Mayo Family Picnic and 50th Anniversary Celebration

I haven't written about our party on Aug. 15th.
The Mayo's gathered for a pot luck lunch at Oaks on the River.  The Larry Wilson's and all of Manny's girls attended the picnic.

Jody & Darlene

Jan 

Jeannine

Judy

Sherm & Sherran

The Open House was from 1-4 PM for our Anniversary.  Many friends and cousins came to join us.  Abe & Carol Maier and Ken & Barb LaBau provided square and round dancing.  Richard Giebenhain lead us in a blessing for the day and the occasion.  Pat, Pete & Paul joined us for a square dance and really did a super job.  Thanks to all who came and to the many more who have sent cards and greetings.

 Nephew, Clayton & Anna with Larry & Gen

Denny & Becky - neighbors

Dan & Judy - college friends

Family back from the pool

Family square dancing

Peggie Su Visitor from Taiwan

Peggie arrived the day of our 50th Anniversary party.

She has been kept very busy just attending the normal activities of life around our house.  Larry is always finding new experiences for her to participate in.  We were able to get one overnight on the 'spit' sleeping in tents.  However, the wind came up and almost blew us away the whole time we were there.

 We decided not to try to boat back to our car across the lake since our boat motor is not very powerful.  Instead we gathered a few things we could carry and used the neighbor's walkway to reach the road.  A friend drove us to the beach to pick up our car.  We didn't return to the 'spit' until Tuesday when the wind died down and the sun was back out.  The heat of the summer has been replaced by much lower humidity and lower temps.  Peggie thinks it is like winter in Taiwan.  She is wearing many layers of clothes to keep warm.  She likes cooking because she never cooks in Taiwan.  These pictures give you some idea of what she has been doing.
We square danced in Annandale at the fiddler's contest.

We also went to Como Conservatory after attending Chinese church in Lauderdale.  Her two week visit is going quickly.  We will end by going to the state fair just before she leaves for San Francisco.

Recent trip to the 'spit' on Lake Pulaski

 Fun at the lake with Larry, John, Paul, Leslie, Spencer & Rajah.

Mission Trip by Rajah Wilson

Busy July

Four of us Wilson's went on a short mission trip to Superior, WI.  Luke and Rajah were great team members as we stayed at a church and then did volunteer work in the community.   We enjoyed Lake Superior too.

We also joined Rajah and Spencer at Maple Grove Days.  We square danced and later Maple Grove Covenant shared a FamJam show.  Spencer was working on sound and Rajah was performing the music.

Then we went to see Rajah in "The Long Snooze" production from drama camp.
The costuming was perfect for this 'old fashioned' girl.

Graduation and Baptisms

This weekend has been busy.  Saturday, Laura Deluge, Skyler's girl friend, had her high school graduation party.  We came to represent the Wilson family since Sky's parents were out of town.

Then on Sunday, Gen and Vivi were baptized at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St. Cloud.  We joined many of Anne's family for the service and lunch afterwards.

We also square danced both Saturday afternoon in Fair Haven and then in the evening at a barn dance in Greenfield.

The rest of the story

We spent five weeks away from home for the entire month of May and a few days in April too.  We already posted the shutterfly book of the thirteen days in Hawaii.  Here is a book about the rest of the trip.
We visited many friends and family members.  That is the highlight of the trip for us.  Reconnecting and even meeting new people brings us real joy.
Of course the natural beauty of the mountains and ocean also fill us with awe for what God has created.
Here is the web site for our Washington Oregon shutterfly book.  If you don't have a shutterfly account, you will have to get one.  But it is free and looking at our book is free too.  Here is Mt. Hood.

https://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AaNWbdm0ZMWbCZA&cid=SM-PBAPP

Shutterfly Book of our Hawaii Travels

https://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AaNWbdm0ZMWbCRg&cid=SM-PBAPP

You should be able to see it.  But you have to register for Shutterfly first.
You don't have to buy the book to see it.
You can have it be on a larger screen to see the pictures better.

We had a great time and want to share our photos with you.

Hawaiian Trip to celebrate 50th Anniversary

We arrived on Tuesday, got a car and drove to the North Shore.  Have to be careful not to get too much sun.  Visited the Polynesian cultural center on Wed.  There were 7 different villages.  We will return on Friday to see the ones we missed.  We rested in the car for awhile before the luau.  We were on stage when they asked about anniversary celebrations.  The couple across from us were newly weds 4 days!  Another woman took our picture with our camera.  The final event was a great show of polynesian dances.  Thursday we relaxed at the beaches.  We saw two green turtles just a few miles from here.

March 2015 photos of the family

Here are some photos of the family from our birthday celebrations in March.

Birthday boys
Pete Paul
Pat

John & Pat

Pete, Anne, Gen & Vivi at bottom

Luke

Matt & Grandpa

Rajah

Christmas 2014

We have not posted all year so here is an overview of 2014.

Christmas 2014 from Marlys & Larry Wilson

Christmas blessings – Larry has come through a bout with prostate cancer and is looking forward to a clean bill of health in January.  He has recovered almost fully from the procedure to freeze the prostate.  It is a fairly new alternative treatment.

     Marlys survived being the ‘nurse’.  That is not her forte.  All the prayer support we received during this time was a great help.  We felt God’s presence in every step of the way.

