A lot has happened since September 23. Grama (AKA Juanita Underwood) fell on December 30 and broke her other hip, only to have it fixed (as a really sweet God-thing) by a man she had not seen in about 40 years, son of friends who pastored a church my dad pastored...and who was brought in by the ER doc, just an amazing "non-conicidence" which Juanita parlayed into a story for anyone who would listen. she became the hit of the hospital with her 18 visitors on the night of her 91st birthday when they all gathered in the hall outside her door...and she is now savoring the free food, cute personal trainer and tv at the Californian, a local SNF. Because she didn't have any drugs compared to last time (she had tylenol after the surgery, a compliment to Dr. Ray Nickel who did an amazing and non invasive job!)...she is hilariously functional ("I may be the only sentient patient in this place, " she said, and i think she's right!) and is grateful as she sees the people around her, mostly younger, who are without mind or much of body. This has been a window on the outside world for her, and perhaps she'll be willing to get back out into it, now that she sees how very much she has to offer! She's even being gracious in her speech about our incoming president and others toward whom she might not have been so charitable a few months ago. Amazing what a little human contact can do for one!

Certainly there were other things that went on between September and mid-January but they're a dim memory...the chief delight of my holiday season was my five year old class going Christmas caroling (along with a few alumni who happened along...people seem to think that if they've caroled once, they ought to do it again! Delightful!) . These kids were a hoot. They were bright and cheery and little angels from heaven, singing their hearts out for about ten houses. Then they got tired and began to lounge on people's porches as they sang, or bang on their windows to get attention from the TV-addled...i wasn't sure if a few of them related this activity to nighttime vandalism or to the angels announcing Jesus' birth! John, a dear Lutheran around the corner, came out on his porch and sang WITH them...that was beautiful. and then, while everyone was gathered for Grama's birthday, we all sat in the living room and sang "worship songs" (rather than hymns) since Matt knew two or three, and linda and i played and it was a sweetness like the voices of that little Blood River Baptist Church when the light of heaven shone down on my ancestors, a small taste of heaven.

Then Benn announced that he and Becca have married (WOOHOO!) Becca put together a beautiful scrapbook project to which we are all contributing for Grama's bd (a bit delayed by circumstances but on its way!)

and at the end of December, i gave Jon the last of the diamonds from the previous generations. He asked Matt to see about using Pepe's place in Ukiah in May! :) WOW! I may soon have THREE girls in my life!

Meghan (Jon's intended) is an amazing woman, just beautiful physically and inwardly as well, smart and funny and a lover of all things Russian. I had propaganda posters that had belonged to Tony and i was glad to give them to her. Another little God-thing, because i'd forgotten i had them except for some search in a closet corner a few weeks before! They seem to be headed to Alaska next summer, with Jon already applying to teach there and be credentialed by two years of teaching...while they start work on that land he bought on ebay! :) Blest to have such kids!

Levi is back to school this semester, is thinking like Tesla. He has such a mind! If he can find the right person to help him carry out his visions, he could be a millionare! He's had some hard lessons this past year and some "finding himself" so i think he's ready to get back into it with a new vigor. He has no shortage of ideas. A conversation with him is just a huge kick!

Wow. i guess this is my Christmas letter i never got to! In the midst, blessings abound. As always. As Always. The Paluszaks move this coming week to Vallejo, where they will have a new life and Ivy is graduated summa cum laude and teaching in AZ. Yeah, you read that right. I think she is the first summa i've ever known! :) The group that began this millenium together is going to have a last hurrah today before Mike and Diana go north. Tommy still in Covina, Myles in heaven, Amber in Kentucky, Bill and Billie and Nick still down at the shop. The people who saved my life 8 years ago move on in blessing, the anniversary of my marriage to the amazning Bob is coming up next weekend, and as we scatter, gather and wheel off again, we find that the air is fine, the wind is just right and the adventure, even for us oldsters who write about our kids and grandkids and would show photos if we could grab you by the collar, is still just beginning.

In the immortal words of Stuart B Latimer, preacher extraordinaire: "If eternity were a book, this life would be only the title page."

New year, new life, new joy.