Traditions...what does Holiday mean here? It Depends!

Asked Joe and the kids- what does holiday mean and what are your favorite traditions?  Answers:

Clare:  I like them, I like being with family, friends, Jesus, and I like time off from school.  (Unpromted) My favorite holidays are: 1st Christmas and 2nd 4th of July.  (Note she spends 4th of July at Camp.)
Favorite Tradition:  Ice Skating with Prophaters-when that has not happened we found (and will find) other ways to skate on Christmas Eve Day. I like alternating celebrating with various families and like to travel. Nana cookies.

Sally:  Celebrating with family, the food- call out to mash potatoes, fun family traditions and TRAVEL!  Christmas Holiday also includes the 12 day count down to my birthday.
Favorite traditions: 4:30 FPC service, reading the Night Before Christmas with cousins and Nana and Pap.

Peter: A time for family and friends to get together and celebrate whatever season it is.
Favorite Tradition: Traveling to various family members' homes, being with cousins and hosting family here. 

Joe: Relaxation, Cocktail hours with family.
Favorite Traditions: Christmas Tree- cutting it down as a family.  New Year's Days good luck foods.

Susan: Where to? Who is coming?  Holidays are hosting time or being hosted time.  It means bringing people together.

I love these answers, it aligns with the message of today's blog, started before I had my captured the above answers. In our life on Newark-Granville Road we're flexible.  I certainly understand those that want their traditions to be in their homes. I've seen the articles on the web advocating, giving permission, helping young families make the decision to stay home.  I want to also advocate for not staying home.

This is just one side, but one that has certainly created special fun "traditions" and memories for our family.  We never would of had the epic Granville Inn story if my parents and sister with her family had not travelled from Maryland to our house and village.  I won't retell it here, but I love to tell the story- ask about "Greg saying- it is a Christmas miracle, the Inn has NFL.com" and our cocktail hour 12-25-16".  I've also loved packing up the kids and giving my parents the gift of grand kids in their home on Christmas morning.  I'm grateful Joe has been willing to celebrate our faith in my home church or my sister's- seeing my niece/goddaughter in her pageant! Again memories that could not have been made anywhere else- the giggles, the oos and ahh and again stories we can't make up.  Fabulous babysitter Kelly to rescue shipping the gifts left behind!

In our home we rotate, and I LOVE to host!!  I missed cooking my own turkey, setting my formal table this year. However I LOVED my brother and sister in law opening their home to include my parents. Their house is spacious and warm and she makes sure everyone is delighted with the menu. As much as I love hosting, I love to be hosted.  Thank you to all family members that roll with our tradition of being flexible.  Thank you to choir directors and coaches that allow us to miss a bit of the season or special services.

I recognize I have family I love and who love me.  It isn't perfect- we fight, bicker, disagree and not everyone follows this logic and feelings are hurt, disappointment happens.  This is LIFE! We find the joy where we can and oh we do!  Reality is our kids are learning what life is all about through holiday and Life on NG Traditions!  It will be interesting to see how our kids execute holidays.  Clare talked about that she doesn't love to cook and questioned how will she will ever make a turkey. Quickly declaring-she wants a husband that cooks.  We talked about how I was taught to do the meal- watching my mother. I'm that kind of cook. Clare will not be that kind of cook- she follows a recipe to the tee.  However I told her I will come make her turkey!  Oh if I could have a crystal ball!  And yes, my parents were flexible at the holidays too. I have many amazing memories in warm welcoming homes with extended family (both of my parents are only children) so we went to Great Aunt and Uncle homes and their families.  I understand why my mother still wants to host and I do love to "go home".  It isn't always easy but it is worth it.

As Madonna sings- it would be so nice...Holiday....a time to Celebrate!
It was nice, a very nice holiday weekend, showcasing Gratitude and family time!
Life on Newark-Granville is looking forward to launching  December this week and the holiday fun that it brings.

Where did everyone go..and where is Clare Going?!!!

It is official- we have a fighting Scot! Clare was accepted to The College of Wooster! Woo Hoo!

The email, then letter, then fun treats all arrived while we were in NYC.

Joe snapped this picture today- she was excited to wear her new school sweatshirt!!

Clare, Wooster Class of 2023!

Yes- Joe and I enjoyed NYC over the weekend. Part of my work was traveling by train up the Hudson River to Irvington for a meeting. What a treat.  I do love my job because I engage, learn, work, support, and spend time with wonderful people in fabulous places.  The weekend included a friend get-away and was just what we needed.  A highlight was seeing friends' children thriving in the city- so impressive.  These "kids", amazing young adults are our friends too!  Snapshots of cool places for work.....

