A New Year

So much has happened since I last updated! As a recap:

The weekend before Christmas

• I went up to DC to attend the Cardiology Department party with Hunt the weekend before Christmas
• A huge blizzard also decided to come up to DC
• Hunt and I evacuated DC so that we would be able to get to Atlanta in time for me to work the Christmas services the Sunday before Christmas
• 18.5 hours later, after one snow-drift rescue by 3 snow plows at 4:30 AM in Richmond, one glorious stop at Waffle House, many hours of conversation, we arrived safely in Hunt's civic.
• DC was snowed in with 2 FEET of snow and we had risked our lives to NOT be in a winter wonderland right before Christmas. We now wonder what we were thinking.
• It was wonderful to go to Buckhead Church's Christmas service as an attendee. Seeing those who had given their life to Christ or been baptized in the past year going up to light a candle sent tears streaming down my face. Please Lord, let me never take my job for granted.

Christmas!

• Mom was diagnosed with SWINE FLU! On the day that my brother Brad and his wife Anne flew into town for their first Christmas with us since they've been married.
• We stocked up on Lysol, face masks, hand sanitizer and bravely entered the petri dish otherwise known as my parent's home.
• Mom was a trooper and (while wearing a mask) managed to play the part of consummate hostess (with Anne and myself playing bit parts) for the Christmas celebrations and feasts that were prepared.
• Anne, Brad, Hunt and I went by ourselves to Johnson Ferry Baptist's Christmas Eve service at 11PM. I love this tradition, and love singing "Silent Night" right before midnight in a church full of people holding candles, and then singing "Joy to the World" when it becomes Christmas morning.
• Dad surprised Mom with a David Yurman necklace. It was caught on video. I would say that he did very, very well with his gift giving plan this year.
• We went to see Avatar 3D as a family. Awesome graphics. Awful story line.
• Our dog Molly suffered through the presence of Brad and Anne's miniature Schnauzer, Kaiser. I come to think that Molly thinks that she is a human and has no idea what this bouncy, excited creature is that invades her home every so often. She is not the playmate that Kaiser wishes she would be. But, their interactions entertains us!

New Years and everything after...

• Hunt and I drove back up to DC so that I could spend his birthday with him (on the 30th!) and celebrate New Years together.
• We made it to DC without fearing for our lives. Even when we stopped in Gaffney, SC.
• Brad, Anne, Mom and Dad drove up to Nashville for the Clemson bowl game - again, Mom was a trooper to have been fever-free but still very weak. So glad that they got that family time together!
• Hunt and I tried out a new restaurant (new to us) in DC for his birthday. 1905 - highly recommend it. It maybe had 10 tables, a very cozy atmosphere and excellent food. Happy Birthday Hunt!
• We went to a black-tie party at the National Building Museum for NYE. Unfortunately, the hosts hadn't planned for the large crowd and we were forced to stand outside for close to an hour trying to get in. In the rain. Thankfully, Hunt gave me galoshes for Christmas, and since it can be hard to get cabs after midnight on NYE, I thought it would be good to wear them and bring my party shoes in a plastic bag. Pre-planning has never worked so well. I avoided looking like a drowned rat by putting the plastic bag over my head. Don't try this at home kids!
• The rain didn't bother us all that much since we were happy that Hunt didn't have to be in the hospital on-call like he was last year.
• It was so good to get extended time with Hunt - though he worked at the hospital every day that I was there - even New Years day - we had many dinners with friends, ate taco soup and cornbread, watched movies and generally got to act like a couple that lives in the same town.

One of the things I find hardest is to take down all the decorations after the holidays have come and gone. I am thankful that I still experience a sense of child-like magic with every Christmas. I love the music, the cookie-making, the gift-wrapping, the movies, the parties, and the soft glow of the Christmas tree greeting me every time I walked through the door. I hope that feeling never goes away.

Happy New Year everyone!