A Christmas Letter from the Palmers


Yesterday, we got a Christmas card from the Dababnehs. It made me realize that we didn’t make any kind of Christmas document. So I will give a Christmas blog recount of our year.

Thunderdome called: they're missing a coat.


If calendars were not so ubiquitous, I would call this a long year. Much has happened: we chose a grad school, bought our first house, moved to Texas, Salem turned one, I managed to finish my first semester of grad school, and, let‘s not forget, I ate spaghetti for lunch yesterday. In all, I would call it a full year. Kaaryn and I have both worked like crazy all year.

Salem, doing her best Uncle Fester impression, on her first birthday.



We have also been busy with our church callings. Kaaryn is in the Primary Presidency, which is to say that she coordinates the teaching of children under the age of 12. I teach seminary at 5:50 AM two days one week and three days the next. I would include a picture of my class, but you can only see the tops of their heads at that hour. We are teaching the New Testament this year, which makes it easy on me.


These days Kaaryn is working for Maxim Healthcare. She does home health for sick children. She gets to work with the same people every week. She used to have to go to different houses every day. She likes the stability of knowing with whom she will work. I have really enjoyed working on Descant, the creative writing Journal published by TCU. It’s my job to read all of the fiction submissions and pass along whatever I think has merit. The whole outfit is run by three people. But I love the work and am very glad to pay my way through school with this. We will publish our journal in May, at which point anyone interested in quality fiction and poetry can pick one up for something like $12. I will keep everyone posted.

We were all working in the yard. One guess as to who was eating dirt (the answer may surprise you).


I was actually standing on my head in this one.



Salem is a joy, whenever she is not teething. When there is a tooth coming through, watch out. Otherwise, she is getting more and more independent. She spends her time crawling around and getting into trouble, kind of like Nero, but without animal costumes. She does a little bit of talking. Kaaryn swears she says “dog.” It sounds more like “Trojan Football” to me, but I could be mistaken. Most of you will see her very soon.

Salem last Christmas:


Salem this Christmas:


Next year should be much more of the same. School for me. Work for Kaaryn. Poop for Salem. Thanks for reading the blog. We will update when we return from Arizona. In the meantime, merry Christmas!

The dogs. Mojo weighed in at 78 pounds last week.