2021 Shaffer/Jay Family Newsletter Saint Patrick's Day 2022

The Cat's Pajamas

Christmas 2021

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! We waited until the spring to send out our newsletter this year because we've had a lot of fun things going on. We’ve had a lot of highs and lows, otherwise known as roses and thorns. We are all alive and the girls are thriving, The most exciting news is that we found my long-lost, I mean my parents adopted away, full-blooded brother Dan Cortes, who is nearly a decade my senior. We were very excited to meet him, his wife, and his four amazing kids. The year was riddled with health challenges for DeeDee and me but we have been glad to have our "mutual care society". The girls have been having lots of fun with super camps, road trips, and the older 2 going on our ‘domestic exchange program’ (family out of state). Another highlight was on February 20th, 2022 when the three siblings surprised Ken for his 80th birthday and came to his house from North Carolina (Emily), Northern Utah (Windy), and Southern Arizona (Dan),

DD & Dan

San (1965) & Windy (1975)

Ken, DD, Dan, Emily, Windy

10 grandkids, in age order Veronica C and Tyler J not pictured,
Kelsey J, Zane C, Nate C, Zoe C, Elnorra S, Cordelia S, Adelaide "Sky" S, Gwendolyn S

Twinssies, Zoe and Elonrra are only 9 days apart

DD-After spending almost four years in Spanish Fork. I decided to move to Port Townsend, Washington to be near my sister Dixie and her husband Dave. They have been encouraging me to move there for years. I am enjoying the liberal atmosphere and the friendly people. The lower altitude means I do not need oxygen 24/7 which is a huge plus! I miss my grandgirls and Windy profoundly though. My phone number remains the same and I still check on Facebook nearly every day. My new address is 1515 Clay Street Port Townsend Washington 98368.

DD in Port Townsend on Pi day, March 14, 2022

Windy-I will say it has not been an easy year. Medical complications abound, but I am still alive and kicking and fighting each day to have a future. I have been dealing with graft versus host disease, which is taking out my eyesight and causing a lack of energy due to extensive amounts of steroids. When I'm up and about I do my best to live life to it's fullest. We were able to travel to meet my brother for Easter, and again to take a road trip to Michigan and back. My 2 oldest children got to go to an arts camp. We visited lots of friends and family. My business is doing well and I have lots of work to do. I am quite proud of myself for successfully adulting in December when I researched, financed, and bought a 2015 Honda Odyssey before the old one completely kaputzed. My 2006 Honda has done right by us and at 275k mi is now the teenagers' car. Do you see that plural? My 2nd child gets her permit in April. We also had a lovely Christmas with visitors. But the day after my birthday this year I was hospitalized with pneumonia. I am now back to basic function after that ordeal. I was supposed to go with Emily and DeeDee for the move to Port Townsend but instead, I was dropped off at the ER as they drove away. 

March 2022

Elnorra, 17- This year has been really crazy. I did a lot of driving this year and got my license. We got to meet Uncle Dan and cousins in April when we went down for a visit during spring break. This summer I got to go on a river trip for the first time, and I got on a big family road trip, along with being able to attend an amazing fine arts camp where I majored in cello. This year amidst all the madness I also got the opportunity to go to Port Townsend Washington and stay with Dixie and Dave my Great Aunt and Uncle for a semester. While I was there I got to do a lot of exploring and went on a lot of walks. I loved going to school there and made a lot of friends. I got back to Utah in early February and had to get back into the routine of being the oldest sibling. Its been a lot of work but it’s nice to be back.

Fall 2021

Cordelia, 14-Wow 2021 was crazy. Let's start at the beginning…I got to go back to school for the 4th term from 1 whole school year of online learning. We met my uncle and “new” cousins on Easter. This summer was awesome. I had the opportunity to go to a fine arts camp for drama and choir and had an awesome road trip back seeing sites from my mom's younger life such as her tech school campus. Only about 2 weeks after getting back from that adventure I set right off for an even bigger one! I had the privilege to go and stay with my aunt Emily and uncle Rod in North Carolina for a time. It was awesome! I learned so much and tried great food lol. It was a great experience but sadly my time was cut short because I wasn't able to get into school so I was doing online school AGAIN. But it was lots of fun while it lasted. I'm back now, am in school, have great friends, and am overall at a good place in my life.

Cordelia, March 2022, 8th Grade

Adelaide “Sky”, 12-This year has been a crazy roller coaster for me. The summer was great. I got to go on a long road trip. My friends and I have had fun. I am now in middle school and I get to play in band. Halloween was fun. I got to go trick or treating with my friends and I got a lot of candy. I got to see my long-lost uncle and cousins.

Adelaide "Sky" Fall 2021, 6th grade

Gwendolyn, 9- Last year I was baptized, I met my uncle Dan, went on a long road trip, and adopted my new cat, “Pip”. I am a budding reader and love to play jump on the trampoline and play with friends. I also am super excited to be in a gymnastics class!

Gwendolyn's Baptism, January 2021

"May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again."              

Love and hugs,

Windy et.al

Windy Shaffer

341 E 100 North

Spanish Fork, UT 84660

TubaMamma@Gmail.com

928-774-8442

  

Elnorra Shaffer

ElnorraShaffer@Gmail.com

801-850-1278

 

Cordelia Shaffer

CordeliaShaffer@Gmail.com

385-625-7882

 

Adelaide Shaffer

AdeLadyShaffer@Gmail.com

385-277-2323

 

      Gwendolyn Shaffer

GwendyShaffer@Gmail.com

DeeDee Jay

1515 Clay Street

Port Townsend Washington 98368.

D4D4J10@Gmail.com

520-301-5510