December 31

We'd planned to go to DC today, and that's just what we did. We departed grandma's house at about 10, and were parked and ready to explore by 11. I took many (many) photos so this is just a representative collage:

It was chilly but not really cold, and the sun played peek-a-boo through the clouds all day long, creating beautiful shades and shapes that were best experienced in person (but still, fortunately, translated reasonably well through the lens of my phone camera). We walked a good 10 miles as we traversed the National Mall, stopping by the Jefferson Memorial, the Vietnam and Korean War Memorials, the FDR Memorial, the MLK Jr. Memorial, The World War II Memorial, The National Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial. (Phew.) Adam bought the kids National Park passports at the first gift shop of the day, and they (well, Isaac and Brady anyway) were enthused about the idea of visiting as many places as possible to earn as many stamps as possible. (Total stroke of genius, I have to say.)

After a late lunch break at McDonalds and a stop by my Mother Ship (couldn't let me stars expire, after all!), we walked over to the Capitol building, where we posed for a pic front of the huge Christmas tree and a conversation between me and a pair of Capitol Police Officers netted the boys some Capitol Police stickers. (To explain: Brady was wearing his Ravens beanie, and when one of the officers commented on it, I noted that his fandom was particularly impressive since he's from California. That prompted said-officer to offer up said stickers along with a big thank you for supporting DC-area sports teams. Sometimes it's good to be a chatty cathy.) The Capitol itself had, regrettably, closed early since it's New Years Eve, so we continued back toward the Smithsonian.

There are many, many museums to choose from, but we opted to check out the National Gallery of Art. I'd been Facebooking check-ins periodically throughout the day, but was surprised when my old friend Elizabeth --from the junior high days-- messaged me to say she was nearby. So she met up with us in the museum and I was happy to have a quick and unexpected face-to-face with her before we called it a day.

Then it was Chipotle for dinner and at the moment, it's New Years Rockin' Eve on TV (though we'll see how much more of it I can take).

It was a great day. The kids all had fun, Adam and I had fun, and it was good for me to remember traversing some of those same paths during my own childhood. So tonight, I'm thankful for a good day. And although 2019 hasn't been my favorite year of all, I'm thankful for the moments during the past 365 days that made me smile, and I'm also thankful for the ones --even the ones that were hard-- that helped me to grow because I always, always want to be a better person.

Blessings to you and your family as we enter 2020. May it be a year that brings you much joy and many opportunities to grow closer to God and to those you love.

December 30

It was a nice, quiet Monday. After a slow morning, we headed out and stopped at Roy Rogers for lunch.

From there, we went to my mom's house to help with some around-the-house tasks. While Adam hung wind chimes, the boys unwrapped furniture and we hauled it to the basement.

Afterward, we took a ride to Clarksburg. It's become something of a habit for me to take a gander at my old house while I'm here and to absorb the mixed nostalgic feelings the experience evokes, so that's what we did. A thick fog had settled over the earth by then, so we hit the road bound for grandma's. After a pizza dinner, we got to work on a "history of Maryland" puzzle I borrowed from mom's house, and that brings me to the Right Now.

Slow days filled with familiar but not oft experienced sights and sounds are blessings. It is, after all, good to remember our roots now and again.

December 29

It poured down rain most of today (and thankfully it was in the 40s and 50s, otherwise it would've meant a lot of snow). Also fortunately, we had only one plan in place: brunch with dad in Frederick. So we all --us and dad plus Bobby, Charlie, Reaya, Brendan, and Brianna-- convened at Madrones at 11. They couldn't accommodate our relatively large party at a single table so I had to do piecemeal photos.

Anyway, we dined on a variety of tasty dishes, from my rather yummy but huge coconut cream cheese french toast to the little boys' chicken fingers, and chit-chatted.

After a few restful hours back at grandma's house, we took a quick trip into town to get ice cream at Baskin Robbins. Though the dismal weather made it an odd activity choice, the reason for the outing was a good one: a celebration of Abby's third straight high school semester of straight As.

As of now, we're in grandma's casual dining nook, watching the 49ers play the Seahawks for division dominance.

So yes, it was a much-needed quiet day. And a good day. And I am thankful.

December 28

I'm a go-go-go'er when it comes to vacationing and I love (love) seeing people, but I admit that even I am a bit tired right now!

