Christmas Greetings from Paul and Leone

Dear Snider Family,
As we pause once again to give thanks for God Our Father’s greatest gift of love, His Son, we thank God also for the gift of your love and friendship over the years. We pray this will truly be a joyful Christmas season for you.
This year we traveled a bit to visit the churches we served during the past 50 years. It was so good to see dear friends who have blessed our lives in those churches. We still have four to go. The tour has been put on hold while Paul fills in at Evans church for the pastor who lost his wife to cancer.
We also took two major trips, one in the Spring to Palm Springs to see Joyce and Ed. Had a grand time with them and visiting Sea World and Wild Kingdom. Then in October, we took what we called our 50th Anniversary Honeymoon Trip. We traveled through eight states by car, train, boat and horse drawn carriage.We began our journey in La Junta Colorado on the Southern Chief train. In Naperville, where we first met at Allenson’s bookstore, we rented a car and began a marvelous adventure around Lake Michigan, stopping at and Amish village, taking a ferry to Mackinac Island and touring in a horse drawn carriage. The return trip was through Wisconsin where among other things we saw a marvelous collection of over a 1000 Nativities in a Methodist Church in Oshkosh. In the Dells, Lee finally got to see deer she was looking for in the Deer and Wildlife park. Coming back into Illinois we had lunch in a lovely Japanese Garden in Rockford. Paul also had to stop and see The Little White Church(E.U.B.) now Stone Park Mission(U.M.C.) in Melrose Park where he first began ministry as a youth minister. Finally back to Naperville and home again on the train.
When we got home we found a beautifully decorated table and meal prepared by Robin and Savannah. On the next Sunday, Robin and Melody hosted a nice family party at the White Fence Farm in Denver to celebrate our 50th and had you all shower us with wonderful cards and e-mails. Thank you all for all the nice things you shared. Everything put together made this wonderful celebration of our 50 years.
When we are home, the kids and grandkids are the great part of our life. Needless to say we are proud of them all but they are growing up too fast. It’s hard to believe that next fall Annie will be heading off to college. We just had our usual Thanksgiving feast at “Grandma’s” and as is the custom the next day began Christmas decorating with the two 16 year-olds, Caitlin and Cody, assisted by Jenny & Savannah keeping Grandpa on the ground and doing the roof while all the rest supervised.
Dan and Melody and girls are still in Cheyenne. Dan took a leave of absence from ministry and is taking computer classes at Laramie County Community College. Melody continues to teach 4th grade. All three girls are students at East High and doing excellently in academics and sports. In volleyball, Annie was setter and captain of the varsity. She also was chosen prep athlete of the week. Caitlin started out as libero on j.v., but got called up to varsity at mid season.Both Annie and Caitlin were chosen for all-conference honors. Caitlin also had honors for her piano playing. She won second place in the high school Stars of Tomorrow competition in Cheyenne in January. Jenny is making her own way. She played on the sophomore volleyball team and is now playing on the sophomore and j.v. basketball teams. They all remain active in the youth activities & music of Frontier U.M.C.
Robin continues to keep Loveland Grace Community Church running as the office administrator and Jeff continues to meet the deadlines for GROUP, the youth ministry magazine, as its Art Director. Both Cody and Savannah also are doing well academically and in extracurricular interests. Cody did spring track and is following in Grandpa’s footsteps adding the baritone sax to his repertoire in the Thompson Valley High Jazz Band. He keeps active learning new tricks on his unicycle. He and his buddies helped raise spirits at a recent pep assembly. Savannah finished the 5th grade with a straight 4 point and acclaim as a writer. She played soccer in the spring and followed in the steps of her older cousins this fall in volleyball.

As the year draws to a close we rejoice in all the good memories of the past year and of the last 50... The Journey continues to be a beautiful experience of God’s love and the love of others. Thank you again for your place in our life.We wish you a Joyous Christmas
and best wishes for a Happy and Fruitful New Year.