Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! May blessings rain abundantly in the new year, as well as peace and glad tidings, wherever they may find you.
The end of 2009 and beginning of 2010 found us in a new area of the country. Craig and I relocated to northern Virginia from southern California, settling in Falls Church. We moved into a townhome in December 2009...and spent the next two months shoveling 55" of snow (a total of 4700 cubic feet). It's true what they say, "Be careful for what you ask for", seeing as how my wish for seasons came to me in spades. Craig arrived here in Jan of 2009 for a new job, but with tying off loose ends with the house in California, my cancer treatment and surgeries, it was December before I made it out here.
I returned to San Diego for another surgery in March, stayed there until the 1st of April, returned for Easter and then the end of the month my mom came to visit the East for 10 days. I had another minor surgery here in the area as I had a small issue (see earlier blogs) and the area took it's sweet time but, healed(7 weeks but hey whose counting?). As we moved into summer, our calendars were nothing short of full; Brian studied in London, Kevin studied in Germany and made his own European tour (alone!), and then on a very happy note, Craig and I celebrated 25 years of marriage this past July! We celebrated with a visit to family in Louisville, KY, and afterword I flew down to Florida with Kevin for a reunion with my sisters/celebration of Heather's 40th. Craig's travels took him to St. Louis a couple of times, and the fall found even more activity in the Hardy house!
We moved again, this time into the City of Falls Church proper. We spent 10 months in the townhome, before a wonderful early October email from the landlords, in which we were informed that they were to be transferred back to the northern Virginia area. Hence their need for us to vacate the property by the end of November. Soo, we moved yet again. Then I broke my arm and wrist while walking the dogs! Nonetheless, I managed to move the entire home (with some help from the movers and family) from a 4 bedroom house into a 3 bedroom house. With a bit of maneuvering of furniture and a storage unit, we've downsized from over 3300 square feet in November 2009 to 1700 square feet in November 2010! Well, with the kids gone, who needs all of those unused rooms anyway!
Christmas was especially nice this year, as we got to have both Brian and Kevin home for the Holiday. Brian had been unable to make Christmas day 2009, but visited for a short few days in January of this year. He spent a whole two weeks with us this December – though he and Kevin made sure they enjoyed a 3 day jaunt to New York City. It's been a wonderful holiday season, and I really can't wait to start the new year! My sister Sue will be flying out on the 7th of January for a 10 day visit, which of course includes a great day for me, my birthday on the 10th.
Annddd now for the individual downloads:
Craig's job out here is with SAIC. Though his office was in McLean, they moved to Springfield, Virginia in September, while executing a re-compete for the contract on which Craig works. This was to be awarded in October, but got pushed all the way back to December 23! As a nice little Christmas kick-in-the-???, SAIC had in fact lost the contract. Hopefully Craig's job will remain secure, but now we play the waiting game to see if the new award picks him up. Another possibility sees him getting on another contract here in the area with SAIC. Only time will tell, but he asked me about Monterrey the other day...I responded with "Don't be throwing a California Carrot in front of my nose." Everything works out in its rightful way, and who knows, we could be moving again soon! Kevin has said, "I feel like you're some sort of traveling show...not spending too long in any one home, just hop-scotching around making appearances." Well, perhaps there's some truth in that: catch the Hardy's while you can! We're only around for a limited time!
Brian's Architecture and Photography studies at Woodbury University are occupying almost all of his time! He is loving his studies though, especially photography. He of course knows everything about any building we now come across, has a very distinct opinion on the ones that he doesn't care for, and isn't afraid or ashamed to sound off in the slightest. It's been the same all his life! He seems to have absolutely loved studying in London over the summer; so much so in fact, he's now looking into studying next year in either Düsseldorf or Buenos Aires for his 4A semester (4th year, 1st semester). He's only one chance to do it, and although we've said, "Time and money. Time.and.money.", I'm sure he'll make the choice that he really wants. It was fantastic to have him for 15 days, celebrating Christmas as one big crazy Hardy family, of course!
Kevin is still at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. He just finished his first semester of his Junior year – only 3 semester's to go! He still says he has no idea what he wants to do "in real life", but seems intent on living in New York or Europe after school. Part of this definitely comes from his enjoying his summer studies in Germany. He was able to travel around Europe for 3-and-1/2 weeks after his 5-week Georgetown program, visiting various sights and cities, and reuniting with his brother in London for 4 days and Vienna for one night. He did realize while traveling on his own, that though it was enlightening, having no one to share all of the experiences, or take pictures with was a little lonely at times. He says he's intent on going again after he completes his undergraduate studies. His "Culture and Politics" studies are keeping him very busy and his marketing job at Georgetown's student-run corporation, The Corp, is going very well. The struggle of time-management is a constant in his life, though he's already begun the search for summer internships! He always seems to be concocting some sort of plan; we're excited and proud to see which, of the hundreds of life paths he's dreamed up since the age of 3, he starts to take!
As for myself, a bit of work found me from May to the end of the year. I contracted with a professional services company that works on government contracts, helping them set up their offices and personnel procedures. Once again, I found myself doing mostly accounting! I just couldn't shake it, apparently. However, I've finally hung up my accounting hat! I learned through this experience that I want to do some organizing of companies that have a non-profit element or interest. I think that would be a better use of my time, doing some good for people or companies that have a purpose outside profit. Then in November, in a just-my-luck moment, I broke my arm and wrist walking the dogs on the W&OD trail (a great multipurpose trail from Arlington in the East to way out West). Surprisingly, I actually didn't have to wear a cast. As the break happened at the radial head of the elbow, casting would have caused the elbow's immobilization, or "freezing the joint". Though the ortho doctor told me I could only lift a coffee cup with that hand/arm I smiled and said "yeh that's going to work". Again though, I did still have to move the house and settle most of it. A lot of help came from Craig and Kevin, and of course Robin and the twins – Mike was busy at the offices. My cousins Fred and Jennifer were a marvelous help as well, and of course the moving company pitched in. Kevin and Brian both decorated the tree and helped moving things around, although movement in our "little home" is on a one-way track! Craig did say to me the night before Brian arrived (which was just 3 weeks from the move date), "I keep saying this but you always manage to make us a nice home, Deb"! Okay, 2 things to note about that comment, 1)why do I need to keep making us a home? and 2)where is that couch with the bon bons? Thank you, dear for your kind thoughts!
I know that we may have once again packed this download with too much information, but I know that we have been blessed beyond our limits this year! God is good and still in our lives, especially at this time of year. We truly appreciate our friends, family and thank you all for your friendship, love and prayers!
God bless and have the happiest of New Year's.
Deb, Craig, Brian & Kevin
