Here it is, the ending of 2011. A lot has happened in our family life. Without trying to prioritize one event over another, we would all agree that perhaps the most enjoyable has been the birth of new life. Along with the joy there have been moments of anguish, sadness and dismay. All in all, however, it has been a really good year.
1. February 2011 – Our Family gathered to celebrate Christmas of 2010… Guess we could use it to cover this Christmas also since it’s from 2011, especially since we are not sure when we will all be able to gather again. Mom and Dad came from Texas, Brenda and I slept on the fold-out couch, Jason and Felicia were not feeling that great, Mat and Elizabeth were the most energetic by far! Along with a standby favorite family game taught to us by Aunt Anita nearly 40 years ago, Crying Rummy…
The score card is signed by everyone! Elizabeth and Mat both had the top scores! (I know nothing about the cheating comment….)
2. April, 2011 – I completed my Masters… Now I’m working on getting my PhD started.
3. May, 2011 – We learned that we would be Grandparents. This changed much of our perspective for the coming year.
4. September, 2011 – Right before our Alaskan Cruise, Brenda started experiencing some health issues. It did not cancel our cruise, but it did create some scary changes. The cruise was a great success and we’re ready to travel again!
5. December, 2011 – This has seemingly been the most busiest of all the months. Brenda has been working some OT, Uncle Alton has passed away, and Emma Purl enters into our hearts.
Uncle Alton is a memory of my childhood, but a fond conversation of these last few years. 88 years old and a survivor of Pearl Harbor, he died just 3 days before the 70th anniversary of that attack on Sunday, 12/4/11.
We drove 16 hours (plus one night in Yreka, CA) to arrive about 20 minutes after the birth of Emma Purl, on Sunday, 12/11/11. Among the few days there, we snapped this photo of Jason, Felicia and Emma Purl, as we left to drive back home.
As we look back over this year there are many lessons learned. One of which is that nothing stays the same! Another, we need to do something about our health issues so we can stay around for a long time to come!
We celebrate Christmas today, just Brenda and I, quietly doing our separate tasks, playing catchup with needful things. Jason and Felicia are creating special Christmas day moments with Emma Purl. Elizabeth and Mat are starting their own Christmas tradition. To both of my kids and their families I wish them a blessed and happy day. For my wife of nearly 38 years, I awake from a nap and say, “Let’s get the dinner finished… I’m getting hungry!” A small and familiar turkey dinner is in the works to enjoy in a few hours and there are still a few things yet to be done. Coming up soon, perhaps a call to the kids, parents and other friends will be accomplished – or not. But for now, it’s quiet in the office except for the interruption of the cat, the smattering of rain on the window, the clacking of the keyboard, and the heart full of happiness just chiming it’s own melody!
Should I venture a guess, 2012 will be an adventure.
Blessings to my family. I love you all.