Merry Christmas and Blessings for the new year!

“ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting father, the Prince of Peace. “ Isaiah 9:6

Greetings and blessings to all our special friends and family,

It is with gratitude and humbleness that we greet you this Christmas. We are a very blessed family and we have such wonderful family members and friends. So with this note to you, we just hope to catch up this those of you we may not have spoken to for a while. Our shared journey through life takes us many unexpected places. This year has been very memorable. So sharing on.........

Looking back over the year, these are some of our highlights.

January and February were very busy for the Harnsberger family. We were up and down the state of California -- Napa, Mammoth and San Diego. Our big family day was to help Rachel and Johan move into their new pad. A nice 2 story condo in the University Town Center area of La Jolla. After living with Mom and Dad for 5 months they were very excited to be in their own place again. Rachel began her job at UCSD Brady School of Business and Johan delved into his doctoral dissertation full time. At the end of February I was able to travel to Washington DC again with the SBCS 8^th graders.

March was the most emotional time for me. My Dad, Lou Schirm III passed away on March 16^th, just 2 weeks shy of his 91st birthday. At that time my Dad, known as Papa Bear by those who loved him, had a very bad fall while trying to get out of his chair in his apartment. It was only a few days later that he passed away. My brother Louie, Nicky and I were together as Dad entered heaven. One brief time while still at the hospital Dad had a vision of heaven. It was miraculous to witness, and was a sign for us Dad would be passing and he was entering that final stretch of his life.

A blessing in the midst of this what that Dad always wanted to share the made-for-the-movies story of how he met our Mom on VE day 1945. On April 1, just after what would have been his 91st birthday, his story was published in America in WW2 magazine along with his personal pictures. It was truly a blessing during such a time of grief.

At the end of May Fritz and I experienced a dream come true, traveling to Europe together for the first time. Our trip included stops in England, Holland, Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland. Our first week was with Johan and Rachel in Holland and later Belgium, visiting both our families in these areas. We were in DemBosche and in Ghent and truly enjoyed the community, the food, the people and all that we could experience in such a short time. Then we were off to England to meet up with a tour group. The next 8 days included an overwhelming amount of sightseeing in five countries with a lot of driving, a cruises on the rivers Seine and Rhiene. Quite a trip! I am ready to go back =)

Our summer highlight is always our family times. We traveled to South Lake Tahoe for our Annual Schirm & Scribe Family Reunion. All the cousins were able to make it this year and we enjoyed ourselves so much. The family continues to grow with the new 3^rd generation. This year’s additions include baby Casen and baby Leo. We are 36 now.

Another highlight this year was a trip to Maui. Fritz and I had a very relaxing trip with Dotty, his Mother. Every day we enjoyed a beautiful sunrise or sunset. No agenda. Just surf in the morning, meet with new and old friends and relax in the sunshine.

Phil continues to work with Fritz but under his own corporation. “Upward Industries” He still surfs as much as possible travels to Hawaii and Mexico often. He loves living in Orange County and continues to enjoy being a homeowner. His special interests are economics and market trends.

Ryan and Tina, the newly weds, are living in La Jolla where Tina is in her 2nd year residency for General Surgery at UCSD Medical School. After working for himself for many years, Ryan took a job working for a construction company and has been project manager for the last 6 months. He enjoys his works and his time with Tina, and surf is still part of his day. They had a nice 2 weeks off in September visiting Santa Barbara and all their friends.

Rachel and Johan are enjoying life back in California and living in San Diego. Rachel plays hostess to her brothers and Tina often with “sibling” dinner about twice a month. She works full time for the Brady School of Business at UCSD and is enjoying being back in a jewelry studio in her free time. Johan is completing his Doctorate and will graduate in May 2012. This year he presented papers at Political Science conferences in Chicago and Philadelphia. He will also defend his dissertation in Boston early next year.

At Thanksgiving with family we were especially thankful for the time we are able to spend together. It has been a good year, and this month has been a time of contemplation and thankfulness. Fritz business continues to grow and we are amazed at the interest there has been in Marathon.

This Christmas we take time to remember the reason for our celebrations – the birth of the Christ Child – our Savior. As we celebrate and sing the beautiful songs, I am reminded how truly blessed we are.

