Christmas 2000
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Dear Friends and Family, It would be an understatement to say that this has been an eventful year for us. Let's try to very briefly summarize. In January, Laura and Eric were in two separate states (Massachusetts and Iowa), casually communicating via e-mail. Eric made his first trip to Boston in February. Laura met the Hunter family in March. April brought another trip for Eric to Boston, while May brought Laura (and all of her stuff) to Iowa. (Are you keeping up?) Eric met the McCrea family in June and then, later that month, made Laura�s birthday the best ever with a proposal - finally! And two months later, on September 1st, we were married in the Mt. Timpanogas temple. Now after 3 months, we're settling down to married life - old pros at this, aye? As most of you know, Eric is completing his Ph.D. at the University of Iowa, where he focuses on the biomechanics of the voice (or, in other words, he studies the muscles and tissue used in speech production). Eric continues his work as a researcher for the National Center for Voice and Speech. During this next semester, he will teach an introduction to acoustics class; he�s thrilled to know that he did so well with the class last year that they have asked him to teach it again. Eric continues to work very hard to complete his dissertation, so he can graduate this next year. He is also preparing several articles based on his dissertation for publication at the beginning of the year. We just returned from the Acoustical Society of America's biannual conference in Newport Beach, California, where he presented a portion of this research. An important goal was to make some future job contacts (at which he was very successful), but Laura suspects that he really went for the all-you-can-eat buffets. We both enjoyed our visit, especially Laura who had Eric to herself every evening. We spent our last day in California at Disneyland and especially enjoyed Space Mountain and the Christmas-themed It's a Small World. Eric also enjoys the opportunities he�s been given to work with the youth in our church (teenagers who are 14 to 18 years old). He was again asked to present a workshop at the stake's Youth Conference - an all-day activity day for the youth - shortly before we got married, and has been asked to present another one soon. He is also a seminary teacher, which means he teaches an early morning (before high school starts) New Testament class. Getting up before 5:30 a.m. every morning is not easy, but he loves working with young people - and they truly enjoy his teaching style (of course, he will say its because of the similar maturity levels). Laura is currently working at the Iowa Geriatric Education Center, a program affiliated with the University of Iowa that trains Iowa�s doctors and nurses who have elderly patients. She is mostly responsible for the center's technical writing (e.g. brochures, web publications, and questionnaires). Laura didn�t enjoy the job initially, but she has been given more and more responsibilities as her supervisor sees the great job she�s done with the projects she�s been given; she is now enjoying the opportunity to further hone the marketing skills she developed in the job she had in Boston. She is also busy helping Eric with his articles and dissertation. Eric enjoys having her act as an in-house editor to polish his writing; Laura enjoys it too - she charges a 30-minute back massage per 30 minutes of editing. Many of you know how much Laura loves to cook, so she�s also enjoying the chance to finally have the opportunity to really experiment in the kitchen - and Eric, being the scientist he is, makes sure that no new experiment goes untested (and usually that takes 3 or 4 servings to do). Needless to say, this is giving Laura the opportunity to finally clean out some of those clothes that Eric�s had around since the mid-80's. (Secret motive for Laura�s food experiments?) In January, Laura will begin teaching her ward's Sunbeam class in Primary, which means she will teach a Sunday school class for 3-year-old children. She looks forward to having a calling in the ward but is a little nervous to work for the first time with young children. As far as our future, as we mentioned Eric is planning to graduate in 2001. He has been offered a fantastic job here at the university after he graduates; so, as of now, we are planning to stay here for a couple of years. But we are also still looking at other options. (How about that for being vague?) We want you all to know of our love for you. We both have been thinking a lot about the true meaning of this season - our Savior, Jesus Christ. We�re grateful for His example of perfect love. During this Christmastime and all year long, we pray that we all can pause and think of Him. Laura and Eric Hunter
