In Review

As 2006 fades into memory, I have time and purpose to reflect. 2006 has been a big year for us. Moving 1700 miles from the only home we'd ever known was a big adventure. To put it in perspective, from the time I was two-years-old until the day we moved, I'd had the same mail man, George. I remember running to greet him when I was a kid. And, then when Scott and I found out that he'd be our mailman on Vista Grand, that sealed the deal. Incidentally, I had the same UPS man, Bob, my whole life too. As funny as it sounds, I miss Bob and George and the Safeway clerks, Tom and Ken, as much as I miss my friends.

But, honestly, San Leandro never felt like home as much as Bismarck does and I've only been here six months and nine days. I don't know my mailman's name and the UPS man is fairly grumpy. The clerks at Super Wal-Mart weren't trained by my Baba in the 1950s like the clerks at Safeway. When I introduce myself as Kristy WOLFER Rose, no one asks me if I'm Dave and Karen's daughter. Strangers don't stop me on the street to see if I'm Ruth Orluck's grand-daughter. "Oh you look just like Ruth," they'd always say. And while I miss these things, there are more things to love about my new life here.

Someone once said that I sound a bit defensive about my new home in Bismarck. And why shouldn't I be when people back in California, most of whom have never visited ND, make derogatory comments or question our mental capacity for making such a decision? Most people extract all their "knowledge" of North Dakota from the movie Fargo. Though I like the Coen Brothers' movies, and people up here have unique accents (I'm catching it), that's about the extent of it. NONE of the scenes were actually shot in Fargo. Most of the movie was shot in the Coens' home state, Minnesota. Some was shot in a tiny town on the northeast border of ND, very near to Canada and Minnesota.

The fact of the matter is ND is not for everyone. That's why there are 40% less people in our entire state than in San Jose. There isn't a lot of diversity except for Germans, Norwegians, Ukrainians, Polish and Native Americans. There isn't much nightlife, but there is a lot of wildlife. We've had deer, geese, wild turkeys and even a badger in our yard. We do have cold weather, and we have gotten snow. But, we only get 1/10th the snow of Lake Tahoe; Bismarck schools haven't even had a snow day in five years.

If you don't mind being without a Ross or Trader Joe's, and if you would like to leave your car unlocked and know it will be there upon your return, then you might like it here. If you do visit and don't like it, that's okay. There are many places I've been that I haven't liked. And, if you still think we're crazy for moving here, you're right. You won't like it here. But that's okay because we Dakotans are trying to keep the population of our state to a comfortable 650,000.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoy this blessed holiday and spend it doing the things you enjoy, in places of special meaning, with the ones you love. After all, when you peel back the layers of presents, cookies, and eggnog, Christmas celebrations are about love and family, whether that family is blood-bound or not.

Christmas is coming...

Can you believe Christmas will be here in only 7 days? As the days tick down to my favorite holiday there is much to do around the Rose homestead.
We have activities going on three nights this week plus lots of baking for me to do. This year, I'm doing three kinds of candy, four kinds of cookies and a traditional fruitcake for Scott and Pops. Adam will be helping too!

Christmas this year will of course be different. Like Thanksgiving, it will be quieter and more relaxed. And for the first time since Scott and I met, we get to stay home for most of the two days! Christmas Eve, we'll go to church in the morning then do a special Christmas craft with Adam. In the evening, we'll go to Grammy & Pops' Place and have Turducken for dinner and open presents. We'll also partake in the Wolfer tradition of snowballs and "Silent Night". On Christmas morn, everyone will come here for breakfast complete with aebelskivers, a Rose family tradition. The rest of the day will be for relaxation and playing with presents.

We both continue to be grateful for the friends God has brought us in our new hometown. This last week alone we had five different social events with new friends. The coming week brings Couples night tonight, our church-sponsored viewing of "The Nativity Story" on Tuesday, church Christmas dinner on Wednesday, and Christmas caroling on Friday.

New friends are a wonderful gift from God but old friends are cherished gifts also. We think about you all often. Merry Christmas!

Oops. I'm not perfect.

I have a confession to make. I'm not perfect, though sometimes I want to think that I am. Or, maybe want you to think. But, today, I was hit with the realization that I don't want to be perfect, I want to be the woman God made me to be.

This realization came to me after I realized I sent out three "bad apples" for Christmas cards. And, though the mailman usually doesn't come until 5:30pm, today he came at 3:30pm which was 30 minutes before I realized the mistake.

Of course, I was so mad at myself (and the computer) that I actually threw myself on the floor and cried. Later, in the shower before picking up my in-laws at the airport, I realized that I don't have to be perfect to be good enough for God. I'm already good enough for Him. He created me and so what if three people get dysfunctional Christmas cards. They'll live and so will I. I don't have to have it all together all the time (which is good because I don't).

As I stood there in the shower, I heard God saying, "who's glory were you doing it for?" And the point was driven home. I love it (but hate it) when God turns a stupid mistake into a powerful lesson.

Incidentally, I would like to make it up to you if you get a "bad apple". So, if your Christmas greeting ends before "Adam's Final Take", email me and I'll send you a good one.

First Thanksgiving

What an ordeal last night could have been! I am so grateful to God for protecting us (we hit black ice on our way to the hospital) and providing us with excellent medical care! He is good!
Thanksgiving was hard for me and for Grammy this year. And, not just because we missed our extended family back in California (You guys were there in spirit) but because we don't know how to cook Thanksgiving for less than 30 people! Grammy made huge green bean and yam casseroles and I made a gallon of gravy. Of course, as I finished baking the seventh, yes seventh, dessert I realized I'd gone overboard, but oh well. One nice thing about having a small Thanksgiving is we got to pull out the "good china" and make it a formal dinner. I love the way my table turned out. See:

I used my new amethyst-colored chargers which I picked up at Target at the day after Christmas sale for an absolute song. I couldn't find a turkey napkin fold pattern, so I did the "cocks comb" instead. Close enough, I guess. And, does the centerpiece look familiar? I love using our wedding centerpieces; it reminds me of that glorious day and all your smiling faces.
More later...

Christmas already?

Neither Scott nor I can believe that November is half over. Evidently, it doesn't matter what time zone you live in, time still clicks on as quickly as ever.

This week, we've been busy with holiday preparations. Apparently, Dakotans put up their Christmas lights immediately following Halloween as to beat the coming snow and cold. So, we're following their lead and doing the same. Kinda weird putting up Christmas before eating turkey. But, that's what we're doing.

Played bunko with some friends last night and had a howling good time. Who would have guessed a dice game and some chocolate could be so much fun. I kind of felt like a 1950s TV idol.

Meant to be me

Today what strikes me the most is how happy we are here. We were at dinner the other night when my dad praised God for our new houses. Scott added, "Thank you for our homes. They're not just houses." And that pretty much sums it up.

I LOVE being a stay-at-home mom in North Dakota and have such peace about it. It's like I've finally discovered what I was meant to do and who I was meant to be.

Boy, I sure have turned into the queen of mush since moving here, haven't I? No. Seriously, I'm happy. My husband's happy. My son is happy. My parents and sister are happy. What more could I want?

We had a week-end of indian summer and expect another next week. On Sunday it was in the low 70s and gorgeous. Monday brought teens and twenties and an inch or two of snow. Most of it's gone now but it's still chilly. I've never been particularly fond of the cold, but this isn't bothering me. Besides the cold winds, it doesn't feel as cold as San Leandro did because there's basically no humidity. No damp fog seeping into my aching joints. What?! I'm going on 30 you know. I'm getting old and my joints ache. :)