2008 Thanksgiving Letter

In reflecting on our activities, milestones and events over the past 12 months, we are both amazed at how quickly time goes by and astonished at what can be squeezed into one year. Last Thanksgiving was spent at our home with family and friends, including Jesse’s UCI roommate from Japan (Koichi), Valerie from Taiwan and two UCI international student friends from Japan – 15 of us total. Our family has shared in joyous accomplishment and devastating loss. We’ll share some of the significant events of the year as we again give thanks to God for His many blessings.

If we were to use one phrase to describe our year, it would be “elder care”. Considering all the events of the past year, it has definitely been the challenge of caring for our aging parents that has dictated much of our lives. As difficult as it has been in recent years, we consider it truly a blessing that our children have had all four grandparents in their lives through early adulthood.

In December we traveled to San Luis Obispo to celebrate with Rebekah as she graduated from Cal Poly. Leesi’s folks came with us along with the Dudas, for the one-day trip. Doug’s folks traveled from Coarsegold and met us there for the ceremony and dinner. Rebekah is working at the school district with plans to attend graduate school next fall; she also is a leader for the middle school youth group at church.

As Doug’s mother had been finding it more difficult to travel because of her health challenges, his folks determined they would not be able to spend Christmas with us in Thousand Oaks as had been our tradition. So, at the last moment we invited ourselves to join the Olsen family at Aunt Lou and Uncle Jerry’s home in Reedley for a country-style Christmas Eve dinner. Ruth and Wally were there along with several cousins and their families. It was a one-day trip (four hour drive), but well worth the effort. It would be Ruth’s last Christmas with us.

Christmas Day was spent at our home with family and friends – 10 of us this time. Koichi stayed with us for several days and spent Christmas with us and even traveled to Reedley. With all the recent events and one-day trips, we decided to limit our travels and spend time at home. Doug decided to finish organizing family photos, and finally finished two months later. It was a long and tedious process, but fun to reflect on our times together.

In January Emily and Doug went on their annual one-day ski trip to Mountain High ski resort in the San Bernardino Mountains – Doug skis and Emily snowboards. It was a great day – just ask any one of the other 10,000 people on the 2-lane highway to the resort – it took them about two hours to travel the last five miles. They parked along the highway a mile from the resort; if not for them sprinting back the mile to the car after skiing to plead with the Deputy Sheriff, it would have been towed.

In February Emily turned 20 – we all traveled down to San Diego to have dinner with her roommates and friends. Doug shared his “skill” of Irish dancing to the delight of all those present.

In March Rebekah turned 25 – we drove to Long Beach to have dinner at an Irish pub – Emily and Jesse met us there as a surprise. Later in the month Jesse and Doug drove to northern California for a fishing trip. The first day was spent fly-fishing on a drift boat floating down the Sacramento River between Redding and Anderson. Having never done it before, Doug arranged for a guide, including the boat, tackle and lunch. What a blast! They caught plenty of rainbow trout and had a nice peaceful day on the river. The next day they rented a boat for fishing on Lake Shasta however, it would have been better spent inside in front of a fireplace. It was cold, windy and raining (snowing in the mountains just above them) and all the fish were asleep at the bottom of the lake. After returning the boat they headed for home.

In June Jesse graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in International Studies and a minor in Conflict Resolution. The family was all there to celebrate with him, including dinner afterwards. Leesi’s folks and the Dudas joined us as well. Jesse has been keeping busy with his website business while trying to figure out what to do with his life.

During July we added a new family member when we welcomed a golden retriever puppy – Cooper – to our home. He’s reported to be pure bred, but we’re convinced he’s part terrorist! Later in the month Leesi and Doug traveled to Baltimore and Washington D.C. for five days to visit Leesi’s Aunt Virginia and attend a friend’s wedding.

Early in the year Doug’s folks determined it would be best for them to sell their house of 19 years in Coarsegold, CA and move to San Jose, CA where they would be closer to medical services. The multiple trips up and down the highway each week for Ruth’s treatments were taking a toll on both of them. Doug and Leesi made several trips to Coarsegold to help with house repairs, yard work, packing and a yard sale. The house finally sold and they moved in late June to a small house that Doug’s brother, Randy, owns and had fixed up for them.

Shortly after moving, in early July Doug’s mother had surgery to correct twisted intestines. After spending 10 days in the hospital to recover, she went home to recuperate. Over the next several weeks she never regained her energy or appetite, both of which had already been compromised from past chemotherapy treatments. On August 8^th she was taken back to the hospital by ambulance and was found to be suffering from an abdominal abscess and septic shock caused by the July surgery. With our family at her side, and after witnessing God’s incredible hand at work, she went home to be with Jesus on August 11^th. We had a wonderful memorial service at their church in Coarsegold on the 20^th – Pastor Cody, the church family and the entire community helped to make it a very memorable occasion.

In August Jesse turned 23 and we had family and friends over to celebrate with his traditional KFC picnic. On the 22^nd he left for Taiwan and Japan for one month to visit Valerie and Koichi. While in Japan, Jesse, Koichi and their UCI friend, David, traveled across the country on scooters for 10 days.

In early August Emily accompanied the church high school group on their annual houseboat trip to Lake Mead, where she again served as a cook on the staff boat. After preparing for months filling out forms, fulfilling GPA requirements, meeting with counselors and officials, gathering papers and signatures, making trips to County offices and the Spanish Consulate (two times each – you’ll have to ask her about that!), Emily left August 25^th to study abroad in Granada, Spain for the school year. Upon her return she will have a Spanish major which she hopes to combine with her Nursing major.

Later in August Leesi learned that her supervisor had accepted a new job at another school district; as a result Leesi was promoted to Learning Center Coordinator. While Doug thinks she is certainly more than qualified to take on this position, the last few months have been a bit challenging for her as she assumes this new leadership role.

In September we attended our annual Giants vs. Dodgers baseball game – Doug roots for the Giants, dressed in the appropriate attire, while the rest of the family cheers for the Dodgers. This year the Giants won in 10 innings – 1-0 – a game only a true baseball enthusiast could appreciate – Doug’s year for bragging rights.

After many years of wanting to, Leesi organized a Fall Harvest Block Party Pot Luck and BBQ in late October. All the neighbors in our cul-de-sac, and a few others from nearby, joined us in the street for food and fellowship. Everyone seemed to enjoy it so we think it may be another annual tradition.

In looking past Thanksgiving, we are anxiously awaiting Emily’s return home in mid December for a 10-day visit. Having already traveled to Ireland and Belgium, Emily wants to be back in time to spend New Year’s Eve in Portugal. We’re glad she could squeeze us in to her busy schedule. We just hope her schooling doesn’t get in the way of her travel plans!!! :-)

We could go on, but we have to remember this is a letter, not a historical document. In reflection: The loss of a parent is something you expect to happen, but you never know when. While Leesi and Doug were at Ruth’s hospital bedside late Saturday before she died, we had the privilege of hearing her final words: “I want to go home. I want to go home to Jesus. Jesus is my Savior! Jesus, take me home! I love everybody!” To hear her say those words, in the midst of increasing pain, having struggled for two years with cancer without ever complaining, was a final testimony of the way she lived her entire life. Her love for Jesus and those around her was consistent. She did love everybody and they knew it. What a legacy. Thanks Mom / Mums / Grandma.

May each of us have a legacy that we too, can pass on to those we love and care about. May God bless you in a rich and mighty way in the next year.

The Nickles

Doug, Leesi, Rebekah, Jesse, Emily…and Cooper