Our extended family is all working.  Paul is teaching health care careers in Chaska, Pete is at the Camera Shop in St. Cloud and Pat is still a computer programmer at Excel Energy in Monticello.  Right now Leslie is working overnights at a group home in Minnetonka, Anne is working part time at a title company and Anna is working with a deaf girl (and others) at a group home and also working at the Scout Store in Sartell.

The grandchildren are growing up.  JP is in a fifth year at the U of MN in Minneapolis and working part time.  He has moved to an apartment in St. Paul.

Mark is living in Cass Lake and working in Bemidji.  Skyler is working at Target in the deli in Maple Grove and taking classes at North Hennepin Community College.  It is exciting to see these young men embarking on their own.

The next group of kids are still in Middle School and High School.  Rajah (6^th grade) and Spencer (10^th grade) attend Buffalo schools.  They just had their first after school skiing time at Kimball.  Rajah comes to our house on Wednesdays and stays so she can attend Hang Time with some of her classmates who go to our church.  Luke (8^th grade) and Matthew (10^th grade) go to Becker schools.  Luke’s band concert is next week.  Matt is also working at the nearby Christmas tree farm.

The last two grandchildren are Pete and Anne’s daughters.  Gen is in 3^rd grade in St. Cloud and Vivi is in pre-school.  They are princesses and artists.  Gen is a great reader and a smart student. 

Year in Review – Larry has videotaped many couples this past year.   We interview them and prepare DVD’s for their family.  It has been such fun to find out more about their life and family history.

Marlys has started visiting one of the older ladies from church.  Normally she goes on Tuesdays from 4-7 pm.  Both of them like to play Rummy Cube and then they watch Wheel of Fortune. 

We square danced at the MN State Convention in Grand Rapids in June and stayed with Ron Goodman overnight at his cabin.  In July, we had Rajah and Gen with us at Grand Camp which was held on the church grounds.  We had a new tent for the occasion.    In August, our good friends, Ed & Mona Sischo, visited for a short time.  We also went to the State Fair with several students from Taiwan – fun day!

On the sad side – Denise Hofner (Larry’s second cousin) lost her battle with cancer.    Soon after that, his cousin, Jerry Wilson passed away in Beloit, WI.  Marlys’ mother’s cousin, Rabs Anderson and then, in December, his wife, Audrey, passed away too. 

We praise God that Jesus came to bring us close to God and to die for our sins and rise to glory so we have a future with Him.  That is the Good News of Christmas.  We hope that you know the Hope of Christmas – Jesus – as your Savior, Friend and Companion, so that you too can face growing older and eventually passing on to eternity with Christ.

We had two great gatherings with our kids and then with Marlys’ cousins, Ron and Lyle and Ron’s boys.   Then Marlys got a sinus cold and is still coughing three weeks later followed by the stomach virus.  Now that is over and I am feeling like writing again.

So now we are sending our greetings in January with wishes for a joyful New Year. 

Merry Christmas

Here's our Christmas letter: 

2013 in Review from Larry & Marlys Wilson

Family funerals – Our family experienced loss this year.  Marlys lost all of her remaining aunts and uncles – Florice Brown, Bob Golie and Allan Johnson.  Larry lost a cousin, Jo Johnson.  Also, Bob Freer, our brother-in-law, died in Texas.  He was buried in Little Falls, MN. 

 

Family news – JP (John) turned 21!  Mark graduated from high school!  We hosted the Mayo Camp in August.  Spencer and Skyler are attending Buffalo high school – Skyler is doing the EMT program at Osseo high school as well.   Matthew is being home schooled at present – Grandpa is the math teacher, Grandma is his English teacher and Pat teaches the other subjects.  Pete  & Anne are both working full time, so Vivi is in pre-school everyday.   Gen is in 2^nd grade.  Rajah & Luke are doing great.

Foreign Visitors –

In July, Peggy and Eva were here from Taiwan. 

In August, Liz Sedore, a missionary from Mongolia and Degi , her co-worker were in MN.  Marlys traveled with them to Duluth and then we spent Labor Day weekend at Lake Beauty Camp too.  (right)

In Sept., Jaakko & Mimmi came from Finland for Larry’s and Jaakko’s 55^th Class Reunion.

   

We also had quick visits with Pavils & Valentina Grigas from Ukraine and Ron Ziegelbaur, a

                                        missionary from Cameroon.

   The world came to our doorstep.  What fun!

Trips were limited to a mission trip to Rapid City,  SD with Matt and James (friend from church) and then to Minot, ND for the Norsk Hostfest, a celebration of all things Scandinavian.

We are presidents of our square dance club this year.   We attended the Convention in Mankato in June and took Plus Lessons this spring.

Marlys is president elect of Women Ministries of the Northwest Conference.  She attended the President Boot Camp in Chicago in Oct.

Larry camped locally at Lake Pulaski.  He helped with renovations at Paul & Leslie’s house.  He also completed the sewing room project in our basement.  Marlys is thrilled.  Larry had a productive garden.  He is cutting down trees to give more sunlight for the garden and the grass.

  

Of course, we also participated in our normal church activities.  The year has ended with 7 funerals at church in 7 weeks – Marlys is on the church funeral circle too.

So this year we have faced our own mortality  – We are getting older (at least our age shows that) and our bodies are not what they used to be.  But we are more certain than ever of our growing relationship with God and that no matter what happens to our bodies, we are in God’s presence every day.  One day, we too, will die, but we know that we shall meet again in heaven because we know Jesus as our Savior.

                                Blessings to you and your family.

May you also know Jesus as your Savior.

That is the joyous message of the Christmas season.