I think Christmas is over

I don't believe I've ever had a Christmas last so long. I say this with all of the best thoughts, nothing negative implied. I posted some new pictures (see my album, the link is on the left side you can find it, I know you can!) so that is exciting. Basically we started Christmas on Friday 12/22 in Redmond...it then quickly moved to 12/23 - 12/25 in Yakima, then driving back to Seattle to then have Christmas dinner itself at my Aunt Jeannie's house in Fall City. FOUR DAYS OF CHRISTMAS. Whew.

Today...I am recovering and getting some laundry done. I think we need to go out and buy some new cell phones sooner than later though, the batteries on Chris' cell phone don't last very long. I probably also need to go out and buy some milk or something important like that.

I received quite a bit of stuff this Christmas. A lot of kitchen stuff (I asked for it, so very exciting), a Nintendo DS (which is the coolest thing ever), practical things that are useful including a lot of emergency prepardness kits (emergency flash lights, emergency kits, etc.), a folding card table, but what was will probably be the most useful is the $50 Shell gas gift card I received from my cousin John. Talk about a cool gift! Who doesn't use gasoline (presuming they drive a car regularly)??? I think the next time I really want to just get someone a gift card, I'll have to remember that.

I am fortunate and I took the rest of this week off of work (we get two days for Christmas so technically today is a paid holiday for me). I am SO glad. Reminds me of the days when you get a lot of time off for Christmas break. I am going to spend some time with my friends I hope; Johanna and Mark are in town; Heather is also back; and so is Allan and Amitoj. Lots of people to see I hope!

Ok, back to laundry. I hope you all had a good Christmas too!

Reflections upon Christmas past and present

Less than a week now until Christmas. I'm still dutifully going to work everyday. You know it is a crime to work between Thanksgiving and New Year's? No one is around, everyone is checked out or taking long lunches to go Christmas shopping, or people are "sick" (they just want to save vacation days and burn up sick time). I am planning on taking my usual time off between Christmas and New Year's though - I need time for me. No work, no pressure of missing work since everyone else is gone too, just time for me. I have some miscellaneous medical appointments, perhaps I'll do some light cleaning, my friend Johanna and her fiancee Mark are in town so we'll visit, and I'll probably hang out with Heather as well.

We recently went through a very bad wind storm that left over 1 million people in Western Washington without electricity. We were lucky and only lost power for about 15 hours, but even as I type this in my 68 degree house, stomach full of hot freshly prepared food, listening to a Charlie Brown Christmas -- there are still people even in Seattle who have no electricity. I have read reports that some will be without electricity through Christmas. Ugh. As much as I may rant about work or other trivial things I truly am grateful for a warm house, a roof over my head, food, my friends and family, and my job.

This Christmas we are going to Yaki-vegas....er, Yakima. I was telling Andrew tonight that this Christmas will be only the second Christmas in my life that I would not have spent it with my family. Christmas 1997 - The Huskies made it to the Aloha Bowl, I got to spend a week in Hawaii and away from my family. I know, how horrible. Spending a whole week with friends, getting paid and all expenses paid for to go to a bowl game. Christmas Eve night rolls around and I was very homesick. It was also the first Christmas after my Grandmother had passed away, so I was very sad indeed. The Huskies went on to win the Aloha Bowl, and we were flying back to Seattle on Christmas Day. We approach Seattle and there is too much fog so we had to land in Portland. My friends and I got to spend the night of the December 25h 1997 on the floor of PDX. A greyhound bus came to PDX to drive us home on the 26th. I came home very sad and tired to an empty house. My parents weren't home for some reason and my brother was at work. I remember opening a present with my cat watching me.

Christmas 2006 in Yakima -- shouldn't be so bad. It couldn't be any worse than Christmas 1997, right? I'm not going to be sleeping on the floor of a PDX terminal. I'll be with people who are almost like family (we are not technically family yet as Chris and I are still dating). I understand that it is quite chilly (single digit temperatures) in Yakima right now. I hope the drive over will be fairly easy, the thought of chains and a potential 4 hour drive does not thrill me to say the least. This Friday I'll be at least having dinner and a pre-Christmas but really Christmas celebration with my own parents.

All in all as the days get closer to Christmas, the happier I feel. There is just something about Christmas -- how everyone is generally happier and friendlier. I can't wait for the day where I'll have my own kids and the excitement they will have for the holidays. :)

My photo album is updated -- finally!

Can you believe that I invested some time and updated some photos? Well, believe it!! Due to the large amount of pictures Chris took when we were at Yellowstone -- I haven't had a chance to go through ALL of them yet, but in time grasshoppers, in good time. There are photos from our recent trips and adventures. Check out my photos. Woot.

It's official, everyone is having babies but me.

Kate (my manager) after many months and over 24 hours in labor gave birth this afternoon to a healthy baby boy -- Nicholas! My friend Dawn who lives in Hawaii gave birth to a healthy baby boy -- Carson! Bethany and Bhargavi -- both friends and co-workers are pregnant and due to deliver in May and June 2007! And of course Sommar who just had a baby (a healthy baby -- Casey!) but unfortunately she passed away (see previous blog post). Not that I need to have a baby right this instant, but there is something in the water. My time will be here before I know it I'm sure.

Today also somehow marked the official turn-over of sub-teams apparently within my department. We all went out to Cutter's for a nice lunch. Let me think, was it any other kind of milestone today? Hhhmm.. I guess not.

Special thanks goes out to Joe for helping me fix the links that weren't working.

For Sommar

This week has felt like 2 weeks in 1. While I and the rest of Seattle were caught up with the big snow storm and staying at home, a young mother lost her life. Chris and I met Sommar and Mark Kramer last year through participating in the Novice League at the Granite Curling Club. There is something to be said when you get a group of newbies or rookies together at anything. It makes me think fondly of my rookie year with the Husky Marching Band; the same feelings of friendship and unspoken camaraderie ring true for any activity. As some of my friends from Husky Band have been made for life, there is the same feeling of those I have met at the Granite Curling Club. On Sunday afternoons, we would all gather at the GCC and curl, drink and play some dominoes. We'd share stories and tell jokes. At one curling club activity in February, Sommar and Mark came to the club and happily announced that they were expecting a child in November 2006. We were all excited and with the good humor that they have even had a pair of infant Vans shoes (Mark is obsessed with Vans) for their expected new born.

I had seen Sommar off and on throughout the summer generally at other curling events. I think at a few points I even saw her driving around town. When we had some practice ice time in October we had the chance to see Mark and Sommar one more time. Sommar was so excited and truly happy to see and chat with me again. November 20th we all received an email announcing the birth of their son, Casey Nicholas. I was looking forward to seeing them altogether as a family very soon. Then as quickly as Thanksgiving had come and gone and the snow fell -- Sommar Kramer passed away.

I write this not because Sommar and I were best friends, but to remember who she was and how even though I knew her for a short period of time how she has changed my perspective on life. I am sad that I will not get to have an opportunity to know her better; I hope to remember her and how her passing has encouraged me to invest more of myself in my friends. Thanks, Sommar. You will be missed by more people than you can imagine.