Merry Christmas from Virginia and Simple New Year!

It is six o'clock in the evening in Mechanicsville, Virginia. I am sitting here enjoying the glow of the lights of the Christmas tree and watching "Enchanted" with Cindy, Eric and Tom. Noah hasn't been interested in any of the movies we've watched today. He seems to be interested mainly in growing and all the things required to grow: eating, excreting, sleeping, stretching.

Yes, we spent Christmas in Virginia this year. Last year we spent the holiday in O'Fallon, Missouri, with Amy and her family. The day after Christmas we took Amy and her boys and went on a road trip to Louisiana so she could meet Cindy's husband, Eric. Amy hadn't been able to attend the wedding because she was expecting Benjamin within three weeks of the big event. Amy wrote about that trip in her blog, so you can look for it in her archives if you're interested.

I arrived Thursday night one week ago, and Friday morning we went shopping at Wal-Mart for some groceries. It was busier than I remember any Wal-Mart ever, even though it is hard to believe that a Wal-Mart is ever anything but crazy busy. Eric was told that the store was busy that morning because snow was in the forecast so people were stocking up, because people here don't drive in the snow. By suppertime that forecast appeared to be correct, and by the time we went to bed there were over six inches. Saturday saw more snow and when it was all over we had about a foot of the beautiful but treacherous white stuff! I took pictures of the neighbors' homes to show Noah what his first home was like. He'll have this to talk about some day. I heard that on the news they were calling this the storm of the century!

Monday we were able to see what the storm had done throughout the area. We decided to take a road trip this year, too, and this time we went to New York to see Alan, Jessica, and their family. I got to meet Jack and now I can say with a great deal of satisfaction that this year I have seen all of my fifteen grandchildren and all my spouses and their children. And all of them are wonderful, darling, terrific people.

As the year approaches its end I am spending some time considering what this year has meant and I am gearing up to take on a new one. I am not afraid of change, but I must admit that I wouldn't mind if we have a year in which we can just deal with all the new things in our lives that came as a result of the 2009 changes. And they were BIG! Lost job, found job, sold home, bought home, good-bye Utah, hello Nevada, gave up thirty-plus piano students, took on thirty-plus piano students, began accompanying four choirs at the Spring Creek schools, went to New York for Emily's baptism, got three new grandsons, saw my dad's health on a downward spiral and then on a upward climb...there may be more but this is enough to mention now. I just want a simple year. But can it be simple with six three-year-old grandkids, not to mention the other nine of all ages from eight-and-a-half down to newborns?

I'm not complaining about the grandchildren. No, not at all, for they are what and who I live for every day. I love them with all my heart, and they are what keeps my heart beating. I think I am more alive now, as though they have injected a dose of life with each hug and "Grandma! You're here!"

Well, enough rambling. This may not be read by anyone but I will be able to add this to my journal. And maybe when all the pages are put together someone might be able to make sense of my life and learn of all the things that make me who I am.