Christmas Newsletter 2008

Merry Christmas! Are you familiar with the opening stanza of "White Christmas;" the part that talks about the sun shining, the grass being green, the orange and palm trees swaying? I've been humming that song all day while writing Christmas cards. I SO need snow. Need it desperately to catch the spirit of this wondrous time of year. Don't misunderstand me. I know the "reason for the season" and believe it fervently. But I believe in my Savior 24-7-365 and don't need a holiday reminder. The Christmas spirit I'm dreaming of is cozy and warm and magical and jolly and breathtakingly beautiful. And, for me--a California girl born and bred, but a Utahn at heart--that spirit starts with the fluffy white stuff. Having a blooming bouganvillea framing my front door instead of bare, frosted branches is just plain wrong. After 6 (long) Christmases here, it still feels odd NOT to have snow. Sigh.

Other than that, we're all happy and healthy and heartily enjoying Christmas traditions and festivities galore. Today, December 22, is the first quiet day we've all--besides Greg--had in months. No lessons, no practices, no school, no work, no homework, no games, no place to be. It's picked up a bit this evening with Hans delivering some Christmas presents with Greg and Rhiannon attending a holiday party, but, overall, it's been a deliciously lazy day.

Liesl, as might be expected, is our social butterfly. The child who always craved noise and action and change still does. Instead of almost literally bouncing off walls, she now flits from one activity to another, either involved herself or supporting friends who are. She's got an awesome group of friends--boys and girls--who're largely interested in music, good grades, and more music. Liesl hosted a Christmas party here Friday night that started and ended with everyone gathered 'round the piano playing holiday songs or original compositions and singing. Combined with lots of laughing and playing, chatting and eating, the party was an excellent post-finals stress buster and a fabulous way for me to get to know her friends even better. Liesl's still in the dual piano-performance and pre-IB pathway at her high school and starts swim team practices in a couple weeks. Yes, folks, it's California!
Rhiannon, an eighth-grader who starts each day in a THS geometry class, desperately hopes the next half of the school year speeds by so she'll truly be a high schooler. The two of us spent spring break with her best friend and her bff's mom on a school-sponsored trip to Boston/NYC. While in Boston, she succumbed to the Harvard allure and is determined to enroll there someday. It's not the school I'd choose for her, but it's a fantastic and realistic goal, so why not dream? Rhiannon's still involved in soccer and softball, violin and choir, with some drama on the side. For the past two years, the city's musical director has chosen a play with Rhiannon in mind to sing the lead, but each time it falls through because of our vacation or girls camp schedule. Even so, Rhiannon's getting lots of chances to solo and is, finally, starting voice lessons in a few weeks. Her two choir directors have been playfully competing to teach her. And, like her sister, Rhiannon loves Twilight and the three of us attended a midnight premiere of the movie release.
Fifth-grader Ralph is still a sports fiend in both the actual and virtual worlds. American football is definitely numero uno, but since I won't let him play, he contents himself with baseball and soccer. For some reason, he's been unusually lucky with his soccer teams and coaches and has had one fantastic season after another. He's playing, again, on a competitive soccer team (until baseball starts up) and is one of three non-hispanic boys. His combination of speed and blond hair attract a lot of attention! Ralph loves school--especially plays, his friends, and his teacher. A new district music policy this year stipulated that percussion would not be taught until 6th grade, so Ralph's dream of drum-playing took a one-year hiatus while he strengthens his music-reading skills with the trumpet. And Ralph has just bridged into Scouting after earning his Arrow of Light.
Eight-year-old Hans has the worlds' most incredible teacher (and one of my best friends) who thinks he's a genius and who can finesse him out of temper tantrums, doldrums, grumpiness--whatever might be ailing him. And when he's on, he's on! Excitedly, he has a lead in the class play and will be playing one of the crooks who hoodwinks the Emperor with "new" clothes. Hans is considering taking up baseball again, although we're trying to guide him out of it and into something more his style--like swimming or martial arts or tumbling. For him, life revolves around Star Wars, friends, Legos, and artwork. Our house is overflowing with Hans' drawings, comic strips, and Lego inventions--constant evidence of his continually flowing creativity. Plus, he loves to sing and we love to listen.
Greg's still employed at Lawrence Livermore even though 500 others lost their jobs this year. At the lab, they say the physicists are king, so it wasn't a huge surprise, but it was a stressful time nonetheless. The love affair between Greg and his dog, Champ, is as intense as ever. They're a cute pair and communicate well with each other. We deliberately never spoke baby talk to our children, but Greg has no such qualms with Champ. It's like he's a kid with his first pet and it makes him even more loveable to me! At church, Greg's the Cubmaster AND gospel doctrine teacher and is a natural at both.

My life has changed considerably since October when I became the new librarian at my boys' school. One of the former librarians retired and another chose a move "up" to one of the middle schools. So the two libraries, an upper school and a lower school one, were combined and I now care for 1,000 students--one-half bilingual, one-third socio-economically disadvantaged, and the rest GATE--and 20,000+ books. It's been enormously overwhelming, yet intensely rewarding. Luckily, my hours match the boys', so there are no carpool or daycare issues. And it's so much fun having Ralph or Hans open the door and wave or say hi! Of course, this could all change with the new school year--if not before--since budget cuts will force the most drastic changes ever in our school district. I still work as a substitute librarian at the city library, too. As you might imagine, I'm WAY behind on personal and home-making chores. Other people seem to handle changes like this with aplomb, but I'm not one of them. Be patient with me as I adjust . . .

And know that I--we--love and miss you! Despite my ever-more-feeble attempts at corresponding, I do think of you often and remember fondly all the wonderful, life-altering adventures we've shared. My friendship with you is cherished and treasured. Best wishes to all of you and yours in this new year. May you be filled with hope and strength, light and love.