And another year...

The economists are writing books these days on the shape of the economy. Will the economy be a V, recovering as fast as it fell earlier this past year? Will it be a slower U or a dreadful L or a bouncy W? Regardless, we will ride out the storm financially.

Emotionally, the third year since Drew died has been a ~. It’s the only character on my keyboard that makes sense. A wiggle of sorts. Not a w or a dash but a ~, whatever you call it. Ups and downs.

I had hoped the ups would totally wipe out the downs. And the ups have been big. Each of our kids are doing well and we are surviving the recession intact, busy, and optimistic.

Melissa and Dan were determined to have more kids, and now their ultrasounds of growing twins due in November make the future look so bright. The coming chaos of five kids under four at Christmas is a family legend, even before it happens. Dylan’s joy over trains and playgrounds is uplifting on demand, and he talks for days about "Webrook and Llandi"before and after visits with his cousins and Gram and Suppie.

Mary and Wade are sharing their kids with us in all the right moments – from sleepovers to drop-by hugs to school-bus Mondays. Westbrook’s chatter is a constant hoot – he brightens up every room he enters. Llandis has a smile that is indescribable. I cannot flip through pictures without pausing on her grins and curls and just saying “wow”.

Ben impresses us more each day with his grades, rugby, and a natural leadership trait no longer hidden by birth order. His rugby team was nationally ranked and gave us dozens of fun road trips. He and Laney join family events with regularity and make everyone smile. The grandkids love ‘em.

I am still employed by a company that is still bullish on the future and still a good place to work. Jane remains the uber-volunteer, helping soccer clubs and other local organizations between grandkids and ballgames. The three parents from the greatest generation have some health challenges, but they are still engaged in our lives, even if not playing golf like they used to. The family thankfully has fewer dogs in total. All surgeries were successful on the first or second try this year. Only three of us are in physical therapy, and all three are getting stronger.

We gathered at the Y again for our June 7th picnic and fun and family picture. The competitions for football throwing, frisbee-in-the-trashcan, and can-Ben-really-jump-through-a-rolling-hula hoop would have made Drew proud, even if he would have still won most of the competitions. We enjoyed a perfect morning on a special day, and numerous e-mails and a call from Jordan made it even more special.

Everyone should be so lucky.

The rub comes in very small ways. The snippet of a song, the Bryant Park Soccer Complex sign on Rt 29, the sheepish grin from a spirited three-year-old after a risky leap off the coffee table, the unique sound of certain electronic beeps, the good-looking kid in black sunglasses on a campus sidewalk. So often, after such a snippet of familiarity, Jane and I are quiet awhile, or a day, before one of us says, “I still can’t believe it.”

Thanks for your ongoing support.