Christmas greetings

Well, it's Christmas day and I'm catching up on blogging while Samuel takes a late-afternoon nap. The noises in the background are the drone of a fan (it's still 78 degrees Fahrenheit at 6:45 p.m.) and the whirr of cicadas in the mango tree outside our house.

You won't find in this particular blog entry what you're probably expecting: a photo of Samuel in a cute Christmasy outfit (it's too hot and humid for much more than a diaper anyway), or opening presents (typical Christmas celebrations in Santa Cruz place less emphasis on gifts than they often do in the States), or stockings and a Christmas tree (sandals and palm trees being more typical here in Santa Cruz this time of year). We spent Christmas Eve with our former MCC coworkers Yovana and Martín and their kids; we ate the traditional midnight meal with them and exchanged congratulatory hugs to the sound of the fireworks the neighborhood kids were setting off. The only picture I managed to take was of Samuel and baby Alison (who is about three months older than him) lying next to each other on Yovana and Martín's bed--Alison had just started crying and Samuel was just about to. An image of crying babies doesn't come close to capturing what was really a very pleasant night of conversation and good food (stuffed chicken, roast beef, fried rice, salads, fruitcake, and bubbling cider, in case you were wondering!) spent with good friends.

I guess the problem is that the gifts I'm most grateful for this Christmas are hard to capture on film. A son whose adoring eyes follow me around the room, making me feel like the most important person on earth. A husband who's within months of finishing his law degree, an accomplishment we both take pride in. Parents and siblings whom I respect and whose company I enjoy more (though mostly by email or phone these days) with each passing year.

So merry Christmas, all—I hope, that is, that despite the differences in the weather and the ways we’ve celebrated this year, you’ve been able to enjoy life’s good gifts with people you love.