We got tickets to fly Leif and Nikko home to Kansas for Christmas 1998 and although Kansas has far less severe winters than upstate New York, they arrived in frigid, gray and icy weather. They were still affectionate and cuddly, as they are on the settee in my mother's house, Leif's "Grandma K." who had a large gathering there for our traditional family Christmas Eve dinner and gift opening. My brother, Donovan, and his family were there, too.
You can see one of the gifts from us, the wrenches on the floor at Leif's feet.
While they were in Kansas, they got to see friends and family, hang out a bit in Aggieville, and enjoy the holidays, though I don't think they were looking forward to going back to Fort Drum. Leif was hating the long, cold, extremely snowy winter and having problems with his health as cold weather and exercise induced asthma started causing him breathing difficulties.
Sadly, this was to be the last Christmas that Leif and Nikko would spend together. The following year he would be in Bosnia, and when he returned, the separation had dealt a final blow to their marriage. In this last Christmas photo of them together, they had been married for three years.
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