That said, today was another good day. After a gradual kind of morning (which is my favorite kind of all), we headed to Columbia, where I left the rest of the family at the movies so they could take in the new Star Wars flick while I went to a junior high get-together with six other fabulous ladies -- the same group I met up with two years ago when we were last in Maryland. (In the pic, R to L: me, Eileen, Shay, Jen, Jenn, Iris, and Wendy. And Lizzie the dog front and center. :D)

There was much laughter and wine and cheese while we talked about what we've been up to and what once was. The meet-up was, to boil it down to the most simplistic term, really, really fun. And definitely entertaining. (And I'm excited to see them again in two years.)

From there, we drove to my brother's house, where we dined on spaghetti and meatballs and talked and watched my niece walk around with a spoon stuck to her nose and engaged some of the short people in a floss dance battle.

And now, I'm back in grandma's family room, thinking back on the hours and once again feeling grateful to be here and having a good time remembering and living and making new memories that I'll be able to look back on and smile at in the years to come.

December 27

Today began in delightfully lazy fashion, as I got up at 9 and enjoyed my cup of coffee while I completed a puzzle we began earlier this week on the dining room table. A little later, I got the chance to catch up over lunch at Quincy's in Damascus with my old friend Donna, who I went to school with back in the fourth and fifth grades (and hadn't seen in person in 30ish years).

After a few hours of quiet(ish) time back at grandma's, we were off again, this time to drop the kids off with their cousins so the adults could go out. Adam drove us --me, Bobby, Reaya, and Charlie-- to the (is the indefinite article required here?) Idiom Brewery in Frederick, where we joined my cousin Jerry and his wife Steph for conversation, beer (yes, I had a little, which reminded me that I'm really a wine and mixed drink girl and not a beer girl), and Jenga. Although Bobby inadvertently dumped a beer in his lap, Jerry emerged victorious in our Jenga tournament, tying me for the title with three knockdowns. (That's how it works, right? You're supposed to knock them over.) From there, we visited a food truck for some BBQ, and found a table at another brewery so we could eat (and so some members of the party could have more beer).

I'll save the precise content, but the drive home was one of the funniest trips I've had in a long, long time. I laughed so hard at times that I could hardly breathe. So for that breath-baiting laughter and the time with friends and family I don't see often, I'm thankful.

December 26

Today, we took the two-hour drive to the Eastern Shore to visit my Aunt Barbara and Uncle Frank. We hadn't crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in 10 years --and Brady had never been at all-- so I figured it was high time we returned to Caroline County.

We arrived around 1PM and sat in the enclosed porch and chatted for a while, and then Uncle Frank took Adam and the kiddos on a tour of the farm while Aunt Barbara and I sipped some coffee. There was also cat-chasing (with limited success, but Brady tried really, really hard, even going to far as to splay himself out on the barn floor while sweetly called out to them as they crunched their kitty kibble), a lovely sunset, and an even lovelier lasagna dinner (or, if you were Brady, a lovelier orange and applesauce and rolls dinner).

In what was perhaps the day's most fish-out-of-water moment for Abby, Isaac, and Brady, my cousin Tom's 16-year old son Gage came by was was cajoled into giving my trio a ride in what was literally a big green tractor. (If you look closely at the picture, you can see all four of them in the cab. Also please forgive the extremely cheesy Jason Aldean reference.)

It's always a blessing to reconnect with family and friends, so it was a good day. And I am grateful.

December 25

So, choosing a photo to represent a Maryland Christmas is a virtual impossibility for me for numerous reasons. For one, we run all over the place so a single image can't possibly represent the entire day. For another, I routinely take something like 200 pictures so whittling it down to one is... yeah, impossible. So instead of making myself crazy(/ier) I try to cobble together a representative collage that more or less tells the story. And here is the 2019 attempt:

This year's story began at grandma's house, where we opened presents and dined on cinnamon rolls. We packed up and headed over to Bobby and Reaya's house at 11 and spent time hanging out with them and the kids and my brother Charlie, who arrived yesterday evening. After my mom and Harvey arrived, we all enjoyed a yummy brunch put together by Reaya before opening a first batch of presents and then hitting the road --again-- to see dad's side of the family at dad and Lisa's new house. After more eating and chit-chatting with aunts and uncles and cousins (and dad and Lisa, of course), we turned around and went back to Bobby's, where we finished opening presents and then, at long last, returned to grandma's for the night.

