December '09

December started out in a funk. We had just had Jeff's funeral and buried him. My life is somehow smaller than it was because of it. I need to put something else in the place where he was, and I don't know how. Of course, in December Avery Danielle was born! That actually trumped everything else, good and bad that could have possibly happened. Karie did well, and that's something to be thankful for. So, Amy has her girls and both in good shape. There could be nothing in the world better than that for us. The day after Thanksgiving, Calysta and I brought my little 3' Christmas tree down from the upstairs closet where it lives (decorated and lighted). We put it in the front window. She chose a few other Christmas things she wanted to bring down and we did that too. That was a fun day for her and me too. Christmas Eve we were expecting Jennie and her family to be here for the holiday. We were visited by a historic cold and snowstorm. So, the W's stayed in a little town 35 miles south of us, safe and warm as they should have been. They made it up Christmas morning--when we had our aebelskivers together. Later on Calysta came over and we had present opening--and aebelskivers-- again. It was a very good time. So, as it turns out, many things transpired during 2009, some good, some great, some bad, some terrible--altogether probably an average year--except for Buttercup coming. We'll be going this month to visit Karie and her little Buttercup! --a new generation--I'm still trying to wrap my head around that.