Happy Valentine's Day!

2010 comes in roaring like a lion

I have not only missed our 19 month birthday, but also the 20 month birthday! I'll write a separate entry for those...needless to say, the year moved nicely from a leisurely, much needed break in Maui to breakneck speed once we got back!

I wanted to take and space some time to reflect on the death of my grandfather. He died this past Sunday at 92 and while not a total surprise, it certainly wasn't expected. My grandpa was often a hard man growing up. He was business oriented, traditional, and judgmental...but age and health problems had softened him and the grandpa I re-visited in my adult years was nothing like the grandpa I remembered of my youth. He smiled more, cracked jokes, told stories, and cried. He got to meet Joaquin twice and spent time with him playing on the floor and tickling his feet. I am so grateful that we had that opportunity and Joaquin had that touch point with him. I am so sad that we did not get more time with this man I feel like we had just started getting to know.

I wonder if everyone feels this...was I really too busy to put together that DVD for him for the holidays? I hope he felt loved and appreciated by us. I hope he continues that journey he was on of 'softening' and I hope he is finally free of the aches and pains that ailed him in his final years. 92 years...what a life, what opportunity...what a blessing to meet the man he had become.

And Maui to start the new year...

Wow, we are a lucky family. Not only did we get to have our first week of the new year in Maui, but we all traveled really well together!

We had a great time in Maui and it was a much needed break for everyone. Lots of beaches, biking down the volcano, Maui's only winery, and casual BBQ's around our condo's pool. The weather was great all week and it was an easy trip...which is more than I could have asked for after the winter! Here are some of my favorite pics:

Our different Christmas

So how did Christmas go? In general, pretty good. He did have one present under the tree and I have to say it was the best possible present for him...a set of 3 balls. His big bouncy ball had just popped, so that went over fabulously. He got a couple of singing cards which he walked around with throughout the holiday, a couple of beautiful hats my co-worker made for him and these slippers from Mark and Sally which he is quite fond of. When he first got them, he wanted to walk around naked except the slippers for some time! And mom brought over a rocking horse a few weeks before that was great for pics.


I will say that the one thing I missed about having gifts at Christmas is the structure they offer around the day...when you have a tree full of gifts, you set a time to all sit around and open those gifts. It's a nice chunk of time with the TV off and the carols on...we'll have to figure that one out because minus that, it went along smashingly and we had a great payoff when we all went to Maui the next week! Before we went to Maui though, we had a fun time with Gid's family doing New Year's. Joaquin liked playing Rock Band in particular!