It starts like any other holiday letter, tucked inside a card with a family photo on the cover.

“What a year it has been!”

Dad started the year flat on his back with a ruptured disk.

Then Mom, Dad and the four kids moved to a new city — new house, new jobs, new schools.

The oldest boy hated it at first — “I will NEVER have anyone to THIS house!” the letter quotes him as saying. But now everyone likes it, especially the 5-year-old, who has realized he can fish for pennies in the fountains.

Pennies? Fountains? What kind of house is this?

It is the South Carolina Governor’s Mansion. And the letter is written by first lady Jenny Sanford.

“We like the tradition of sending a photo of the family and a letter bringing friends up to speed,” Jenny Sanford said. “We didn’t see any reason to do it any differently this year.”

The card features a family shot of Mark and Jenny Sanford and their boys: Marshall, 11; Landon, 10; Bolton, 7; and Blake, 5.Governors, senators and other politicians generally send cards to their staff and supporters.

Ditto the Sanfords. Jenny Sanford said they sent “a couple of thousand” cards, which the Sanfords paid for with their own money, not public or campaign funds.

But the Sanfords’ card pops out of the stack for a couple of reasons.

First, it addresses big news in a nonchalant way:

“Mark continues to do what he believes is right for this great state. Despite the many challenges, the opportunities are tremendous and are certainly worth fighting for.”

Those challenges include a shrinking state budget with a potential $600 million hole in it and 4,400 jobs lost last month alone.

The card also reports that “Jenny is active in Mark’s office on a daily basis and also keeps up with some more traditional First Lady duties.”

This was once a closely held secret, that Jenny Sanford makes key policy decisions in the governor’s office. Now it is a regular part of life — mentioned four paragraphs deep in the letter.

The Sanfords close the card with their home telephone number and their e-mail addresses.

They end with this invocation: “From all of us, may God bless and keep you and shower you with His love throughout this holiday season.”

Reach Bauerlein at (803) 771-8485 or vbauerlein@thestate.com.