In His Grace, Fritz and Lorette

Dear Family and Friends,

Today is a very special day -- Armistice Day or Veteran's day as we know it now. And its 11 -11- 11. Growing up I always remember going with our grandfather's to special memorial ceremonies -- 3 generations to remember our fallen heros. Maybe that is why its so important to me. My favorite Veteran of course is my Dad. After the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec. 7th, he finished up his semester at Notre Dame and he and his brother Mike signed up for the Army. He was a specialist on "bombs" -- detonating them. ( There is a title to this but I forgot what it was for now). But then since he had had so much experience with cars when he was a teenager, driving since he was 14, he ended up in the 17th port Transportation Corp. It is here that he excelled as a leader in support for the battles of DDay to Battle of the Bulge and more. In January 1945 in was in Ghent Belgium to unload the ships for support for the Battle of the Bulge. Here in met our Mom on May 6 1945. -- VE day in Belgium, before the official one. More of this story is on his web site at www.louschirm3.com

Anyway, I came across something I wrote Nov. 11, 2001 after visiting the Veteran's home in Yountville Napa Valley for the first time. Here it is. I am sharing it with my blogger family.

On this day I was visiting Dad, and I want to remember some events of that day . We went to the Veterans Hospital, where Dad was thinking of going. It was hard to figure out where it was, and it was raining, but we finally got to the right place. These are some of my impressions.

First, there was a wonderful procession of the color guard. One Soldier went forward - one for each areas of our armed forces. Every one who was able was asked to stand. I saw very very old men stand at the presentation of the colors. One gentleman could barely hold himself up. And he stood the whole time. We said the pledge of allegiance and then we sang the National Anthem. I had a hard time because I was choking up, and tears running down my face. I saw what it meant to love your country. There was then an invocation to our Lord - a very thoughtful prayer of recognition of God’s presence.

Then they addressed a table that was set right near us - under the Mia and POW flag. It had 6 spaces, one for each branch of the forces. Empty to represent the missing men. It was round to represent everlasting life and white for purity of motives. When the young man joins he joins because his motives are true and pure. There was a singe red rose in a vase with a red ribbon tied around it. ( it think for the missing who have their lives but are not forgotten ) and lemon slices for bitterness: Salt -- a pinch of it for tears and a Bible for faith in “One nation under God”. Wow!! I was really impressed. Then the other table near us got up. One man in uniform representing each of our forces and put a hat down on the table in each of the missing places.

Different people spoke: a senator, a Major and a General. One said “Freedom isn’t free” . I believe that is a quote originally from Roosevelt. How the younger generations need to understand this and live it.

One of the most special times of this day was this:

I met Veteran named Homer Fisher who is 103 and was a WW1 Veteran. I took a picture of this guy. ( hmm where is it now?) He was a very humble man. He lived to 108 at the Vet Home in Yountville. He was one of the last remaining WW1 vets of that time.

We also toasted and had a moment of silence with everyone in the room. AT 11-11—o1. That is the official time of the Armistice. On 11—11. And they observed this that day also. Dad and I sat at a table with a young lady who had volunteered from Chico State to come down and visit the Veterans. She explained that her History teacher had them serve the Vets to learn their stories and report what they learn back to the classroom. They were spending the whole weekend at the Vet home serving in many ways. Also, they said every Vet received a letter from the kids saying thank you for serving our country. Every Vet in the Home. Over 1100 Men and women.

I found this in my journal notes, as I was thinking about my Dad today, I remembered back to this day, and the other Veteran’s days I spent in Napa. Thank you Dad for teaching us to love our country and to honor those who have served us in the Armed forces.

Happy Veteran's Day! Remember those soldiers who are serving us now, putting their lives on the line each day.

To cousin Charlie in the air force, flying our soldiers home, we all salute you. We are so proud of you.

Hello Blogger friends, Its been a while since I posted. Actually the facebook page makes it pretty easy to post something really quick. Or with Instagram I can post a picture and send to friends. It seems since the last post I wrote many blogs, but all in my head. We are at a time in our life where we try to make every opportunity to travel. So Mammoth Lakes for R & R , or San Diego to see the kids are top on the list. September saw us off to Mammoth, and later in the month we went to Maui with Grandma Dottie. Both were very relaxing trips. Maui was amazing especially. I think what was most important was the time we were able to spend with people-- old friends, new friends, and just being together in such a beautiful place. Each day we saw a beautiful sunrise and an awesome sunset. I see a sunset as God's hand painting colors across the sky. It's only for a short time, and it's there for us to enjoy. Rainbow's are an extra special blessing.

