Oiche Chiuin

It's Gaelic for "Silent Night" and one of the most beautiful renditions I have ever heard - listen to it, when you get a chance, by Enya (I'm listening as I post).  You will be stirred.

Last year, when I was feeling blue around Christmastime, I resolved to reflect more on that for which I was thankful than that which I lacked.  So starting in January I wrote down one thing each day that caused me to feel thankful.  Of course, as with all resolutions a daily notation turned into a weekly one and then a periodic one.  Nevertheless, it's given me the opportunity to look back at all that made this past year special and wonderful (some of which I list below):

On January 2nd I was thankful for blue skies.
On January 21st I was thankful for Jodi.
On February 6th I was thankful for MJ (who kept me from getting too freaked out over a simple stomach virus)
On February 17th I was thankful for a silent house all to myself.
On February 26th I was thankful for new shoes! (OK that might have been posted a few times during the year...)
On March 2nd I was thankful for a parade that made me smile.
On April 19th I was thankful for all of those in law enforcement.
On May 4th I was thankful for the beautiful tree in front of my house.
On May 18th I was thankful for the chance to celebrate another birthday.
On June 9th I was thankful for my GWB teammates Taryn, Chris, John, Warren, Patricia, Joe and Ryan.
On July 10th I was thankful for being able to experience the beauty of Ireland with Taryn and Lisa.
On July 20th I was thankful for my wonderful neighbors.
On August 24th I was thankful for the mother that taught me to work hard and to look good doing it.
On  September 4th I was thankful for being able to watch Addison grow and learn.
On September 25th I was thankful for the New York Yankees
On October 16th I was thankful for dancing in the street.
On October 26th I was thankful to celebrate Ellen and Mark's wedding with my in-laws.
On November 21st I was thankful for the breathtaking and majestic Mt. Rainier
On November 29th I was thankful for Black Friday!
On December 5th I was thankful for good news following my latest PET Scan.
On December 24th - I am thankful for the stunning planet God has fashioned; for the music that makes me want to dance; for the good fortune to be employed; for another year of (relatively) good health; for the friends and neighbors that have stuck by me for years and continue to provide love and support; for the family that both keeps me sane and drives me insane; and for another opportunity to celebrate both the coming of Santa and the holy birth of Jesus.

Blessings and Love to All.

Baby's In The Mountains

There is something about this mountain that stirs my soul.

Perhaps it is because it is so elusive - rare are the days when it is fully visible in and around the Seattle suburb where my cousin resides and where I most recently enjoyed a weeklong visit.  And yet, there it was day after sunny day just urging me to come for a close-up look.  Lisa and I drove up 5,000 or so feet to a mini-summit (called Paradise no less) for a short hike on a glimmering, snowy trail where we admired the views and felt just a little bit closer to Heaven.

I'd been to Mt. Rainier before, during a long-ago summertime visit when the landscape was green and snow only covered the upper most elevations (14,417 feet for those who enjoy their geography facts).  I fell in love with the mountain back then and every visit to Seattle since has included me scanning the skies for a glimpse of its majesty.  I do believe I have successfully viewed it at least once per visit.  Of course this is probably due to the fact that IT DOES NOT RAIN when I go to Seattle - for some reason, the skies remain relatively clear when I'm there.  Call it one of God's little gifts to me.

This visit wasn't only about Rainier - there was plenty of family time (dinners, board games, meeting my little cousin-nieces Sarah, Bella, Mia and Leanne); a road trip to beautiful and historic Victoria, BC with Lisa and Aunt Barbara (where "I'm HUNGRY!" took on new meaning for us and became a rallying cry for the week); an opportunity to catch up with my high school/college friend Laurie, whose friendship is a true source of happiness in my life - and not just because she helps me remember events that I've forgotten (Mick Jagger's car!) but also because we share more than just glory days memories with each other, we share the joys and challenges of our lives today; and even a boozy, raucous night out where Lisa and I prevailed in a barroom trivia contest (2nd place counts, right?) and yes, had ONE too many drinks (c'mon, how could I resist a drink called the Raindrop in Seattle??).

I came to the mountains and the mountains came to me - mountains of fun, mountains of food, mountains of memories (old and new), and mountains of love.  Now if that's not enough to stir your soul, I don't know what is.

(Note:  A break in this post for a shout-out to Taryn, who interrupted me as I was writing and demanded a mention - that's my Princess!)

Back to it - tomorrow is follow-up PET Scan day.  Results in a couple of weeks when I see my onc.  In the meantime, it's Holiday Party season - 4 of them in the next 10 days.  It's also the beginning of Advent season (probably should've noted that before the whole party thing) and in 23 days the second most celebrated birthday in the world (after mine of course).  O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

Blessings and Love to All.