy H.B. and her kids (cousins), and Erin (sister)

December:

Celebrating the Christmas holidays in Europe with my parents and our dear friends in Switzerland and Germany.

Dad and I in Frankfurt, Ger.

Mom and I in Frankfurt, Ger. (Christmas market)

St. Peter Zurich with the Fraumuenster (green steeple) in the very background.

Susannah, Erich Schnider, Mom, Irene Hummel, and Dad. Zurich, Switz.

Me! with the Grossmuenster in the background. Zurich, Switz.

The best creche ever, found at a convent in Switzerland.

I'm talking with teachers at one of the two schools I visited as the special American guest. Bauma, Switz. 

Esther and I (with cat Moriz) in Villa Flora, Haetzingen, Switz.

With the Henning-Dziallas family at Christmas (I'm behind the camera)

With the Henning-Dziallas family at Christmas (Dad is behind the camera)

Frankfurt am Main

Hanging out in Roman ruins, Saalburg Archaeological Park, Ger.

Hanging out in Roman ruins, Saalburg Archaeological Park, Ger.

Jesus Christ whose birth, life, Atonement, and Resurrection made all things possible

And most of all, I am thankful for all of you and for your love and friendship that mean so much to me.

Saalburg Archaeological Park, Ger.

As the sun sets on 2016, I wish you all peace and love in 2017!


Love,
Susannah