So here are some pictures to remember the last month and a half. Hiking at Rock Creek in Mammoth Area with Fritz! Sailing in Maui with Grandma, and Kansas City time with Marilyn and that's Winston Churchill in the picture with me. I am really blessed to have so many special friends and family. Enjoying life and Praising God that I can!

Hello Family,

Do you remember the game hopscotch, like we used to play as kids? Well we still play it today. My version is playing hopscotch by driving up north or down south and visiting old friends or family and sleeping in different beds almost every night. I only usually do this when I am on my own though and Fritz is gone on a trip somewhere. So at the beginning of August, when Fritz was on his annual boat trip to the islands, I went to San Diego and spent a little time with each of our kids, and visited some special people along the way. I visited with an elderly cousin of Dad's named Martha Ann and her husband Tom. I love the older Generation. They are so precious and have seen so much. Martha Ann has traveled around the world over 35 times during her life time. I hope to have more visits with her and Tom. Then an evening with Phillip in Laguna Beach. We ate a wonderful Belgian Bistro and had a truly European menu. And Pomme Frites too. Then off to San Clemente Saturday morning with a breakfast with a dear friend Sandy. Next..... Down to San Diego to hangout with Rachel and Johan and a lovely lunch in La Jolla. Getting the gastronomic picture? After a shopping spree with my fun-to-be-with daughter, we had a lovely dinner with Tina and Ryan, and of course Rachel and Johan. Another bed, another night and off to church with Tina and Ryan, and a lovely breakfast somewhere in Carlsbad. After goodbyes, I was off to Escondido to visit with an old friend Peggy and her husband Steve. We were roomies at Cal Poly and in the same major. Our lives have paralled each other in many ways. I was so blessed to see her again.

So as if that isn't enough, I just had to do it again this last week. Fritz was going to be visiting his Mom and I took a trip up north this time to see my family. As a new Auntie to Casen, I was looking forward to seeing the little guy. Jill's 55th birthday would have been Thursday August 25th. To celebrate, I had the chance to go to lunch with some of her friends, Linda and Mary Jo and of course Brigitte. I celebrated my sister's birthday with her kids, ( and little Casen of course), and a great dinner by chef Brigitte.

Then hopscotch on up to Nicky's house in Napa.

On Friday Carrie and the kids came, we had another gastronomic experience at a Napa french style Cafe on the river, visit the cemetery where Mom and Dad are, swimming at Nicky's pool, and visiting with another one of Dad's friends Bob. Sweetie pies was the dessert of choice also that evening.

Saturday morning we were back down to Pleasanton for Brigitte's graduation party at the Brierleys. Very fun and great food also. Sunday in Napa, as was great to visit Nicky and Tom's church and listen to a visiting preacher named Dr. George Fox. The scripture was John 6 and the feeding of the 5000. Hmmmmm I think I just ate enough for all of that. Really though, it was a really good sermon and thought provoking about our walk with Christ. Then off to Fireside grill, say our good byes and I was headed down south again. ONLY I had a call from Ruby, another one of Dad's friends from the Meadows where he used to live. So I hopscotched on down to see her and had a lovely visit. She is a precious sister in the Lord. She shares the Lord where ever she goes. She used to eat breakfast with Dad every morning. I think of her often and I know she is praying for our family always.

So finally I hopscotched back to the Brierley's place and finished my adventure with a wonderful dinner by Chef Casey, and Kyle's girlfriend Aimee.

Monday, after visiting Jill's gravesite one more time.... I made the long drive home. Needless to say, I did not eat too much. Oh...... but there is a place in Shell Beach though.... I had to stop. DePaolo and Sons. Something like that-- a wonderful Deli and Bakery. I picked up dinner for Fritz and I for when I would make it home. And so the adventure ends for August and I am home. Its good to be home. My eye aches from the glare of the sun driving back. Laundry and gardening chores await me and of course Fritz is so happy to see me!!!

I am so blessed and touched by so many wonderful people in my life. Blessings and Kisses to all.

