nothing original

Your card should stand up like this:

December 2014

Hi everyone.

I’ve actually started this Christmas letter several times. I’ve had to revise several times – almost to the point of not having a letter. Then I remembered I have to make up for last year; and being a trifecta anniversary year, I guess I’m obligated to write something up.

Vanessa turned 20 this year. (I, too, feel old.) She continues to attend school as a “super senior”; this is her last year. She is currently in a School–to–Work program through the county. It’s a transition program before the state agency takes over to make sure she has a viable job once she finishes school. Vanessa works at a local café doing janitorial work three days a week. We set her up with ACCESS bus, King County Metro Transit for persons with disabilities.

Chris and I have been married for 20 years. (If you weren’t already feeling old by the last paragraph.) We celebrated by going to Las Vegas for a weekend. We stayed at the Bellagio and had a view of the fountains from our room. Had dinner at Le Cirque and then went to see Cirque du Soleil’s “O”. Talk about people who absolutely love their job. Speaking about jobs… I got my 20-year service award from Green River. Like I said: Trifecta anniversary. Only 20-some-odd more years of work (depends if the government changes the retirement age again), then maybe I can think about retiring! Actually, retirement talk is quite depressing when you have to think in decades for it to become reality.

About the boy we call Logan. We get to start off from just before Christmas last year. He had to get some dental work done, but because he enjoys biting, turning, basically avoiding, we have to put him under anesthesia. So, we met with UW Pediatric School of Dentistry, then off to Children’s Hospital for his procedure. He did well. He did well for his follow up too. We were all surprised. Logan ended this year with a double-whammy. He got both rhinovirus and influenza A. He vomited and couldn’t keep his meds down, and we ended up at Children’s Hospital this December.

Chris still works for Seattle Bindery as a driver, and he still works for Green River doing sound for the drama department and family theater. Vanessa still gets to go with him to all the family theater rehearsals and shows. It’s such a treat for her. Chris started working with a band, transporting, setting up, and doing their sound. It’s a lot of fun for him.

Me, I had an eventful year at work. If you didn’t know, I am a shop steward for our Union. I got to be on the hiring committee to look for a new Vice President of Human Resources and Legal Affairs earlier in the spring. That was stressful. I was also on the collective bargaining negotiations team over the summer representing our college. Our contract is grouped with 12 other colleges (coalition) and each college sends representatives. We have a head negotiator that speaks to the head negotiator for the State, who sits alongside with the College representatives. That was more stressful. And if this wasn’t enough from work, at home I’m Vanessa’s legal guardian and representative payee for Social Security. This equates to lots and lots of paperwork with deadlines I have to deal with. At the end of summer a lady didn’t like my car and did this to it:

I had Logan in the car with me, and he was in the backseat where the car took the most damage. He’s fine, but my back wasn’t. It’s a good thing I’ve been going to massage therapy and the gym. I think both combined helped me heal faster.

Earlier this month, another lady didn’t like Chris’ car either. So, both of us got new wheels – well, I got a 2014 Civic Hybrid; Chris got a 2005 Odyssey – and car payments to go with (hooray of the economy!).

The year is almost over and we can’t wait. Honestly, we like having boring years.

Happy Holidays!