Happy New Year

I wish you all a wonderful New Year. 2008 was a year of firsts for us, and a year full of amazement and wonder. I got to see my grandchild just moments after she was born, and was the first person to hold her hand. I always thought that I would be the strong, solid as a rock, grandpa, who fixed things and helped her learn the important things like riding a horse. Well in those few seconds that she squeezed my finger just moments after her birth I found that she has PawPaw wrapped around her finger from day one. She captured my heart with that little squeeze. And now every time I see her, as she grows, I find that I am swept up in her tears and her smiles. What a mush I am sometimes.
But I'll take it. The second amazing thing about 2008 was to have my youngest daughter, Lisa, contact me to begin bridging the gap that has existed between us for the past 15 years, or more. Imagine the wonder in the heart of a father to see their long lost child, only to realize that the parent was the long lost one. It is going to be slow going but just being back in touch has brought me an amazing amount of joy.
These have been the joys of 2008, and I can only imagine the joys that are in store for us all in 2009. Since there has been so much good come to me in the last year I can only imagine that the next year can only get better. I wish all of you the best of years and all the love I can convey on a silly computer.
HAPPY NEW YEAR