Hello blogger family,

We had such a fun time at our Tahoe family reunion / Cousins Camp 2011. Its amazing how time goes by over the years. Everyone was able to come, even if it was for short time. Thank you to Rene and Phyllis for helping to make this happen, and finding that extra house we needed to rent. It was a perfect fit for our weekend time. Park like yard, nice big kitchen and lots of beds for everyone. Perfect fit! Now we have 5 little ones to add to our pack and one on the way --" the little Trout" . Papa Bear and Mama Bear would be proud to see their legacy continue on in our get-to-gether times. In honor of Jill we had our traditional Thanksgiving Turkey dinner in July. We all stuffed ourselves to say the least. Thank you to everyone who made a supper human effort to join us and be a part of the Schirm / Scribe tradition. Blessings to everyone. From the Harnzblogger

Hello friends,

We had visitors this weekend. It was fun to have the "Other" Harnsberger family with us this weekend. The girls are growing up so much. Jennifer and Link braved the "Carmagedon" to make their way up here from Pasadena. It was fun just to hang out by the pool, run our feet through the sand, and visit together. Thanks guys for visiting us in Santa Barbara. It was great to have you here with us. Stay longer next time. We love you all. F & L

Happy 4th of JULY! Our country is now 235 years old. That is young in terms of world history but profound in the democratic founding of our country. This last year I read "1776" and I went to Yorktown, Mt. Vernon, Monticello etc etc. So patriotism is in my blood. I love to celebrate the 4th of July. Our Mom always told us that the United States is the greatest country because of what they sacrificed in WW2. I truly have come to believe this also.

Any way, I hope you all had a nice patriotic 4th of July. We made the rounds to different 4th of July parades and events in Santa Barbara. What a day... We went from parade to another parade, to an art show to the Spirit of 76 concert and a BBQ and then the fireworks show on the pier. You can do it all in Santa Barbara. The Montecito Village 4th of July Celebration is the best though. Wins my "Most Patriotic Event " in Santa Barbara. Its home town and very patriotic because of the leader Dana Newquist -- A true Reagan follower. Red, White and blue everywhere, Flags everywhere, music and cheering. Lots of children and fun cars of all kinds. If we are here next year, I told Fritz I want to decorate his car and be in the parade -- really get into the whole thing.

Anyway, Happy 4th of July. Here is a picture of Fritz downtown getting into the whole event also! We brought a little Boston with us here. That's a Red Sock's hat he has on. Someday.... Boston on the 4th. That would be fun too.

Happy Birthday America! I love you!

From the Harnzblogger herself,

MamaHarnZ

Happy 60th Birthday ! What a trip it has been. Here is a reflection from the blog of the trip.

Link to trip web site and pictures: Our Euro trip

Dear fellow travelers,

I have been thinking back over the last 2 weeks and thought I would write my reflections.

Looking back at the past 17 days, its amazing all we have done and all the places we have been. I have been inspired by the beautiful scenery, the interesting history we have relearned and experienced, & the incredible architecture we have seen in Europe traveling from country to country. Experiencing different languages, food, people have all been part of the experience. Most importantly are the people we meet. First of all, Rachel and Johan, Dorian and Fred hosting us in Den Bosche. Their kindness and hospitality was so thoughtful and we really enjoyed being with them. My birthday was extra special because they celebrated with us. Even Johan’s Grandma was with us. Fred and Dorian are wonderful chef’s. We had wild boar and homemade pasta, bolsa balls ( sp?) and a wonderful traditional cake make by Dorian. Riding bikes the next day to a castle for lunch was heavenly. What a special weekend I was able to experience. I had a very memorable birthday for sure.

Next, in Ghent it is always a priveledge to spend time with Anne and Francois, Denis and Colette and Diana. This family has been related to my family for 4 generations. Their mother Michette was friends with my mother Yette. My Bonne Mama was best friends with Michette’s mother, and their fathers were friends back to the late 1800’s. So 4 generations now with Dianna and Rachel and the next generation #5. Ghent is such an amazing town. I loved being here. Since the last time I was there, I dreamed of coming back again. Riding bikes on the cobblestones through back alleys and interesting places unknown but to the locals was a highlight too. As I have been working on Bonne Mama’s book, what she has written comes alive for me. I am motivated to finish the editing so that our children can understand the special heritage the Lord has given us. The Scribe family memories shall live on.

Our trip on the Insight tour brought in a whole another world for us. Meeting new people from all over the world -- Australia, Singapore, England, Canada, Colorado, Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri, California and more. Connecting with them, sharing our days with them. Experiencing the new places, traveling so many miles together was really special. We were together 8 days all together. Very short for a tour. This morning, our 9th day, we said so many goodbyes. I hope to meet each person again. Each was special and unique and I treasured the new friends. Thank you to Vera and Noel, Homai and Boman, Richard and Linda, Ron and Gwenn, Peter and Lynn, Andie and Vincento and so many more for making this trip memorable. I hope to see you all again in our journeys or in California. We were truly blessed by the Lord to have such a special trip.

