Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Wow! 2010 is here already. It doesn't seem that long ago we were talking about Y2K.

Thinking back over the last year, it has been a pretty good year for me. My health has been good (thank You, Lord). I had some aches and pains, but overall, that's to be expected.

Some highlights for me were traveling to Germany in May to see Rachel, Josiah and Annika while Hans was away in Afghanistan. I had a wonderful time with them and got to video conference with Hans a couple of times while there. In June I flew to Branson, Missouri, to spend a very nice weekend with my friends, Jim and Lil. Then in June my sister and I flew out to Seattle to see Heidi, Chad and Marshall, and their Golden Retriever, Brian. Again, I had a blast! I don't get to see my grandkids that often, so when I do, I try to make the most of it.

I'm thankful that Peder and Sarah live nearby so I can see them often. This past year Aurelia, now 2 years old, started spending parts of a weekend with me now and then. That has been a joy. She is delightful to have around. I enjoy seeing what she remembers from having been here before. She always greets my canary, Peppi. She always plays the piano for a little bit. She never takes things out without first asking. I even took her to church a couple of times and she was an angel!

In July, some of my family members and I went to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. We were pleased at the professionalism of the local actors. Labor Day weekend, another family trip took me to the Springfield, Illinois, area to tour the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and New Salem, the town in which Lincoln lived before marrying. That was a fabulous trip!

In October, Heidi and her family came to Minnesota and Wisconsin for a visit and I got to spend a few days with them. That was another highlight. Also in October, I became a grandma for the 5th time! William Friedrich was born to Hans and Rachel. I haven't met him yet, but in his pictures, he's a doll! Oh, and I learned on Christmas Eve that Peder and Sarah are expecting a baby boy around the end of April. That gives me 4 grandsons and 2 granddaughters! Isn't that fun?!

I love it that so many in my family have blogs and share them with the rest of us. It's been a great way for us to stay close and connected.

Life is good. I'm happy and hope you are too.