Merry Christmas!
Mum and dad
For the Myrtveit family, 2017 has been pretty much been one long party! It all started with Solbjørg and Mathias getting married in March. Then, Lillian and Magnar got married in June. Both weddings took place at Radøy. The ceremonies were beautiful and the partying great! We so enjoyed being part of the planning and preparing, and getting to know so many of the couples’ family and friends!
During Easter and summer, we spent time with our “kids”. We skied for Easter and hiked mountains and by the sea this summer.
In June Ingrid was ordained, and is now a pastor at the Norwegian Church. She was ordained just in time to marry her older brother - 6 days later. The ceremony where she was ordained was a great experience. Grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts and other family were there. The church was full and the ceremony strong and beautiful. Following the ceremony, there was (again) partying. Food, quiz and singing!
Before the first wedding we realized we wanted to upgrade one of our bathrooms. This turned into a rather thorough go-over of 7 rooms, and we’re still not done.
Magne is not sure whether it is actually something to celebrate, but in September he turned 60. We had a really nice celebration with friends and close family. One of the most fun birthdays I’ve had, he said. Later that month, he went on a bike holiday to Mallorca with Gunnar (Ingrid’s father in law) and Ingve. They enjoyed so much and came home just in time for the last day of Road World Championships in Bergen.
Normally, our home is full of family for Christmas. We knew the day would come, when all our kids would spend Christmas with the in-laws, and we are learning to cope — till next year when they are all coming to our place! This year, we will spend Christmas with Bjarne, Margot, Liv and Dag Rune at Storheim. Then, the kids are taking us to a cabin in the mountains for New Years, so that should be treat! We wish you a very merry Chrismas and all the best for the coming year.
Solbjørg and Mathias
Dear all! This year I write to you from Berkeley, USA, a place loaded with Christmas lights, cakes and merriness. I like the US (Solbjørg Makalani is writing now). And I also like 2017 :) What a year! In March, Mathias and I got married, and it was just SO nice! We are so grateful for everyone who were there with us, for all the help we received and all the great experiences around that day. The year brought many other enjoyable events to the family, but I won’t give those away, I’ll let the others tell their stories :) But I will tell you that Mathias and I went to Morocco for our mountain bike honeymoon, and loved it. Then we moved to Berkeley for 6 months. We have had a wonderful time here, and have been blown away by how incredibly friendly and heartfelt people are. Now we are packing and cleaning, and flying home tomorrow. We are looking forward to celebrating Christmas with family and friends in Norway, but are sorry to leave our new friends here in California. We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a wonderful new year.
Ingrid, Jørgen and Sigve
2017 has been one exciting year! For the first half, I (Ingrid) was on maternity leave. I studied a bit on the side and took my final theology exam in May. In June I started working as a youth pastor at Askøy, and I was ordained on the 11th of June. I’ve been really well received at Askøy and enjoy my new job.
Over summer Jørgen had a break from studying, and stayed home with Sigve. Then, in August, Sigve started kindergarden. He loves it. Every morning when we say it is time to go, he shouts “yes, yes, yes!”. The bigger girls there play with him, and think that he is a really cute baby. Cute he sure is, but no longer a baby, I can’t believe he is already 18 months old! Every Monday I am off from work, and spend the day with Sigve. Jørgen studies 50%, so that he too has time to spend with us. We have had so much fun together as a family this year. Jørgen will finish medical school in June 2018.
Among the best moments this year, apart from being ordained, was being Maid of honor together with Magnar (yup, true), for Solbjørg and Mathias’s wedding, and being the pastor in Lillian and Magnar’s wedding and Siri and Thomas’s wedding (Jørgen’s sister). Having a special role in their big days was just wonderful. Now we are looking forward to Solbjørg and Magnar, with spouses, returning from their stays abroad!
Magnar and Lillian
For those of you who have waited a full year to find out where Lillian and I went traveling after Christmas last year (see last year’s Christmas card), I’ll finally break it to you! We went to Alta, Northern Norway, and I proposed – and it was a success! On the 17th of June, we were united in matrimony! So again I find myself living with a girl faithfully tending to my every need. I am very satisfied. I hope she is too. At least I do my best.
Lillian is studying economics and aims to specialize in health economy. Therefore, we decided to go to Hamburg for a semester, for her to study. We have been living there since October, and really enjoy it! Lillian learns exciting new things every day. I don’t really notice that much difference, since I brought my home office. We are both learning more German!
Soon we will travel home to Sandnes to celebrate Christmas with Lillian’s family. That will be really nice. After that, we will spend New Years with the rest of the authors of this Christmas letter at a cabin in the mountains. Well, that was it from us! Frohe Weihnachten!
P.S.
I guess it has been a pretty exciting year when neither the 30th-birthday-programming-party nor the honeymoon was mentioned by a word.
D.S.