As I write this we are flying back from France. Need to land in Dallas and get through customs, immigration lines, etc etc. We have a tight connection........ so here goes .....

Whew! we made it. We barely made it really to our next connection. Thank you to some of my prayer warrior friends out there on facebook. Since I had brought back tulip bulbs, of course I mentioned this on the form you have to fill out. I figured if it is not allowed, they would tell me and I toss them. NOPE! we had to do through another very SLOW long line for Agriculture with only 2 people working. Most of the line were people bringing in a lot of stuff from other countries like Vietnam, Mexico etc. We thought we missed our plane for sure.

Thankfully it was delayed by an hour!... With a special service cart, we were driven to the gate and made it on before they closed the door. And we got a first class seat! That means we could lay back and sleep! We were exhausted having been up almost 24 hours already. We flew to Albuquerque and then made again an instant last minute connection to Los Angeles. Our final leg then was to Santa Barbara. On board was a friend I knew from church and SBCS, who took us home afterward. Ahhhhhh! its good to be home. Thank you Lord for the USA and family and friends all over the world.

Next I will write out the 60 new things we have learned on this trip -- my final reflections. They are hand written right now. ........ Hope you find them interesting and funny too.

More later.......... to be continued. .......

All my love, Lorette

Hello Family and friends. Fritz and I are off on a European adventure. You can follow the travels at :

http://web.me.com/loretteharnsberger/Our_European_Adventure/Welcome.html

Dear Friends and Family,
Here is one of my favorite pictures of Dad. Its so hard to believe that Jill, Michy, Mom and soon Dad will be with the Lord. This picture was taken at King Harbor Yacht club. Louie came in very late last night. We have been at Dad’s bedside, again trying to keep him as comfortable as possible. A very sweet nurse named Luisa ( sp?) was by his side last night while we all got some much needed rest. Right now, I am playing some of Dad’s favorite songs. A long time ago I downloaded Itunes to his computer and we looked for songs that he liked. One song is “Dite te’ moi” that Mom had taught us to sing in French when we were about the age above. Its from the South Pacific musical. He loved Benny Goodman,a song called “Begin the Begee”. Also many French singers of course, and anything good to dance to. So I am sitting quietly with him. Nicky and Louie are taking a dinner break and Carrie and Evan are on the way over to say their goodbyes. Nicky and I have been able to talk with some of his many friends here at the Meadows. They all feel his loss. Dad is known for having a happy disposition and a joke in his pocket to share at lunch sometimes. I just love Ruby, Bob, Gill, Elsa, Don, Judy, Lucy, and Welby. -- So many more. They have been Dad’s special friends these last 4 years at the Meadows. Thank you to all his precious friends.

....... I stopped for a minute..... My Dad’s breathing is different. ....

Just as I was writing the above the sentences, and reflecting on how peaceful I felt, my Dad passed from this world to his heavenly home. It’s a privilege to be there as such a godly man goes home to be with the Lord. My Dad passed away at 6:40 pm tonight. We will update with more information later. Lou Schirm III March 30, 1920 to March 16, 2011

His Memorial web site is: http://louschirm3.com

Thank you for all the prayers and words of encouragement,
Lorette

Dear Friends, My Dad at this time is in the hospital. This morning when I went to pick up my Dad for church, I found him on the floor in front of his heater in pain, He had been yelling for help and calling my name as I was walking down the hall. Needless to say I was in shock. We think he fell in the morning, as he had not gone to breakfast yet. He heard my phone call for him that morning and couldn't answer the phone. When I arrived, he was there in front of his heater. I called 911 and I must say they came very quickly.
Dad has broken the C1 vertebrate of the neck. Though there must be swelling, and he is in pain, he has use of his hands and feet. He has to stay still though and is in a neck brace..
This morning, ( its now Monday morning) he ate some food for the first time. We are doing the best to manage his pain and plan for his future care.. Its only been 24 hours now since this all began. Cards or note would be appreciated as we can read to him. He can't talk very well at all. Keep him in your prayers and for wisdom on his care. Also pray that Dad would understand all that has happened and can help decide how he wants to proceed now.