Busy? Definitely. Insanely busy? Perhaps. But it gives us a chance to connect --if only briefly-- with relatives we rarely see, so it's worth the day of insanity. So for that craziness and for the blessing of having people to visit while we're here and particularly for that baby born so long ago who made this day one of celebration, I'm so, so grateful.

December 24

Today is, of course, Christmas Eve. I joined the conscious world at any embarrassingly late hour, and after I'd downed most of the coffee Adam had ready for me, we opted to go for attempt number two at fulfilling Abby's wish for Jerry's cheesesteak. This time, we were blessedly successful so we were able to check a must-do item off our while-in-Maryland list.

Grandma had asked Adam if he and the boys would rake the leaves in the backyard at some point, so when we got back to the house, we all headed out to tackle the task. (Which, let me tell you, was no joke because my grandma's yard is enormous. Legitimately enormous.) The kiddos all enjoyed loading up the golf cart with bags of leaves and driving them to the woods, where they (the leaves, not the kids) were reunited with their nature-y friends. There was no small amount of terror involved for me sitting in the cart with them as they took turns driving, but practice fortunately led to increased competence, so by the time we had to push it back to the garage to re-charge the battery, they were all much-improved operators.

Following some afternoon down-time --which was reading for some, puzzle-building for some, gift organization for some (see Abby and the little tree), and walking around the circle out front for some-- we sat down to a meatloaf dinner prepared by my hunny.

And now, as the 9 o'clock hour approaches, the stockings are out by the fireplace with a cookie, carrot, and glass of milk nearby, and Isaac and Brady are tucked into bed. Santa will likely come by soon, and then... Christmas.

As always, I approach Christmas with a sense of gratitude for that baby born so long ago and all that His time on earth meant for us. It's not always an easy life, but it's always a blessed one, and I am thankful.

December 23

Full Maryland day number dos began with Dunkin Donuts and nectar from the mother ship (both courtesy of my hunny) and continued with the last (really last, I hope) shopping outing of the season. Then we engaged in a failed attempt to grant Abby's request for Jerry's cheesesteak, but alas, they seem to close more often than a kid with a cold uses tissues, so we wound up at Five Guys instead, where we watched aghast as Brady wolfed down a double cheeseburger and a tub of fries. (And then said he was still hungry. He may wind up being seven feet tall.)

From there, we headed back to grandma's house. Abby spent some time reading while the rest of us went outside. It was a reasonably temperate 50-degree day and the boys had a major case of the wiggles, so we watched them whack each other the wrapping paper rolls (and then joined in. Well, I joined in until Brady smacked my finger so hard that I thought for a few minutes that he'd cracked it. He has some sauce). Then we decorated the little Christmas tree, made some chocolate chip cookies, and went out to see the Holiday Lights at Seneca Creek State Park, which we'd never done before. It was packed with cars, but I think we all enjoyed seeing the displays (and I enjoyed sticking my head through the sunroof and breathing in the chilly night air. There was some really refreshing about that. (Plus I'm pretty sure it was the first time I'd ever popped out of a sunroof so there was a shot of novelty there.)

Right now, Isaac and Brady are in bed and the rest of us are in the family room watching choirs perform lovely Christmas classics on TV. It's peaceful. It's pleasant. And I am thankful for the entire day.

December 22

It was a full first day back in Maryland. We headed out at about 10, dropped by my mother ship for some liquid energy, and then took the divide and conquer approach to finishing (or at least trying to finish) our Christmas shopping. We lunched at IHOP and then dropped by my mom's house where we picked up the little Christmas tree we use while we're here (which just so happens to be the little tree that was mine when I was little) and helped mom set up one of her own in the family room.

From there, we dropped off our purchases at grandma's house before we headed out again to my brother Bobby's house. We hung out and chatted with him, my sister-in-law Reaya, my nephew Brendan (who, like Abby, is 15), and my niece Brianna (who, like Isaac, is 11) for a while before making a corporate decision to go to dinner at the Hornet's Nest.

