Blessings

This photo was taken Christmas 2005. The three elders, my aunts Mary and Betty and Uncle Ted in the middle of the photo are now gone. Two new babies, Dominic Toto and Ruby Urich have been added to the group. The location, my home in Pepper Pike, Ohio, has been sold and I have moved. Life moves on in a continuous flux of loss and additions. I have reached a mellow place about that reality and wonder if aging is the reason. I think I like the peacefulness of acceptance that life is short and temporary. It makes appreciation for blessings so much deeper.

Sam and I flew to Toledo this year and spent a couple days with Matt, Megan, Jack and Ruby as a pre-Christmas warm-up. It was a flurry of activity, preparations, wrapping, cooking and the other usual holiday prep without the stress of having to do it myself, in my home. We celebrated Sam's 22nd birthday and Megan made him a spectacular Red Velvet cake. I got lots of grand kid time. Highlights - the crazy chaos of trying to get them bathed, unwound and into bed. Ruby jumping on the couch in her diaper yelling "nako baby." Taking Jack and Ruby to see the movie "Tangled" after driving madly about Toledo trying to get to a movie theater in time when my GPS was misbehaving and I was fighting holiday traffic. Despite Jack falling asleep in the car and having to wake him out of a coma and race into the second theater complex we drove to, buy popcorn and run to the seats, I enjoyed the movie. And best, always, was having little bodies in bed with me either all night or early morning.

Sam and I drove to Cleveland Christmas Eve day. Christmas Eve was spent with my sisters, their husbands, and my nephew at my sister Mary Beth's home. She had also invited some friends and their children and we had a lot of fun, food and the requisite Bacardi cocktails that we have every Christmas Eve in honor of Matt's dad's family. Let me give you a hint... lots of rum. In the small world department, one of Mary Beth and her husband Tom's friends worked for my father-in-law years ago and knew many of the Caplan Crazy family. We finished the evening with a game of Boggle.

Christmas day found us back at my sisters for a gourmet breakfast and then the usual Grey family crowd. I counted 26 this year. The routine does not change. Lots of food. Mulled wine. White elephant gift exchange, and talk, talk and talk. Mary Beth and Tom were splendid hosts and the house was a wonderfully cosy and Christmasy setting. The video is in their music room. Ruby was enthralled with their piano.

Megan, Matt and kids joined Sam and I at the motel that night. Matt and Megan went out with friends and I kept the kids with me. We opened gifts and the hits were Woody and Jessie talking dolls. It was hard getting them to sleep when Woody kept asking for his hat and saying "Heydy, Howdy, Ho!" Ruby had a mini meltdown crying for her mommy but after a minute or so, stopped, asked for Chapstick on her lips, rolled on her side and fell sound asleep.

Sunday we hung out, met some friends for lunch and Matt went to the Brown's game. I got ready to leave the next morning and woke at 4am to check flight status to learn that my flights were cancelled since I was flying through Newark and they were snowed in. I spent several hours on the phone and the soonest I could out was Wednesday. It was like getting a snow day. I made some calls, added days to the motel and car rental and was able to visit friends that I didn't think I would be able to see. Of course I couldn't see everyone from the "old days" but did manage to catch up with some. A problem turned into what I was talking about in my first paragraph - a blessing.