A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Jock & Hope Schwank
It is a wonderful 2012 Christmas-time in Colorado. In the elf village, the yard and throughout the house are an abundance of Christmas decorations. This year is a major health difference for us than the last two Christmas-times. As some of you know, in early December 2010 Hope fell off the bottom step in our garage. That earned her a trip to the emergency room, surgery on her right knee with the insertion of metal plates and screws. Subsequent trip to a rehab center which, although they served a delightful duck dinner on Christmas, was not her choice of location to spend Christmas and New Year's. They let her come home a few days after 2011 began.
Hope healed great in a few months, but then Jock decided he needed some of that medical attention. Some issue starting late in the fall where it was discovered that his spine was degenerating top down and bottom up and concurrently interacting with his peripheral neuropathy. Through the miracle of physical therapy and spinal shots by early 2012 the pain diminished greatly without surgery and Jock only had to give up his walking-sticks and take up permanently using a walker.
Jock honored by the Academy on Labor Day weekend, 2011. He was presented the Academy's 2011 Distinguished Service Award by the Superintendent, Lt. General Mike Gould. It was even more special for us because years ago when Jock commanded the Academy Prep School, Mike, a young captain, was his football coach. We were very pleased that both David and Blake's families could be at the ceremony and that Jock's sister Jill could also fly in to attend the festivities.
2012 was the first time in a very long time we did not go to Montana. Instead in September we drove to Southern California to visit Jock's mom and also see his sister Jan and husband Bob. Mom is still very spunky and sharp for a lady soon to turn 97. Very fortunate that her two young care givers, Emma and Belinda, love her dearly and take care of her with the greatest care and respect. On the way home we visited the Grand Canyon for a day (Hope had never seen it) and also spent several hours in Bearizona. Of course, we had to spend a couple of days in Albuquerque enlarging Hope's collection of turquoise jewelry.
David and Jill have moved to Loveland, Colorado, where David continues to run his highly successful outdoor living business. Ashley lives only a few miles away in Fort Collins. Blake and Christie have moved to a new house in Colorado Springs with a thousand acre park as their backyard. Katrina in her final year of high school and looking for a small, 4-year religious college with a strong art program. Jessica very involved in club volleyball and now taller than Hope and gaining daily on her grandfather. Blake's computer business, Colorado Computer Support, continues to expand. So, life is well for the Schwanks.