Los Altos, California
I often hope that we adequately express our gratitude to family and friends for the assistance they give us. These thoughts occur even more often at times like these, when it is customary to stop and take stock of life. Like seems the case every year, we received an enormous amount of help in our 2004 endeavors, in particular our upstairs bedroom remodeling projects. In that respect, our direct thanks to Dave Van Driesche, Dave Morrison, Dennis Scott, Matt Ogle, and Joe Kann.
My parents deserve huge kudos for the time they’ve spent with Jonah. I dare say they enjoy most of it, but that hardly lessens the debt we owe them for offering us times of relief from watching the boy. I love Jonah to death, but if I had to watch him 24/7 I’d go frickin’ bonkers. So thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Davison for helping to keep me more sane than I’d otherwise be.
In the last week we’ve enjoyed immensely the opportunity to visit our California-based family and friends. After Christmas part 2 with the Lillys and the Petersons on Sunday morning, we drove up to Petaluma and saw Joe and Helen that afternoon. We spent much of Monday with our friends Shan and Heather and their beautiful baby boy Marcus. Tuesday morning we shared a waffle breakfast with Jennie (Jon was busy working at Apple). That afternoon, Bernard and I visited Shan at work for a tour of his solar power company. We followed that up by geeking out at Fry’s Electronics.
Wednesday saw a trip to Dublin to visit Maurice and Debi and receive inside and outside tours of their new home. Remodeling is in progress, but what’s been accomplished is spectacular and what’s to come looks amazing as well. We dined at a local Indian restaurant, Jonah continuing his trend of packing away food like there’s no tomorrow. We spent Thursday with our nephew Jared, though I snuck out for a bit to visit our friends the Michael and Marilyn and offer a little Mac-centric computer help. I also took an extended nap in the afternoon, catching up with all the sleep that’d escaped in the previous few days. In the evening, the everyone assembled at my brother-in-law Mark’s mom’s house to watch the Cal Bears refuse to consistent run the football and thus lose badly in the Holiday Bowl. The Cal Bear fans in attendance, which is to say almost everyone, where less than pleased—especially since the Bears were two touchdown favorites.
We breakfasted and spent the day today with our friends Brian, Debbie and their daughter Erin. Brian’s a philosophy and religion teacher, so conversations are invariably interesting and enlightening.
Looking back not only at the week just passed, but also at the year that was 2004, I can’t help but be thankful for all of those with whom we’ve connected or crossed paths. The world has in most respects gotten worse in 2004, and the continuing incompetence of the United States political leaders makes it unlikely that we’ll see a change any time soon. Despite this—or maybe because of it—I continue to feel blessed personally. SiteRev.com has posted its best year ever, I’ve watched Jonah grow and helped in that process, and Erin and I have Baby Davison #2 on the way. How can I feel anything but gratitude? Thank you and best wishes.