To paraphrase the old song, time keeps on slipping, slipping into the future.
Unfortunately, in obedience to a certain law of realtivity, the older we get the faster
it tends to speed by. Now a year has passed again. As with any year it was filled
with events:
One son, Trevor Freckleton, returned in April from two years of missionary work in
the Philippines, specifically Manila and environs, plus the island of Palawan with a
more primitive life style, including mud and large, poisonous snakes. He now attends
Utah Valley University with thoughts of getting into movie production.
Another son, Derek Merrill, arrived in September from his missionary time in Argentina in the area of Buenos Aires and points south. He is back at work selling for PMI, as before the missiona, and has his season pass for Brighton Skip Resort. He will also start at Utah Valley in January. Both sons served honorably and finished as zone leaders.
Mark’s bold venture to participate in a new business launch with some friends choked to a sputtering death and nose-dived to terra firma. It seems that the source of promised funding had not been completely up-front with everything, including the troubles he had with the Securities and Exchange Commission involoving litigation and large fines. Thus, after four blissful, halcyon months things stopped getting paid for, things like health insurance, rent, printer toner, salaries… After about four more months of this, we all went our separate ways – the four friends on to Mentoring of America, the funding source continuing in his self-absorbed, blissful denial.
Seth made a break with his little-boy-dom by getting baptized the first weekend of November. His older brother Derek performed the baptism, his father confirmed him a member of the church and gave him the gift of the Holy Ghost, in concert with Seth’s brothers, Steffan Frfeckleton, Tristan Freckleton, Trevor Freckleton, Thomas Merrill and Derek Merrill, along with his uncle, Steve Nelson and Bishop Laemmlen. Afterward we had a pizza party at the house with a bunch of nephews and neices (Seth is enough younger than his cousins that they are mostly either married or on missions).
Scarlett Merrill now attends Utah State University in Logan, causing great withdrawal pains for her mother. It is a good growth experience for both mother and daughter. This is not to say she has dropped out of sight. She still needs her Mom for comfort, reassurance, wisdom and recipes, and Mark for computer help.
Spencer Merrill spent a good protion of the year as a bicycle racer, sponsored by Canyon Cycles of Draper, which provided him equipment and a car. He attained rank of number six in his class for the U.S.
Thomas Merrill continues to serve actively on the Student Community Service Committee at Utah Valley University. We are sure he must be taking classes, as well. Meanwhile, he leads groups going to places like Mexico or Arizona to build houses or remodel orphanages, when he is not organizing benefit concerts.
Chris Freckleton still works at Fidelity Investments in Salt Lake City while pursuing his degree in finance at Westminster College. During the course of this year, he participated in a travel study jaunt to China, where he visited the Forbidden City and Emperor’s Palace in Beijing and sampled some esoteric foods. He has also taken primary custodianship of Jacqui (age 7) and Solomon (4) and plans on adopting Jacqui as soon as clearance can be received (Solomon is already his natural son).
Steffan and Emily Freckleton continue to raise Kaitlyn (2) while preparing for a second
baby. Steffan, like Chris, works for Fidelity Investments – different departments:
Steffan is an analyst, Chris is in sales. Steffan is also getting ready to start an MBA
program next year. The harsh financial realities have moved them to consider a local
program, such as BYU with its award-winning graduate school of business instead
of heading out for the east coast.
Ami and Kendall Freckleton-Labrum got back into a house after two years of
apartment living – now living in West Jordan in the Salt Lake Valley. With the demise
of the real estate market, Kendall left the life of Realtor behind and, following the lead of his brothers-in-law,
now also works with Fidelity Investments. Their son, Collin turned 12 and became a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood, Monica is becoming an accomplished ballerina, Aaron is all boy, and Ktrina, now that she is healthy and can hear, is becoming a charmer.
Tristan is becoming ever more independent – at age 24 that is a good thing. Some time ago he got an apartment – well, he shared a condo in West Jordon with a friend until the friend got married and kicked him out. Tristan then got his own place in South Salt Lake, very close to the Qwest Communications office where he works and not far from the Salt Lake Community Colleger campus where he studies finance.
There is a certain irony here: Mark, who holds graduate degrees in Medieval literature, mythology and philology, has three sons and a son-in-law stuyhing and working in finance. But then, Mark’s liberal arts degrees go put to practical in a post-college career in banking, so I guess it doesn’t matter, does it?
But drawing upon all my liberal arts-humanities-literature studies, may I wish you all the best for the coming year – a great 2008.
