Merry Christmas 2020

Merry Christmas! 

Santa Has Stopped By

2020, while truly the strangest year ever, brought a lot of happiness at Christmas time. From big breakfasts with mimosas to LEGOs to silly Santa hats we wish all of you the happiest of holidays from all of us!

The  Annual Ritual

Santa's Helper

Thanks Nana!

Meat and Mimosas

Mom! Get This to Work for Me!

That's A Lot of Pieces

Dinner is Ready

 

The Christmas Conjoining

Two wonderful occurred last evening. First, the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn, just one tenth of a degree apart, something that has not been witnessed at night in 800 years happened just after sunset.  

The planets aligned on the winter solstice this year, just days before the Christmas holiday. This could be the same astronomical event that the Bible reports led the wise men to Joseph, Mary and newly born Jesus– the Star of Bethlehem.

As is finished my evening run, people were setting up telescopes and chairs in their driveways looking up to the nighttime sky. It is a good feeling that we are still awed by by outer space.  Perhaps, by the next time this celestial event happens, we will have explored farther than the confines of our solar system.  I told the kids last night that it is my hope that humankind will set foot on Mars within their lifetime. 

With a good set of binoculars you could see the two planets and almost make out Saturn's rings. With a great camera you could capture both planets and Jupiter's moon - like the image borrowed above.

The second event, just as important, was a wonderful family photo at the United Methodist Church, with Betty and all three children. We have not been inside the church since the pandemic made gatherings of that size impossible. Although we attend on-line, it isn't the same as the sense of community and fellowship as being in person. 

As 2021 approaches we know that moments where we can all be together may be fewer and farther between. This photo is also evidence of TJ being taller than Samantha. He was not taller than her at Thanksgiving. It gives me both a feeling of hope for my children, as the first one is about to leave the nest, and melancholy realizing that they are growing up so fast. 

(sigh) 

 

 

The Big One Oh

Oh my how the times flies. Somewhere in the course of a decade Grant grew up to be a wickedly smart, deceptively funny, and well grounded (and at times overly sensitive) boy. 

 

Being the youngest, Grant has always been more mature than his peers because he was exposed to what his brother and sister liked. That's evident in the fact that he has seen both the entirety of "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation" on Netflix.   Still, it is wonderful to watch him transform from a toddler to a child to a boy. With all of our photos so easily accessible as opposed to when Samantha was a child, you can see him (them) grow in a matter of mouse clicks.

Grants big present was an electric scooter, similar to the one all of his friends have. Me being cautious, I made sure he could actually ride it before setting him out onto the streets of South Lakes.  After five minutes of making figure eights and getting bored with the pool parking lot, Grant signaled from under his helmet that he was ready for the big time and off he went. It was more of a big deal for me than him. When I come home now I check for a missing bike - TJ is out, and a missing scooter - Grant is off somewhere. 

 

By the way, both Lisa and I tried the scooter and it was a lot of fun.

Even in a pandemic birthdays matter. We hung the birthday banners, plural, and set out the decorations and bought new numbered candles. Grant picked out a massive ice cream cake because dad doesn't like cake. We were able to stand around the kitchen table and sing, "Happy Birthday." 

 

We are looking forward to the next ten years.