It's a week before Christmas and I am so not ready! In past years, my Christmas List was full of names - grands and parents on both sides, my boys, little cousins, nephews and nieces and yet, I was usually done with presents by early December. Sadly, the little people are all grown up and I don't send gifts anymore..and the older people have passed on. Now the list is short but I'm out of ideas!
HOWEVER, I did finally get my Christmas letter written.
I know, I know - most people HATE getting those Christmas letters that rave about the Honor Roll children and the marvelous canoe trip to Tahiti and the photographic safari to Africa and the scientific breakthrough the husband achieved while he wrote his latest best seller.
But I don't hate them - I love them! Since I don't live by most of my loved ones, I love reading up on what's happened in the past year and always hope for those achievements and good times rather than "Oh No" situations.
I myself have written a Christmas letter for 20 years, some more amusing than others. They're on my computer - I can start at the beginning and read them, one after the other, if I want to. And I confess, I've done that a time or two. Fun and Sad at the same time.
So here's the 2012 Christmas Letter. Not very entertaining, but it does sum up my 2012. And in ten years, when I stumble across the file in my computer and re-read it, I hope the memories it will bring up make me smile more than cry.
~~~~~ Dear Everyone I know! I hope this letter finds you and yours happy and healthy, pleased with the year just finished and full of good plans for the new one. My 2012 was another roller coaster of a year.
I’m going to get the bad news out of the way –
most of you know it already; my mother, Sandra June Clark Yarbrough, died on
May 15th, from Uterine Cancer. Able to
be home, Mom’s last 20 days were spent hugging a constant flow of visitors,
sitting in her rose garden, wishing she could play one more round of golf. Given the gift of time, she called lifelong
friends to say goodbye and wrote notes of farewell.
We knew this was the end
but there was more laughing than crying.
I remember her reaction when I made that first cup of Constant Comment
tea with 1 tsp of sugar! “Oh it’s so
good! But, Kath...too Many Calories! I don’t drink it with sugar!” I said “Mom, why not?” We looked at each other; then she drained
the cup and said “Make me another and double the sugar!” :) She died in
her own bed, with grandson Sam patting her on the back, her sister Barb holding
one hand and me holding the other. I really really miss her.
On to better things…Did
you know that Amtrak offers a 15 day pass for only $430 a person? It does!
Boarding the Empire Builder at Union Station, Chicago, my travelling
companion Scott and I traveled first
north thru Minnesota and then west. Port
of Calls? White Fish, Montana (hiking
with Josh and Megan in Glacier National Park!) On to Portland, Oregon (walkabout and a coastal drive to the
Lewis and Clark National Historic Park.) Then to Klamath Falls, Oregon (time with Cousin Susie and
her family at Crater Lake!) And finally heading home via Denver.
I only took about 1000 pictures. Yay for
Digital! It was a GOOD Trip.
Scott and I have been
together already for TWO YEARS. A good
man, he has learned to properly handle my emotional ups and downs with hugs and
cookies. (LOTS of ups, LOTS of downs = LOTS
of cookies!) Scott’s retiring from the
US Post Office on 01.31.13 after working there for 34 years! Yes, he’s counting down. Me? I
have no such retirement plans. Am I Disgruntled? Nah!
Nope. Not me…
Son Josh and wife Megan live out
west in Idaho. They've bought a house and are making it a Home.
Josh is a Hewlett Packard programmer; Megan is an elementary school
Behavioral Specialist during the day and a Community Pool Supervisor at night. They’re flying in on Dec 26th for
festivities.
Son Tim and wife Mary are happily
ensconced in Lafayette, Indiana. Tim
took a math teacher job at a local middle school; Mary teaches High School English on the
same campus.
Tim is still being funny with his comedy improve group, Ad Liberation. Occasionally,
the jokes bomb...but even the bombs are funny!
Son Sam and FIANCE’ Jenna will graduate from Indiana State University in April (a Master’s and a
Bachelor’s) and then marry on May 18 in a very small wedding on the south side
of Indianapolis. The next weekend there
will be a party in the Chicago area for BOTH sides of the family. Family members – you’ll get info on that
sometime in the spring. Please put May 25 on the calendar!
Time goes on, eh? I’ve got the carpal tunnel, the wrinkles, the aches and a cookie tummy to
prove it. I keep my gray hair very short
– I figure looking like an aging elf can’t be a bad thing! :)
Love and Hugs from Me to You
Merry
Christmas 2012 and Happy New Year 2013!
May your Holidays be Sweet and Full of Family
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