I don't know if it was the really, really tasty glass of sweet white wine or the string of silly text messages we exchanged with my brother Charlie (who is still in Los Angeles until Christmas Eve) or the company in general or being back in a really familiar place that holds long-held memories for me, but I loved dinner. We laughed and talked and had a grand time together. So for all of today --and for dinner in particular-- I'm so grateful.

December 21

We got up at zero dark thirty this morning to catch a 5:45 AM flight to Baltimore. And now, at 8:28 local time (which is 5:28 our usual time but feels more like 11:28), I'm sitting in my grandmother's family room in a chair that was my late grandfather's favorite spot to perch. I'm watching grandma as she sits in her usual chair across the room. She's writing something in a journal and half-watching a talk show I've never seen. It kinda sorta feels like it felt back when I lived here 30 years ago and kinda sorta doesn't. But it's all good, because this is a thing this Christmas season:

I was thinking about it on the plane and I can say one thing with a great deal of certainty: there are many ways that my life has not gone as I thought it would go. I never thought I'd live so far from family and come back for extended visits only once every few years. I never thought I'd still be figuring out why I tick like I do in my 40s. And of course, I never thought one of my babies would go Home before me and force me to adjust to a new normal that I never, ever wanted.

But this picture --taken after we'd all dined on slices of frozen-food-section lasagna and conversation for dinner-- reminds me of an important truth. Some things --like my kids-- change over time. They get bigger and smarter and more sophisticated. Other things --like my grandma's sense of humor and this house we're staying in right now-- are consistently familiar (at least for a time). And both elements of life --the ever-changing and the sigh-inducing familiar-- can and so often do co-exist, working together to usher us onward in our respective journeys.

So tonight, I'm thankful for my current reality and for the reality of my past, because every bit of awkwardness and familiarity and confusion and success that I've experienced over the years made me who I am.

(And P.S. -- Logan is in this picture. He's the baby in my lap in the photo on the wall above my head. How about that. :) )

December 20

Between school and cleaning and packing, it was a busy Friday. But even though it was a hectic day, I took some time this evening to hang out with Nikki because some holiday Starbucks beverages and pedicures were very much in order.

I don't always do a great job of it, but I try to take time with people who are important to me, and she certainly makes the cut. We had a good time chatting and enjoying our frou four drinks from the mother ship and our hot stone massages. And we both headed home with fabulously seasonal toes: green sparkles for her, red sparkles for me.

Good friends are a true blessing, and I am thankful that she's a fixture in my life.

December 19

Abby had her last dance class of 2019 this evening, and as is always the case during the holiday season, the group performed a little routine. The end pose featured Abby and Gracie making a heart with their arms:

And, as it happens, it was Gracie's idea.

I love that they threw such a visible symbol of love into the dance. Love is, after all, the most important and most valuable "thing" in this world.

December 18

I don't feel like God jumps around and waves His arms at me to get my attention all that often, but I definitely notice when He does. And I definitely noticed those waving arms more than once today. The first instance gave rise to this rather lame representative image from this morning. (It's lame because the idea of asking a total stranger if I could take a picture of her felt creeper-esque.)

Anyhow, I was sitting in my customary spot at Starbucks just surfing the internet when I overheard a woman at the next table giving what amounted to be her personal faith testimony to her companion. I tried not to listen, but she was impassioned enough that it was hard to tune it out, so I continued to tune in and out until she got to a particularly salient bit when she talked about sticking with people and loving them through hard times, even when the very human parts of you are tempted to give up. And drawing the strength and wherewithal to do those things from God. It struck a chord with me in a big way, so I got up, went over to her, gave her a hug, and said thank you and Amen, sister. It could've been awkward, but when the spirit moves you, you move.

Later in the day, I spied a little printed note card on the coffee table in our family room that I'd not noticed before. It talked about how to help friends who are going through painful, difficult times and encouraged us to love and support one another by being present and willing to listen.

Without going into details, it was a double-shot of confirmation that I'm on the right track. And for that reassurance, I'm so grateful.

December 17

We were a little early to basketball practice this evening, so I joined Brady, Isaac, and one of Brady's teammates for a little two-on-two action. (And it was no easy feat given that I was wearing jeans and boots.) Anyway, after a few more boys had arrived and I realized my woefully out-of-shape lungs were burning, I sat down and watched the boys do their thing.

