1998 has been a very full year, making it zip by extra fast. Tim continues to work for Environmental Science Associates, although now out of an office in Oakland, and it is a job that demands long hours. Sharon is still working for a local mobile clinic, helping patients, speaking lots of Spanish, and sometimes driving a big truck. Amanda was thrilled to hit the ski slopes early in the year, and we've already gone once this season for her birthday. In April we welcomed our French exchange student, Maxime, from Aix-en-Provence, as part of a direct student exchange program between that town and Petaluma. Amanda is hoping to make the trip there in 2000. Maxime was a lot of fun and very energetic; we often found him jumping on our new trampoline for hours! Amanda finished the school year receiving an award in her school's choir, then spent a busy summer with her Sea Scout ship cruising local waterways. She was a counselor at our local Girl Scout Day Camp, and at another Girl Scout camp for ten days, where she helped to build a stage. She's a sophomore this year, and has plenty to keep her busy in school, including a zero period honors biology class. After suffering "dark-room withdrawals" since her last photography class two years ago, she is enrolled in a class in the local community college, where she indulges 2-3 hours weekly in developing black & white prints. Right now, what she wants most of all is her driver's license!

Jocelyn has had a full year, involved with work, school, traveling and friends. We really enjoyed her class assignments from two cooking classes she took. Having our exchange student here piqued her interest in traveling to France, which brings up the issue of work ($). After leaving her ice-cream shop job, she worked for a few months as a temp at Tim's company in San Francisco. She met a lot of people, learned some office skills and lived in the world of very early morning commuting. It was all worth it, however, as she was able to realize her dream of a trip to Alaska in July. A wildlife studies class through our local community college, it was 12 days of glaciers, wildlife, traveling, seeing Denali and the Aurora Borealis. She was thrilled! This fall she gave up the work world to take care of her best friend's baby Celeste, allowing Mama & Dada to return to school and work. She is currently working in a horrible crisp white uniform (think lunch lady) selling chocolate to old ladies at See's Candy, and has signed up for a full schedule of classes for the spring semester.

Terry is living at home again temporarily. After futilely searching for a place to live in Santa Barbara, California, where he and his girlfriend were to go to school, they had to return to Sonoma County at least for a little while. As it turned out, he found a great job at an analytical lab called Alpha. They specialize in herbal products and pharmaceuticals, many of which he brings home to test on his family such as cetyl mystriolate. Some samples we haven't dared to try yet. Terry turned 21 this year, and to celebrate spent the day sea kayaking. He'll be returning to school, but meanwhile he's spending his spare time playing the stock market.

Finally, this year we went on a real vacation! Tim, Sharon and Amanda left in July with our van for Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Mount Rushmore, Devil's Tower, and other points in South Dakota and Wyoming. We saw 3600 miles of country: desert and prairie, sagebrush, mountains, animals, and 300,000 bikers! Yes, we ran into the world-renown (except to us) Sturgis Bike Rally! It was a wonderful trip; we wanted to stay in each National Park at least a week - and we will never forget the rumble of a Harley-Davidson.

In September we received a call from a guy with an accent who sounded very far away. Sharon, thinking it was yet another telemarketer, ALMOST hung up on him, but it was our friend Moacir from Brazil!! He and his wife and son were coming to the states. We quickly enrolled in a class to brush up on our Portuguese. Early October was a whirlwind of visiting, and being home base for our sightseeing friends. We accompanied them on one must-see: Yosemite. The two weeks ended too quickly; there is so much in this country to see.

We continue to be thankful for our friends and family, our work and just watching our kids grow! We like it when they're growing in their OWN homes, too, but they're working on that. We hope whether you're surrounded by snow (in San Francisco last weekend!) or summer heat, that you have a wonderful Christmas and holidays.

Tim, Sharon, Terry, Jocelyn, & Amanda Morgan