Yes, Christmas 2012 is past and I sent no Christmas cards nor did I do my annual Christmas letter. I waffled back and forth, "Should I do the letter or not"? I cut my list down sharply last year and not one person said, "Hey, I missed your Christmas letter". As if they sit by their mailboxes during the busy Christmas season waiting to get my yearly greetings. Some folks never read Christmas letters and write Ann Landers to say how much they hate them. Me. I love my Christmas letter and others', too. I always say (maybe just to myself) that I only do them for me. They are a great record of the year and I have a copy of every one I've ever written. So here goes:
Dear Self,
We can dispense with the courtesies since the Day is past. I will get right to the meat of the matter.
Highlights of the year that I don't want to forget include:
1. Appearing live on national TV with Al Roker through the miracle of Skype. Probably a miracle only to me. Most 10 year olds know how it works. I just know it does. It was during a week of being snowed in , (February) literally, and I wrote and recorded a little song about being snowed in. I thought my kids and grandkids would get a kick out of it so posted it on facebook. I was not prepared for the response from so many folks. And that is how I came to appear live with WAKE UP WITH AL.
2. Watching my grandsons, Brandon and Josh, jump out of a perfectly good airplane. Yes! they both decided they wanted to skydive. Now, there are some odd things on my bucket list, but skydiving is NOT one of them. However, I was excited and happy to watch them. They have great videos. I have a couple of pre flight videos.
3. Not one, but two trips to the beach. One, to Panama City, where Matt, Tori, Johnny, Trudy, Kaci, Olivia and Trace joined Doug, me, Jan, Lori, Cade and Cole. We did some touristy things like the upside down house, Ripley's believe it or not, minature golf and driving go carts. Doug and I also went to a very small greyhound race track and had loads of fun trying to pick a winning dog. Of course, the usual basking in the sun and playing in the surf. Second trip, to Fort Morgan where Josh joined us in our drive and our condo. We joined Janice's entire family, plus David, Angie, Jake and a friend of Olivia's at the beach house. Much seafood of all kinds, caught or trapped by us, were enjoyed by all.
4. Enjoying an unprecedented OSU Cowboy season with our team winning the Big 12 Championship for the first time in OSU history. Finally, the 25 year payoff as we prepare to play in the Fiesta Bowl. Our bags are packed and ready.
5. Becoming instant grandparents to 4 year old Jordan Timothy Cato weighing in at about 30 pounds! Adoption was pronounced FINAL on December 20!
6. Dove hunting for the first time that I can ever remember. Wow! those doves are hard to hit. I shot a box of shells and bagged 3 dove. This was in addition to the annual cattle roundup at Doug's sister's in Western Oklahoma. Always fun.
7. Watching the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl with authentic cheesehead, Brandon, who has been a Green Bay fan since he was old enough to know what football is.
8. An impromptu trip to visit Janice at Scott and Lori's where we enjoyed Cade's 3rd grade awards program. Cole gets all the awards that are offered. Lori treated us to Southern shopping and made us some killer stuffed peppers and homemade sausage breakfast with all the trimmings every morning. We had a really good time and have been invited back for Cole's birthday which just happens to coincide with Mardi Gras.
9. The decision to fill-in the swimming pool. It saved countless woman hours of skimming, pouring chemicals, brushing, pool services, cleaning, draining, cleaning again and on and on, not to mention the money saved.
10. The fact that I reached my walking goal of 517 miles. Why? you ask such an odd number. It is one more mile than I walked last year! Thank the Good Lord I can still do it. That means I've walked 1033 miles in the last two years!
11. Finally, actually doing a "get away" with Kathy and Jan. Kathy acted as our tour guide on a trip to Joplin (pre tornado), took us to the neatest restaurant and shopping. Always fun to giggle with good buddies. By the way, Kathy walked almost every mile of my goal with me.
Interesting facts about the year:
1. The hottest summer on record for Oklahoma. Many, many days of 100 plus temperatures. Not fun.
2. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Oklahoma since records were kept. Also not fun.
My letters have always included the sadness and hardships our family have suffered. This year was one of the biggest shocks we've ever had as my brother in law of 50 plus years, Larry, was hit on his bicycle and killed in August. Our lives have changed forever and most especially, my sister's and her family. Many trips back and forth for both she and I as we try to ease her pain or comfort her in some small way. We will continue to be instantly available to each other and may God give us the health to continue to travel back and forth.
Seriously, if you are reading this, I wish you and yours the Best New Year ever. Thank the Good Lord for bringing us thus far.
