Christmas 1990

WE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

AFTER OUR MOVE FROM WASHINGTON LAST YEAR WE HAVE GOTTEN FAIRLY READJUSTED TO CALIFORNIA. NOW IT APPEARS WE WILL BE MOVING AGAIN, THIS TIME TO UTAH. TODD'S COMPANY WILL BE OPENING AN OFFICE THERE AND MOST OF THE PERSONNEL WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO UTAH AROUND SEPTEMBER.

TWO MAJOR THINGS HAPPENED IN THE LILLYWHITE FAMILY THIS YEAR. FIRST OF ALL TODD FINALLY RECEIVED HIS MASTERS DEGREE IN ITALIAN LITERATURE FROM THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA. HE TOOK HIS LAST COURSE OUT HERE BY CORRESPONDENCE AND FLEW BACK TO WASHINGTON IN JULY TO TAKE THE COMPREHENSIVE EXAM. WITH A B.A. FROM BYU AND AN M.A. FROM CATHOLIC, WE FIGURE IF HE EVER GETS A PHD IT WOULD HAVE TO BE FROM SMU, BOB JONES, OR ORAL ROBERTS.

THE OTHER MAJOR THING THAT HAPPENED WAS THE ARRIVAL OF OUR SECOND CHILD, A BEAUTIFUL GIRL WHO WE NAMED JENSEN. LENORE STARTED TO GO INTO LABOR WHEN SHE PICKED TODD UP AT THE AIRPORT WHEN HE WAS RETURNING FROM WASHINGTON FOR HIS EXAM. IT WAS ACTUALLY JUST A FALSE ALARM BUT IT TOOK ABOUT 30 HOURS FOR THE DOCTORS TO MAKE THAT DECISION. LENORE HAD BEEN ACTIVE DURING THE PREGNANCY AND HAD SOME WATER GAIN BUT NOTHING THAT SEEMED UNUSUAL. HOWEVER, HER BLOOD PRESSURE WAS ELEVATED. SO THEY PUT HER ON MEDICATION TO STOP THE CONTRACTIONS AND HAD HER STAY IN THE HOSPITAL FOR TWO WEEKS. THANK GOODNESS FOR HMO'S. FINALLY THEY TOOK HER OFF THE MEDICATION AND SENT HER HOME. AND A WEEK LATER THE REAL THING HAPPENED.

SHE WOKE TODD CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT (GOOD THING IT WAS NIGHT TIME. NO TELLING WHAT THE TRAFFIC WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE OTHERWISE.) WE GOT TO THE HOSPITAL WITH ABOUT 35 MINUTES TO SPARE. IT WAS QUITE AN UNUSUAL SITUATION BECAUSE THE HOSPITAL IS IN, SHALL WE SAY, A NOT SO GREAT AREA OF LOS ANGELES, AND THERE HAD EVIDENTALLY BEEN A GANG SHOOTING OR CONFRONTATION OF SOME KIND. THE EMERGENCY ROOM WAS FILLED WITH ALL SORTS OF SCARY LOOKING PEOPLE AND SECURITY GUARDS. EVERYBODY LOOKED A BIT TENSE AND CONCERNED. WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO GET ANYONE'S ATTENTION, AND KNOWING HOW FAST LENORE'S FIRST DELIVERY WENT WE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE HAD A LOT OF TIME TO PLAY WITH. A VERY OBSERVANT NURSE SPOTTED US AND HAD LENORE IN A WHEEL CHAIR AND ON HER WAY NOT FIVE SECONDS AFTER SHE WALKED IN THE DOOR. ANYWAY IT WAS ALL VERY EXCITING A MIDWIFE ATTENDED THE DELIVERY AND JENSEN GRABBED HER GLASSES JUST SECONDS AFTER SHE WAS BORN.

THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT HAVING A SECOND BABY IS YOU BASE ALL YOUR EXPECTATIONS ON YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE FIRST ONE. UNTIL JENSEN ARRIVED WE COULDN'T CONCEIVE OF ANYTHING BUT A CLONE OF AILSA. AND AS SOON AS SHE ARRIVED WE REALIZED SHE WAS HER OWN PERSON, DIFFERENT THAN WE COULD HAVE GUESSED. ACTUALLY, LIKE HER SISTER, SHE TOO LOOKS A LOT LIKE HER MOTHER. BUT JENSEN IS QUITE A BIT MORE ROBUST THAN AILSA IS OR WAS.


AS THE YEAR COMES TO A CLOSE WE HOPE YOU FEEL THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD. WE HOPE THAT LOVE, PEACE AND CHARITY INCREASE ON THIS EARTH. WE REJOICE WITH THE WONDER AND BEAUTY OF THIS EXISTENCE THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN US. WE FEEL MUCH PAIN AND SADNESS FOR THE THINGS THAT ARE WRONG WITH THE WORLD. WHERE OUR AID AND INFLUENCE FALL SHORT WE PRAY THAT THE LORD WILL SEND HIS PEACE AND COMFORT TO THOSE WHO DON'T ENJOY THE BLESSING OF A LIFE TOUCHED BY LOVE, PEACE, AND CHARITY.

THE LILLYWHITE FAMILY: TODD, LENORE, AILSA, JENSEN
5365 DAGGETT STREET
LONG BEACH, CA 90815