Hey, y'all

Hi friends, and happy new year!

It's 2009, can we remember to write it on our checks? People over 50 are allowed to forget more often because the years run faster for us.

A "new" "year" is of course totally made up, a construct that we consider "REAL" because so many people go along with it. Every day and even within a day, we have the chance to choose how and who we are going to be. We have the chance to reinvent ourselves, as they say. (I read a piece about that today. I will send it to you if you ask me.)

I am so fortunate to have you in my family, and I want you to know that I love and appreciate you, each one. One resolution for me is to write or speak with you more often.

From Christmas Eve day through January 4, I have not gone to work at the jail. I think the Correctional officers are really jealous. Of course some of them had to work on Christmas and all the holidays, just like nurses. I have been busy being a host and tour guide to our guests, one from Saudi Arabia and the other from South Korea. We have had good conversations and meals at homestyle restaurants from both countries. We went to Muslim prayers, funky Lutheran (with swingin' songs), not so traditional Christmas Eve at Morgan Park Pres, and 3 hours at Trinity UCC, Obama's former congregation. Great music. Decent sermon. Long examination, two or three questions to each (yes, in the service) of 12 deacons being ordained.

We have had all the weather you could have in Chicago except summer. Bitter cold, snow storm, sleet, cold and clear, 40-50 degrees, rain. When they came, the landscape was covered with snow, but now the grass is totally visible.

On Jan 12, I plan to go to a writing workshop. I need to write something for the teacher to critique. So I plan to reflect on my life in the past year. A non-blog blog, I would say.

We had a full house on Christmas and we watched fireworks down by the lakfront on a very chilly NEw Year's Eve. It was fun.

More eating scheduled for today. At a home with so much Christmas decor, it could be a museum of American Christmas decorations. The goodbye party for the International Students we have had in our homes for 2 weeks. :) :( Like any other good thing, sad for it to end, ready for life to be more routine and normal.

God's blessings continue for all of you. We are so blessed with health, intelligence, opportunity and basic needs of life. I ask that the Creator guide my steps, embolden me to be Connie untrammeled (!) and serve in the world with joy. I ask God for that for you too. ONly not to be CONNIE, rather to be ANdrea, Trale, Becky and Stephen, etc.

LOVE

CONNIE