December, 2008
In this short window between Thanksgiving and Christmas I find myself reflecting on the good in our lives. I am tremendously grateful for the bonds of family and friendship. Rather than waiting until the end of my letter, I'll begin by sending our love to each of you, far and near. At a time when uncertainty abounds close to home and around the world, please know how much we appreciate the security of the good and dear people in our lives. We take comfort in our connections to you, and in your care and kindness and presence in our lives, which are our most precious gifts. We wish for you a holiday season full of laughter and love.
Winter is coming in with a bang in northern California! Typical December mornings bring crisp sunshine and beautiful bright blue skies, and are rarely cold enough to require more than a good thick sweatshirt and maybe a pair of gloves. We sometimes wake to frosty lawns or misty fog, but this week we've had much colder temperatures than usual, compounded by pouring rain and some hail (heaviest, of course, at exactly the time I take the kids to school!). We even had a round of late-night thunder and lightning! Everyone is excited about snow reports from the Sierra and the kids' winter vacation is looming as I sit, alone in the house with a hot cup of tea, sifting through memories of 2008.
I am still grappling with the fact that Lydia turned ten this month. What a milestone! There were many moments this year when I was stopped in my tracks by memories of my pregnancy and associated events of 1998. I recall the wonder of her birth and Andrew's and my surprise at our long-limbed, blond baby with wise blue eyes and miniature replicas of her daddy's big feet. It has been amazing to observe her first decade, to literally see a person becoming herself.
Lydia's experiences at our local public school have been overwhelmingly positive and this year (5th grade) is no exception. She likes and respects her teacher, who seems to strike a perfect balance of managing her classroom, challenging her students, and providing a fun environment in which to learn and explore. She (the teacher) also arranged for modern art lessons for the class. Lydia has clearly inherited the tendency toward artistic talent which runs in both Andrew's and my families, and her 4th grade teacher really sparked her interest in different styles of painting, so she enjoys the extra instruction. She also takes an art class at a local studio ~ we are running out of places to display her work! Lydia can be boisterous and bouncy, especially in the company of her more exuberant friends, but her true nature is a little quieter. She definitely has some of that trademark English reserve (courtesy, perhaps, of her Granny Mary). She is comfortable in the company of adults and children of all ages; her social circle widens each year, but she is still fiercely attached to her dearest pal from our very first playgroup (the one we joined when she was 17 months old!). She loves acting as unofficial mother's helper to the babies and toddlers in our group of friends, and I predict that in a few years she'll be in big demand as a babysitter. Her brother has certainly prepared her for a lot of what the younger set can throw her way...
Evan is hard to categorize. In many ways he is a stereotypical boy: he loves superheroes and sports, does most things at a sprint, pees on trees, turns every toy into a weapon, would rather wear the same thing for days in a row than pick out clean clothes... I could go on. But he also has a sensitive side and can take my breath away with his sweetness. Yesterday he made a bed for a stuffed dog he hasn't played with for ages; he told me his puppy wanted to take a nap by the Christmas tree. He emptied a small basket, tucked the pup into it with a baby blanket, and then sat stroking the toy and quietly admiring our tree. After a while he turned to me and whispered, “Isn't our tree so beautiful, with all the shining lights and colorful ornaments? It's a peaceful place for a nap.”
Thankfully, his Kindergarten teacher seems to appreciate the breadth of his temperament and tells me she enjoys having him as a student. Yes, Evan has started “big kid school!” On his first report card he was commended for “good effort and enthusiasm,” though there was also a note that his “impulsive behavior” sometimes holds him back. I spend Wednesday mornings in the classroom and have personally witnessed the transformation from enthusiastic to impulsive more than once. Evan likes school and tries to do what he is asked, but he is quick to say there isn't enough recess and it is no fun to sit for 3 hours (this is not actually expected of him, by the way). One of Evan's best friends from our original Wednesday playgroup is also in Kindergarten at our school! They are not in the same class but they do have recess together, and I think both boys were glad to start this new year with a familiar, friendly face at school. Since school is over by lunchtime we try to plan lots of afternoon playdates with old and new friends.
Speaking of old and new, we have a change to report regarding Andrew's job. He remains with the Blind Center at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto, but after 15 years in the Manual Skills department he is making an internal transfer to Visual Skills. This is a big step, as he really loves the work he does in Manual Skills, but he looks forward to utilizing different aspects of his blind rehab training. On the home front, Andrew has become a gentleman farmer right here in Fremont. In April we brought home three day-old chicks who quickly matured into very charismatic birds. One turned out to be a rooster (illegal in residential neighborhoods) so we took Henry (formerly known as Henrietta) back to the feed store. Rhoda (a Rhode Island Red) and Pip (a Plymouth Barred Rock) are the newest members of our family, and seem to be satisfying any lingering need for the pitter-patter of little feet. They reside in a beautiful, split-level chicken coop which Andrew designed and built as they spent their first weeks in a brooder (a glamorous name for a big plastic tub) in our garage. The kids love this new element to the household and we all enjoy the fresh eggs.
Shortly after relocating the chickens from the garage to their deluxe digs (but before eggs began to arrive), the kids and I flew East. We spent most of July traveling around MA, CT, NY and NH ~ a whirlwind but wonderful trip. In addition to seeing my mom, uncle, and brother in CT and NH, we explored Boston on foot, took the ferry to Long Island, rode Amtrak to upstate New York, and wrapped it up on the beach in Gloucester, MA. We experienced the renowned summer weather (hot, humid days & nights; lots of rain; many awesome thunderstorms!). We toured Mystic Seaport, Taughannock Falls, the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, and other sites. We went to the Big Apple Circus and saw the movie WALL-E twice. For me, though, the real highlights were the people we visited: we connected with three of my classmates from high school and a housemate from college, and Lydia and Evan made new friends with the children of my old friends! Our hosts in upstate NY were former Fremont friends who moved to Canada in 2006. Their oldest son is one of Evan's bosom buddies and the boys were thrilled to be together again. Lydia enjoyed helping the adults keep up with their triplets, two boys and a girl born in April, 2007. Each unique reunion was so much fun, and I loved being with my family, but our reunion with Daddy may have been the best of all. We'd never been apart for so long, and it felt good to come home.
Yes, home is good. As yet another year of adventures draws to a close I am grateful for the beautiful basics of a roof over our heads and good food on our table, for our healthy and happy children, for opportunities to get together with my sister and Andrew's brother and their families, for the good I see in people who are tightening their own belts but still manage to give back to the community. 2008 has brought sweeping changes to our nation and our world, and more than ever I see how much we have to appreciate.
Sending our love and best wishes for 2009...
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