This month we have been all over the state. Up to Napa, when Dad was in the hospital, down to San Diego to move Rachel and Johan into their new apartment. Then up to Mammoth to take care of things at our cabin and get a few skiing days in. Life is busy in the Harnzberger fast lane. Here is a great Snowman built for a snowman contest this last weekend. Someone, ( Not me) did a great job with this creation. All to celebrate Mammoth's record snowfall in December. We have had incredible weather with sunny blue bird days, no wind, and great skiing every day. Fritz tried out his new Snowboard and I tried out my cross country skies I bought at a garage sale last summer. Great fun and good exercise! Happy New Year and blessings this new Year!.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND BLESSINGS IN THE NEW YEAR!

“ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting father, the Prince of Peace. “ Isaiah 9:6

Greetings to all our friends and family. We hope this letter finds you with joy and happiness as we celebrate the Christmas season, and the joy of the birth of the Christ child.

As we journey through life, we all cross many bridges. They are milestones, precious moments, and memories that cause us to stop and consider where we are going. This has been a year of many bridges for us, both high and low. I would like to share the stories of some of these times with you.

In early March Ryan proposed to a wonderful young lady, Tina Clause. We have known her family for years here in Santa Barbara. Needless to say, we were thrilled. Tina graduated in June from UCI Medical School and began her residency at UCSD at the end of June. On September 19, Ryan and Tina were married on a beautiful day at the Santa Barbara Zoo. They honeymooned in Tahiti, and make their new home in La Jolla. We are delighted to welcome Dr. Tina Harnsberger to the family!

In March of this year, the Schirm and Scribe families came together in Napa to celebrate my Dad’s 90th birthday. It was great to be together, and so amazing that he is still with us today. My sister Nicky and her husband Dr. Tom Suard continue to attend to all the details that keep our Dad with us. Papa Bear continues to enjoy his life at the Meadows of Napa. Each month I make the drive up to Northern California to visit with him and check in with the rest of the family that lives there: the Suards, Brierlys and the Johnson family.

In June, after school ended, I realized it was time for a change. I passed the art teacher baton on to a new teacher, and officially retired as the SBCS art teacher. As much as I loved teaching, I felt the calling to cross that bridge in life, mainly to help care for family members and spend more time with Fritz. I continue to enjoy art with my own paint brush. Check out some of my recent paintings at lorettespalette.com. I am also writing a book about my grandmother, and rewriting my art lessons as a how-to book for teachers. Most recently I was able to go to Orlando and Disneyworld after Thanksgiving with my niece Carrie and her family, through the “Make a wish foundation”. I am so happy I was available to do this.

At the end of July, Rachel and Johan moved back to California. Johan defended his dissertation proposal in November and passed. He continues to work on this big project and hopes to have his Doctorate next year. Rachel has been applying to various jobs at non-profits and universities throughout Southern California. Having worked at Harvard for the last 2 1/2 years, she has a wealth of experience with special events, government affairs, and international relations. Rachel and Johan hope to make their new home in San Diego soon, but with the job market being what it is, the process has been slower than they would like. They are currently living with us in Santa Barbara as they make this transition in their life.

At the end of August, the Schirm family was able to once again get together for our annual family reunion: this year it was in Santa Cruz. This is always a wonderful time for the whole family, but this year it had special significance as we got to spend a wonderful week with my sister Jill. Jill had been battling colorectal cancer for four years and on September 14th, Jill passed away from this life to her new heavenly home. Her passing leaves a hole in my life, as my sisters have always been my best friends. She was truly an amazing person. Her energy, enthusiasm, kindness, love for all, and joy of life were an inspiration to all. She was loved by so many, with over 750 attending her service on Sept 25. A tribute to Jill can be found at brierleyblogger.com

Fritz continues to be successful with his business during these unpredictable times, carefully watching over the assets entrusted to them. Marathon Investment Programs was in Forbes Magazine again this year: this time in the billionaires issue, in an article that highlighted the “Leading Wealth Managers of Southern California”. Today, as I am writing this letter, it is Fritz’s 61st birthday. How this year has flown by. He is the best looking 61 year old in my book. He continues his daily swims and bike rides and has picked up a new hobby, go-cart racing.

Phillip works full time with Fritz from his own office in Orange County. His knowledge and expertise play a vital role in the success of the company. He loves his life in Orange County. He has many wonderful friends and roommates that he enjoys hanging out with and going on surf trips with. This year he has been to Mexico, Hawaii, and Nicaragua. Also, being located closer to Ryan, they can see each other more often.

