Happy New Year!

Hello dear family from beautiful Miami. We welcomed in the new year on Grandma and Grandpa's balcony where we could see fireworks from all parts of the city. Yet, no matter how hard I try, I just can't believe it is the holiday season even as I put up and took down the Christmas decorations. But we are having a wonderful time being here with my parents and enjoying this unique culture and scenery. On December 30th, Dad and I packed a lunch and headed out for the day. Our journey took us to the Florida Keys, though we didn't make it all the way to Key West, the furthest southern point in the United States. But we drove about half way through the Keys, stopping to watch the tarpon feed in Islamirada, havng lunch by the Atlantic, and watching a parasailor in the Gulf of Mexico. How strange for us that the water in the Atlantic is so warm and where are the waves? And to walk for 100 feet out and still only be in knee deep water... all so different from the Pacific and certainly different from any holiday experience as we had to cover ourselves from the hot sun! We ended the day at Miami Beach where we walked along the boardwalk under the crescent moon and listened to the different languages spoken... I don't think we heard English once!

On December 19th, Grandma & Grandpa took us to a performance by Seraphic Fire and Firebird Chamber Orchestra of Handel's Messiah at the Arsht Performing Arts Center in Miami (our Christmas present). It was an unforgettable experience for both of us. We were so uplifted by the beautiful voices and musicians who interpreted the words and music so beautifully. It is hard to express just how wonderful that experience was.

Grandma & I had fun preparing our Christmas Eve dinner complete with turkey & dressing, gravy, southern cooked green beans, scalloped pineapple, sweet potato casserole, and the infamous green stuff! It was not our traditional chili, nor was it a night of caroling (we did call Steve Hagler the next night and sung happy birthday to him), but it was a wonderful time together... our 1st Christmas with my parents since Dad and I married. And very different from the Christmas they were having back in Canby... 14 inches of snow and the worst storm since 1968. In a way, we were sorry not to experience that, but we will get over it!!! Some other memories include:

Special Christmas gifts, our morning swims with Grandpa, even one morning when Grandma came down for a few minutes, this amazing "resort", more relaxing in the Keys, including a Key Largo sun setting (we didn't stay for the whole event),

So... happy new year from Florida. We are soooo grateful to have seen Jason, Nikki, Bekah, and James on our way here and count that as a very tender mercy. We are grateful that Angie has been there in Chicago with them and are mindful of her travels home today. We are grateful that Doug and Emily are with Emily's family, having had special moments with a brother-in-law and brother who recently left for Afghanistan and a mission and enjoying that new niece and all wonderful Bingham family. And we are grateful that Russ and Anne, Kaylee and Ashlyn are making memories with Anne's family and are there to help Anne's Dad as he recovers from his sledding accident (ouch!) and that we will see them next Tuesday for our last 4 days away from home!

We are also grateful for the past year that has brought new challenges and blessings and we look forward to 2009 with hope and anticipation of more growth and blessings. We love you all!

MOM and DAD