Isaac is an awesome baseball player but has very little experience with basketball, so it was fun to see him engaging with --and encouraging-- the younger boys. And then after he took a seat next to me on the bleachers, it was fun to watch him as he watched his little brother. There's nothing quite like brotherly love.

December 16

I stopped by a Starbucks I don't usually go to this morning (verging on coffee betrayal, I know). As I waited for my peppermint mocha to appear on the bar, I saw this by the window:

I glanced at the notes on top and then scribbled one of my own, which I tucked into the center of the pile. Then I reached in without looking and pulled one out, hoping for something profound. But alas, its message was a plain-Jane "happy holidays". After a ho-hum moment, I smiled at the realization that it's always nice to pass good wishes on to someone else, regardless of how plain-Jane those wishes may be. So for that little bit of seasonal cheer, I'm thankful.

December 15

It was a very busy, very good day that began with the boys singing in church and ended with late dinner with Kathy, who came to town on business. The mid-section of the day featured our annual Christmas get-together with Adam's immediate family. Here we are in this year's edition of the annual photo:

With a trio of little ones in the mix, it was something of a rapid-fire event as the hours passed, but it was still sweet to eat together and to sit and watch the cousins play together harmoniously and to watch as presents were opened and laughs were shared.

Change is a given in this life of ours, so chances to reconnect with dear friends and with family are always blessings to me.

December 14

Brady turned nine years old today. I think he had a good birthday; he opened it with a morning basketball game that saw his team win by the amazing final score of 7-5. (Yep. 7-5. And Brady had five of those points, including four from a pair of fast breaks and a single free throw.)

Then he opted for lunch at Applebees before scooting off to baseball tryouts in the afternoon. He finished his day --as always-- with presents and cake at home before heading off to bed.

This kid of mine, this number four of four... it amazes me to realize that he's already nine. To say that the years since he joined our family have flown by would be a gross understatement, but he's brought well-over a decade's worth of blessings to our lives. He's quick-witted and sassy and funny and smart and friendly and kind. (And, as you can see by the Ravens beanie, he's my Baltimore sports fan buddy.) And though he has a decidedly competitive edge, he's also sensitive and sweet. And on this very last single-digit birthday of my long mommy career, I am thankful.

December 13

There were things about today that I found decidedly frustrating, but at least it started off on a good note when I met Sherrie for coffee.

We sat for a few hours, just chit-chatting as she intermittently handled work-related activities. And I was reminded, for the umpteenth time, that I really enjoy spending time with friends. So for both the time and the shot of self-awareness, I'm grateful.

December 12

It may be nearly Christmas, but it's still rather fall-ish here. I experienced that fall-ish'ness firsthand this afternoon when I drove through this lovely scene of reds and oranges and yellows.

And it reminded me of a truth. Change isn't always fun and we may not always want it, but it can certainly be a lovely thing in the end.

December 11

I've said this more than once, but this girl of mine absolutely cracks me up sometimes.

We were heading out to the car this evening so I could take her to Youth Group when she paused under the icicle lights along the side of the house and opened her mouth. I just looked at her for a moment before I realized what she was doing --waiting for imaginary drops of water to fall-- and fumbled for my phone to take a pic of the strangeness.

She's sometimes of a weird one at times, but I love her. And I'm thankful for the doses of levity she brings to my life each day.

December 10

I was coming down the stairs to watch a movie (Daddy's Home 2, for the record; close enough to a holiday flick for us) with Adam and Abby a few minutes ago. I paused on the landing to look down at the Christmas tree, and the sight made me smile.

There's something so cozy and relaxing about Christmas lights. It's almost as if they emanate a sense of calm that only exists at Christmas time. So yep, I breathed in the atmosphere for a few moments and then continued on with my evening. It's not always easy to find moments of respite so for this one, I'm thankful.

December 9

I was sitting in my usual spot at Starbucks this morning when one of my favorite baristas --Dez-- came up to me holding a plate. On that plate was this piece of lemon loaf cake.

She handed it to me and explained that she'd opened it but no one was going to buy it, so she thought she'd give it to me as a little treat. I really like lemon loaf cake (and I really, really like the icing on the cake!), so I was tickled pink (or maybe yellow would be the more appropriate color choice here).

I'd been feeling a bit sluggish following a night of really poor sleep, so her kind gesture was a big blessing.