May this season of Christmas celebration be one filled with family and friends. We are so grateful for you. In this day of Facebook, emails, blogging, texting, etc. -- we are thankful for all the unique ways to keep in touch with each of you. As I look back on 25 years of Christmas letters, I realize these are the “original” blogger pages. As we journey through life and cross those different bridges in our lives, it is nice to know we have so many friends and loved ones we care about. You are all truly special to us.

With Love from the Harnsbergers
Fritz and Lorette,
Phillip, Ryan and Tina Harnsberger
Rachel and Johan van Gorp

Family blogger site: Harnzblogger.com Email: loretteharnsberger@yahoo.com
fritzharnsberger@gmail.com

Sometimes when you loose someone very close to you, it is comforting to remember them in some special way. For me, painting a picture is a way I can remember and grieve my loss of a special person-- this time it is my little sister Jill. This is a picture taken during a walk with my sister Jill and her husband Casey, on a spring morning in Cayucos, near San Luis Obispo. We are walking towards Morro Rock. I liked the picture, though I had never thought of painting it. In the distance are 5 kids, representing their 4 children plus one. Maybe I should add the future Grandson who is on the way now too. The Rock represents for the solid foundation they have established for their family as Christians.

I love landscape pictures, I think mostly because I see God’s beautiful creation, especially in sunrises, or sunsets, and clouds. God’s signature - His Creation -- is so evident in nature and most importantly is present in His people. Each person is unique. And I celebrate Jill and the special person she was to me all her life. She walked closely to the Lord, especially these last 4 years. Now she is walking with Him.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Dear blogger friends,

On September 19, our son Ryan was very happily wed to his bride Tina. It was a very wonderful day in Santa Barbara in so many ways. Their love for each other was so apparent to everyone there. Ryan met Tina at our church about 1 ½ years ago. Our two families have known each other for many years. Little did we ever know that our families would be joined together in such a special way. Both of our kids went to Santa Barbara Christian School, where I have been a teacher for 14 years. I taught both her sisters, and I taught Tina and watched her grow up from 1994 – 98, when she graduated from SBCS 8th Grade.

The wedding site was at the Santa Barbara Zoo. This last summer, all our days were very foggy, even up to the day before the wedding. The night before the wedding a thick fog hung over the Zoo. YET On Sunday we had an incredibly beautiful day. Absolutely perfect. Thank you Lord. The sun was out, the climate enjoyable, and the setting for this wonderful union was perfect in every way.

Thank you to the Clause family for hosting such a beautiful wedding, to Annie Williams who created beautiful flower arrangements with her wonderful crew of ladies, Rachel who created the bouquets for the girls, and boutineers for the guys. A young friend Shane created our video, and cousin Mike was our DJ. Soooooo much fun! The many talents of the Clause family was so amazing. From the invitations by Cindy, the wonderful Italian cookies by Tina's aunts, to Tina cooking and making all the carmel sauce for the favors of the wedding. Tina and her Mom's vision for the whole wedding was beautiful.

For me, in the midst of the joy of this union, was the bittersweet memory of my sister Jill, who had passed away only 4 days before. It was a very emotional time for me, as anyone could imagine. I am thankful that I had had some special time with Jill beforehand, say my farewell to my precious sister and that I was able to begin to grieve her loss ahead of time. I missed my family from up north, as they were not able to come. Ryan gave a short tribute to his Aunt Jill and Tina's Grandfather before they cut the cake. It was really touching for me.

For us, the wedding and especially the union of these two wonderful young adults was beyond anything as parents we could have hoped for. I am so amazed by it all. God is so good to us. Ryan and Tina went to Tahiti for their honeymoon and are now settling into married life in San Diego. "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps". Proverbs 16:9.

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for all your support these last two weeks since our Jill passed away. Thank you for sharing your love for Jill, special stories and remembrances, and how Jill has touched your life also.

We also appreciated the many nameless helping hands were there making salads, desserts, sandwishes, etc. dinners for the family the last 2 weeks. You know who you are and you are so appreciated.

The memorial for Jill was special, with so many friends and family attending this tribute to Jill. Many funny memories were shared. Jill was courageous, loved to have a good time, a best friend to so many, a jokester, athletic, competitive, beautiful to the end. She always said "Heeeeello, How are you doing today?" and really meant it. Her cheerful smile will be missed by all who knew her. Lots of messages have been posted to her facebook and comments to her blog these days. Thank you for all your love and remembrances for Jill. Here is a copy of the slide show, with her favorite song.

