Christmas, 2007
One of the deals I make with myself is that I will complete this letter before we setup the Christmas tree. Looking at the family calendar I realized that the only time slot available for getting our tree is this coming Sunday. Yikes! I guess I’d better get typing…
If you recall, one of the deals I make with you is that you have to sit down to read this. I sat down to write it; you need to sit down, and relax for the few minutes it takes to read it. Remember, even if you absolutely abhor “Holiday Letters”, kick back for a minute or two and pretend. It will feel great and is probably the best present you will get today!
Are you sitting? (Santa knows if you’re cheating!)
I was thinking about where to start. I try not to look back at past letters (to avoid copyright issues), so I don’t know if I traditionally begin with the oldest and work back or start with the youngest and work forward. It occurs to me that Billy would never be first unless I started thinking outside of the box. So…
Billy is a sophomore at Marymount University. He is currently majoring in Mathematics, but has decided to transfer to Virginia Tech next fall. He is also seriously considering a change of majors to International Studies. Recently, he has been learning Russian and enjoying his Econ courses more than pure math classes. He tried to transfer to VT over the summer but the school had more students accept (in spite of the tragic shootings). He is currently waiting to hear if he has been accepted starting in the summer semester.
In the interim, he is driving to VT often to maintain contact with a large community of friends. Other than the excessive mileage he is putting on the car, we are thrilled. He appears happier than I’ve seen him in years!
Jim is a senior and is in the final months of his tenure at Carnegie Mellon. Or is he?? Jim applied for a leave of absence from the Navy so that he can spend an additional year at Mellon to get his Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering. The Navy doesn’t have to grant this wish. Jim has been accepted into the nuclear power program and I can imagine that they want to send him off to their school so that they can ship him off to sea.
I hope that they allow him to take the leave of absence. He has scheduled his wedding for June 21st and if the Navy commissions him this May, he is likely going to be in the midst of a school that makes CMU look easy by comparison. Whatever the decision, I hope they let him know soon. He and Lizzie are trying to make honeymoon plans and they only have quicksand upon which to lay the foundation!
If you have not yet met Lizzie, she is our future daughter-in-law. She graduated from Georgetown last May in their school of Foreign Service. She is currently working on her Masters of Arts in Islamic Studies. A Saudi friend of ours recently invited us to his home. Jim and Lizzie happened to be in town and joined us at the home of Irfan and Gazwa. Gazwa’s mother was also in town and spoke no English. Irfan was amazed when Lizzie was able to hold a conversation with her. He kept saying “I can’t believe I am hearing this from a short blonde woman!”
We are delighted that she has decided to join our family and couldn’t be happier that she and Jim have found each other!
Allison is finishing up 8th grade. She had Confirmation the end of November, with my sister-in-law Margee as her sponsor. She chose “Albert” as her confirmation name after St. Albert the Great, the patron saint of Math and Science. (I am sure it had nothing to do with the fact that Albert is her nickname on the softball team.) In any event, she is now officially Albert the Great!
Softball still appears to be her life. Jon calls it a cult and seems to think that we should attempt an ‘intervention’ (or exorcism!). As long as she maintains her grades and appears to be having a good time playing, I’m happy. (I’m less thrilled that she is also playing on two basketball teams as well, but that is for another letter!)
Jon is still playing hockey (on three teams), so I almost never see him at bedtime since most of his games are 11pm. It keeps him in shape and not too beat up, so I guess I have nothing to complain about. When he is not on the ice he appears to be spreading the ‘Gospel of the Internet’ to our friends and family. He is constantly setting up websites and mailing lists for people. I think he operates over two dozen domains. One of his most recent is www.30gardens.com where he placed his mother’s family scrapbook on-line. He also has become the photographer for Albert’s softball team. You can see zillions of softball photos at www.stars93.com. Of course the crack house pictures are still at www.grasmeder.com. (He tells me this letter will go there, but I am not sure he’ll ever get around to putting it on the web.)
In his spare time he continues to mentor high school students in the art of building robots. His team, the Dead Robot Society, took first place last year in the DC regional completion. Jon wanted to take the team (and us) to Nationals in Hawaii, but the team couldn’t afford the trip. It was a shame, because it really was a great team! I bet they would have done quite well.
As for me, I am still busy as a beaver as the Training Manager for a 350 person team. I love my job, but I sure could use a few more days of vacation! Between Allison’s softball tournaments and taking Mom to doctor appointments; I always seem to be teetering on the brink of “zero days of leave.”
Speaking of Mom, she is doing quite well. She is a real worker bee around the house. She has always done the laundry, and recently she has stepped in to work on the dishes. I don’t know what I would do without her.
One sad bit of news; Aunt Winnie passed away this March. She passed peacefully in her sleep. I think her body finally just gave up. It was sad, but we all realize that she enjoyed a long and vibrant life. We threw a great wake to celebrate her life. I’m sure that she would have loved it!
As you celebrate this Christmas season, reach out to your family and friends. Give them a big hug and tell them how much you care. Do it today!
Have a Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year!!
Maria
(703) 433-2323