Oh, I Can’t Always Be A Grump

Christmas was kind of a mixed bag this year. On the negative side were the monkey wrenches that a series of unexpected events threw into the works. On the positive was the first Christmas snow the DC area has seen since Die Hard 2.

Not all of the unexpected events were negative in and of themselves; Christmas Eve saw the birth of my first nephew, for example (congratulations, Pete and Dena). But for the most part, we were contending with sudden illnesses, late-arriving presents, and the like. After all was said and done, though, I think we ended on a fairly positive note — and by that I mean the kids were happy. It’s amazing how much your outlook can change. Before I had kids, I’d always assumed people were exaggerating when they said how their primary concern was making the kids happy. Oh, sure, it’s a nice sentiment, but a little too rosy for life in the real world. Seeing my girls — who are now both old enough to really “get it” — light up on Christmas morning truly changed my mind. And believe me, I’m the most surprised of anyone to hear a confirmed cynic like myself say that.

Hope everyone’s having a wonderful holiday season, and I’ll see you all next year.