A PDF of the memorial booklet made by Nicky is at this link: http://www.snugharbor.net/images2010/hirez/jill-final.pdf

We love you Jill. We know you are in a better place and you are dancing with the angels.

My dear sister Jill has passed on from this earthly home, to her new home in paradise at 7:45 this evening. I am sure she is greeting many friends at the gates of heaven. Yesterday I learned she last spoke to someone around 1:00. After that she went into a deep sleep. Her family kept an all night vigil at her bed side. Today also has been the same. A pastor came to pray and share with them. Her breathing was labored but her heart just went on. At her home tonight many friends and neighbors had planned to gather at 7:45 for a candlelight vigil, not knowing of course ahead of time, that it would be her time to enter heaven.

What a precious send off for my sister. I will miss you dearly.

Dear Family and Friends,
Today my sister Jill is having her last visits with her family on this earth. She is getting ready to enter the place our Lord has prepared for her. In John 14:2. 'Jesus says that he goes to prepare a place for us." We have an eternal home with the Lord, for all those who have accepted Jesus as their savior. My sister did this many years ago. Our other sister Michy, who left this earthly world over 30 years ago, prayed that we would know Christ and prayed for each one of us to know the Lord. Now I am blessed to know the Lord and so also with my two sisters Jill and Nicky.

We have had many vacation and family times together over the years. Our kids all know each other well. Most of all, we love the Lord. 4 years ago, on a water ski camp with the church high school, Jill as a counselor told the Lord " Lord I want to thirst for you!". A few weeks later, on her 50th Birthday she was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. At that time, she poured out her heart to the Lord. Together He helped her walk this journey of living with cancer, going through treatments, tests, xrays, ct scans, radiation, and more chemo than anyone I have every known. I admire her so much for her bravery, her tenacity, her courage and her strength in good times and in bad. My sister has an unbelievable gathering of friends around her. Casey her husband and their 4 kids are incredibly close and love anyone and everyone.

Tonight as I write, which is really apart of the grieving for me, my sister is preparing to enter into the heavenly world. Last Saturday when I left the hospital, I said goodbye to her. Fritz and I had the opportunity to pray with her before we left. Fritz read a verse Colossians 3:1 "set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God" .

Jill is in God's Hands. You can get any updates on the http://brierleyblogger.blogspot.com/ I have been updating for the family for the last week. Love to you all, Lorette

Hello blogger buddies, I am in the hospital in Concord with my sister Jill. This is her third visit to the hospital in 3 weeks. This time it seems she is finally making some progress. She has not eaten in 2 weeks, and is having a lot of complications caused by ascitis, or cancer fluid in the belly area. She has had her belly drained twice and her lungs. Now that part seems better, but .... Eating is impossible, so she has nourishment by a feeding tube at this point. She has a special NG tube now that has helped clean her out. The picture is from a week ago, her 2nd trip to the hospital. She was walking around the hospital ward area. Today she continues to make progress from the Chemo she had last week. She is truly a fighter in so many ways. We continually pray through this time of changes and concern for her health. She updates periodically at http://brierleyblogger.blogspot.com/
Between bloggers, facebook, etc. The world is really changing so quickly with how we communicate. Thank you everyone for all your prayers and concern for my sister. Her battle with colorectal cancer has been for 4 years now. Many of you who know me well know that my relationship with my sisters is very very close. Having lost our sister Michy over 30 years ago, our bonds grew stronger than ever. Most importantly our relationship in Christ also grew, and binds us forever in HIs caring love. I am truly blessed by all my family members, and all our times together.

Hello blogger Family and friends,
Thank you for all the prayers for my Dad. He has bounced back since the hospital trip. We went for a transfusion, and Lasik drip. But it seemed like they are doing more and more unnecessary tests and blood work. Dad just wanted to go home. We came home Friday and I have been his 24/7 care for the first few days. Then we set up some extra nursing care, so that he is looked after in his place of independent living at the Meadows. Today he had some doctor visits, and I am waiting to see the results of this. I flew home this morning after spending the night with Carrie, Tucker, Emily and Evan In Sacramento.
I will be paying attention to the nursing care for him, as is needed. Marie, a retired RN has been a wonderful support for us during this time. Thank you Marie. We shall see how Dad does this week. As he continues to slow down, we are preparing for the next stage of care for him, so keep him independent as best we can.