December 8

Tonight we engaged in one of our annual holiday traditions, but with a twist: we drove around looking at the Christmas lights in town (the tradition) and Adam's parents joined us (the twist). Here we all are at our final stop:

Since we can't really fit seven people in either of our cars, his parents drove along behind us, and the kids rotated --one at a time-- between us and them. It was a relatively clear evening and not terribly chilly, so we had a good time checking out the displays --some of which are pretty darn spectacular-- and listening to Christmas music.

So tonight, I'm grateful for that oh-so-often overlooked blessing of togetherness. (And I'm also grateful that there was no bickering because let me tell ya... that's a small miracle.)

December 7

Brady had his first basketball game as a Hawkeye this morning. That's him doing the tip off for his team (which, by the by, did indeed yield possession of the ball).

He was a bit tentative last season, but this morning he was an entirely different kid on the court. He landed four buckets, passed well (and impressively hard! You could tell he plays baseball by the way he hurled the ball around), and had a few assists. And on defense, he had a few steals and was all about being in the other team's faces. Better still, every time one of his teammates made a good play or scored, he offered up a hand of congratulations in response. In the end, the final score was a solid 27-7 in favor of the Hawkeyes.

He loves to play, and I love to watch him do things he loves. That's a big win-win for me.

December 6

It's hard to believe that Valerie held her first cookie party back in 2015, but yes, it's actually been that long since she first hosted a group of us moms on a Friday evening to eat, laugh, chit-chat, and exchange cookies.

Tonight's gathering was, as they always are, filled with lots of amazing appetizers, hot chocolate, cider, and plenty of good cheer. Since our kids are a bit older now and some of us have moved on to different schools, we don't all see one another particularly often, so this gathering always gives me a chance to shoot the breeze and share some laughs with old friends. And for that not-small blessing, I'm grateful.

December 5

I had to bake cookies for tomorrow evening, and was none too pleased to realize --when I started to bake said-cookies tonight-- that we were out of eggs. So I summoned my usual shopping partner and we headed over to Safeway.

She followed me around the store sharing her usual witticisms, and then got into the physical comedy act by loading up on cans of her favorite chicken noodle soup. My girl cracks me up, and I am grateful for her wit.

December 4

As I drove from pick-up number one to pick-ups number two and three this afternoon, Brady chirped from his perch on the back seat that the radio volume was low. When I turned it up, he immediately recognized the tune from church and began to sing along: Bless the Lord o my soul, o my soul.......

The sound of his sweet little eight-year old voice enthusiastically singing those words made my heart swell with happiness. I am far, far from a perfect Christian, but I'm thankful that the seeds of faith have been planted in him and in all of our kids in spite of my weaknesses and failings.

December 3

Long, long ago, Adam sewed a giant tomato Christmas ornament. And every year, that big red blob makes its way to a prominent spot on his parents' Christmas tree. After watching Adam hang said ornament on Sunday, Abby thought it would be fun to make her own tomato for our tree... so she did. And today it assumed its place of honor:

I could roll my eyes at it because I've always thought the big red tomato was ridiculous, but I won't. Instead, I'll just be amused that my daughter created a new (albeit bizarre) tradition for our family. And since I like traditions, I'll go ahead and call the strangeness a blessing.

December 2

When I came downstairs early this evening, Isaac and Brady were on the couch half watching the Monday Night Football game and half playing with their respective devices. So I grabbed a blanket and plunked down between them for some cuddle time.

I listened to Brady tell me all about the game he was playing (and when I say "all about" I mean "ALL ABOUT" because like I've said before, he's a talker after my own heart) and indulged Isaac's need to demonstrate how loudly he can make liquid in his stomach swish back and forth. But even better, I was just with them, in the moment. And given how quickly times flies by, that's a very good thing.

December 1

And into December we go.

We opened this final month of 2019 by helping Adam's parents decorate their Christmas tree this morning.

After I hung an ornament, I settled into a spot on the couch to simply observe as three generations of Wights joined forces to get the job done. The final result was a wee bit bottom heavy thanks to the contributions of our not-quite two-year old niece, who cautiously selected and hung every bell she could find on the bottom-most branches, but it was beautiful nonetheless. And for that loveliness, I'm grateful.