Though I still haven't finished my Christmas letter, which I send or e-mail to family and friends whether they like it or not, for 2008, I realized I hadn't posted last year's effort, which gives a blow-by-blow account of my 2007.
So here it is:
December, 2007
Actually I decided to start my Christmas letter in August, so I don’t know how this year will turn out yet, but that makes it kind of exciting.
My whole family, Jenny, Lawrence, Lily and Matt, spent Christmas in Joseph last year. So far they’ve been here for all three of Lily’s Christmases, but because it falls on Tuesday in 2007, they won’t be able to make it this year. Lily didn’t have a Christmas tree at her house last Christmas (because they knew they were coming here), so I left most of the decorating for her on “Lily’s tree.” The fact that the ornaments were all clumped at Lily-level made it all the more special. My special present to her was a pink Fischer-Price digital camera that takes real photos, because she always wanted to get her hands on mine.
The big news of 2007 was the birth of Adeline Faith Herman on July 2, 2007, weighing in at 6 lbs. and 2 ounces. I missed her birth by one day, and it was over a month before I met my beautiful new little granddaughter in person.
In January, I scheduled a vacation for the last week in June (I had to use it by July 1 or lose the vacation time). Addie’s due date was June 27, but since Lily was two weeks early, we didn’t expect her to be late. So I kept very-pregnant Jenny company and spent very quality time with Lily, who had switched from calling me “Grandma Lanie” to “Grammy” by the end of the week (we had lots of fun, though Jenny told me to quit letting her boss me around.)
July and August is always VERY busy at work, and Lawrence’s parents arrived from New Jersey for two weeks to help Jenny and Lawrence out , so it turned out to be toward the end of August before I met sweet, sweet little Addie in person. She is a smiley, beautiful, blue-eyed, almost bald baby.
Work has not been fun this year, because of all the transitions that have gone on. When all the smoke settled, there was me, who had worked at the Chieftain 28-29 years and office manager Cheryl, with six years. At present, everyone else have barely a year or less seniority. It’s been a hard year.
A highlight of the year was the annual Blanchet Ranch LLC meeting and family gathering over Memorial Day weekend. All my siblings were there, and a good representation of nieces and nephews. Jenny and Lawrence didn’t come because of her advanced pregnant state, but Matt came from Eugene, bringing along one of his housemates, Majid from Saudi Arabia, who enjoyed meeting everyone. Another highlight was the wedding of my sister’s oldest son, Titus, to a beautiful young woman named Ruth at the end of June near Salem (they are now living in Korea and expecting a baby in May); her next to oldest son, David, was married to another lovely lady, Zyana, in San Antonio, Texas, in May.
Still another high point : the extended Blanchet Family reunion at Hilegaard State Park. It was fun seeing many of my cousins and their kids. Kim Futter was there with her baby, Dylan, and husband, who met the family for the first time. Both Aunt Cressie (and Uncle Carmon) and Aunt La France were happily there; next year we’re going to plan the reunion around Aunt La France’s 90th birthday in June -- so attendance is mandatory for all generations of the family!!!!
Dec. 2, 2007
Other 2007 happenings: I bought the Chieftain’s old work car, a maroon 2000 Subaru wagon, this spring. My newest ever rig. … I took my third week (and final) week of vacation for the year in October to coincide with Lily’s third birthday (she’s a big girl now) and then spent a relaxing few days in Lincoln City in an off-season room over the ocean.
Matt was a contract wild fire fighter this summer and fall, finishing off with the big fires in California (he drove a truck to the Witch fire in the San Diego area and back with PatRick Inc.); his cousins Dan, Hailey and Andrea from Pendleton, who work for a different outfit, ended up there, also.
Both kids, son-in-law and two granddaughters came for a fun time for Thanksgiving this year, since Christmas seems unlikely.
Work is still topsy-turvy (we moved to a new building in September and a new editor started two weeks ago), but I’m hanging in there. Hope to see you all in 2008,
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year,
Elane (aka Lanie)
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