2010 Events of the Year

What a year 2010 was.  We celebrated three major life events during the year, went on two kick-butt vacations and enjoyed so many special times with family and friends.  I am not even going to try to pick one best event--whether I wrote about it in the blog or not. But, I do want to write about the Events of 2010 because the year was a truly special year.  And so, in an effort to keep them all on a level playing field, I am calling them the Events of the Year and will try to keep them in chronological order.

So take a moment with me to review the great events of the year.

Lucas. The third grandson and Jeremy and Nicole's first child. The year got off to a grand start right in January with the arrival of Luke. Births always bring the family together--and this one was no exception. We have had the opportunity to watch him grow through this first year of life and develop already into a great kid. He is all in--in everything he does.

Snowpocaplyse. Snow in more amounts than we can remember. The dueling blizzards closed down the region for the better part of two weeks. I wrote a number of blog items about the snow but one of the coolest things that happened was the impromptu Super Bowl party we hosted for the neighborhood because we were all trapped by the snow and could not get out to our planned parties. We learned a lot about our neighbors and the whole neighborhood came closer together as a result of the blizzards.

Napa. The first of out two kick butt vacations of the year. Our first trip to Napa and a great time with Pennie and Scott. Not just wine--but natural beauty and wonder as well. It was a great week in a great place.

Jax clean bill of health.Jax went through some really tough medical testing during May. He was sick and they tested him for so many different diseases and syndromes that we had to continually remind ourselves that the doctors were searching for a needle in a haystack--or in this case Jax's blood. In  the end, God provided the answer through all of the testing--there is nothing abnormally wrong with Jax--no disease and no syndrome. He was just having a rough time.

The Wedding. The planning, the talking, the execution. It was simply elegant. We enjoyed the union of Tina and Patrick--and a beautiful June day in Baltimore with family and friends. Everyone contributed to this day in some way and that is what made it so special. Plus--the reception was a fun experience and the after-reception party was fun as well.

Florida Vacation. I love Florida and Jupiter. What more needs to be said? A week with Nicole and Mike and the boys followed by a week with Mary and Fran in an awesome place. We survived a glancing blow from a hurricane, swam with sharks and manatees, went on a safari, snorkeled and really enjoyed ourselves. There are so many blog entries on this that it is easy to get the flavor of how much I enjoyed my time away from the grind of life.

Ethan Off to School. A momentous event in every child's life. E is now firmly in the grip of the public school system.  And the reward--E-day. Wednesday afternoons Ethan and I get some alone time which I call E-day when I get to provide after-school care.

Wine Weekend with Friends. A mini-vacation in October when our friends accompanied us for an overnight to Charlottesville, VA to visit the wineries and reengage with some history.

Thanksgiving Family Gathering. Mom and Dad made one of their infrequent visits to Maryland to celebrate Thanksgiving with us. And we did celebrate. Patrick won the annual Axis and Allies tournament that we hold the day after Thanksgiving and everyone had a great time. Nicole and Mike hosted a great meal on "the day," and we overdosed on football and desserts.


Consensus Wine Blending. Read the blog entry. Chris and I did this last year and determined we wanted to win this year--and we did. This day is just great fun.

Christmas. Family, friends and fun. We gathered together a couple of times--Christmas Eve breakfast, church, Christmas Day presents and dinner. A truly special celebration of Christ's birth.

And there you have them--the Events of 2010.  All of them special and important. They, together, are the winners for the best events of the year.