NYC Library- work location Thursday afternoon!

all aboard- heading North to Irvington,NY

Going away with local friends is a good to do!!Sally took off Sunday for Columbus. Youth And Government, put on by the YMCA is spectacular.  Clare and Peter have participated for years. We're so pleased Sally joined the Middle School program this year.  Dear friends make it all the more special- thanks ladies- you are doing awesome!

And Peter- Peter stayed home with strep! Good timing- he won't be contagious by the time Nana and Pap arrive!

Life on Newark-Granville Road loves to go places and come home!  Excited for Clare to find her home away from home for 2019-20!

Peace, praying for peace tonight.

There is much to share and just no energy to do so today.  I will leave a few musings here, take aways from last week and my day.

The theme of the day launched with our church, FPC participating in the bells of peace: https://www.stripes.com/news/us/bells-will-ring-on-veterans-day-to-mark-100-years-since-wwi-armistice-1.555683   It was good to start with quiet and hear our bells and other community bells.

Last night we stayed home and had a low key evening- peaceful. I made steak au pouvre and enjoyed being with Joe and Sally.  We are human beings, not human doings.  We need to "be".  Thankyou Reverend Doris Westfall from St. Luke's in Granville for sharing that sentiment while we took time to connect in swasey Chapel on Thursday. Thank you for all you did for the Denison community, students, staff and family.  All clergy and health care providers deserve gratitude for their time, expertise and care last week.

I was so grateful to friends who put the Prayer of St. Francis to comfort and guide during Denison's loss last week. It is a wonderful prayer, an important prayer. My brain takes me to music and this song kept finding its way. I hope you will benefit by listening to it:  make me an instrument of your peace sarah mclachlan   Thank you YouTube for delivering a number of interpretations/performances.

And while I'm sharing Peace....I'll end with one of my favorite songs, from "my time" as Sally likes to say...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9ymhfB5nys  Natalie Merchant performing Peace Train by Cat Stephens.

Lessons keep repeating in my life on Newark-Granville Road. The importance of listening, really listening and hearing what people are saying is so imporant.  Doing this brings peace and I'm grateful.

The Votes Came In- #Worthit Granville School Levy

See the picture, see our kids- I snapped this as we learned the news of the likely winner for the school levy.  The Yes moved ahead by 140 and all precincts had reported- a big cheer brought them to the doorway. We hosted the watch party for the Granville School Levy committee last night.  Good news, it became the celebration party.  Fascinating to meet these folks that have met on Sunday evenings at 7 pm, canvassed the community with yard signs and messages, all with devotion and wisdom.

C, P, and S had come and gone from homework in their rooms all night to the gathering all night. The levy election had their attention and conversations- at school, on the playing fields, even social media a bit.  Clare declared this morning she learned the general R-D congress results from an international camp friend.

Clare voted this election, and I'm pleased to say she was an informed voter. She watched debates and read websites to make her own decisions.  No doubt she listened to a bit to what we discuss and say.  The kids logged in to track our friend, their friend and mentor Craig Baldwin's results. His loss is a disappointment.  It makes this all personal and that is good.

Lessons about life on Newark-Granville Road might be a better title for this blog. Last night was filled with them.  Our kids know we're grateful for the opposition. We're grateful for the right we have to agree and disagree, explore and contemplate and most importantly act.   We met new people- Joe through the committee work and for me last night.  We connected with long-serving, extremely dedicated members of the community.  It was good to talk and be together.

We said yes to hosting because we are centrally located as people wanted to attend other watch events.  We know how to host events like this- we don't worry that the chairs don't match and the tablecloth is a bit spotty- people needed to be together, in a nonpublic way.  That was the lesson of the last school levy that did not move to a celebration party- instead, it inspired- what is next.
I wanted to set an example for our kids.  Mission accomplished.  Last night good, hard-working people came together to reflect and just be together.  I'm glad they were able to relax and be happy.   Fun to see who brought what and how. (Leithauser lunch boxes are deliciously stocked)  Last night what is next was discussed too!  Transparency, conversations, knowledge all need to continue.
And know they tried- they asked the Superintendent for a day off to celebrate- it didn't happen but we smiled.

Time to get to work, but I could not say- thank you to all that worked on this levy and give you or myself follow-up from yesterday's post. Thank you to all that ran for office, all that have, do and will serve us. Thank you to all that have, do and will protect America's freedoms.   Life on Newark-Granville is not perfect and has ups and downs but it works. Looking at those three faces, sharing their interest and care is a good thing.

PLEASE VOTE!

I love my life on Newark-Granville Road in Granville in Ohio in the USA. And I really do love to vote.  Voter turn-out is critical in this election.  I'm shocked by the number of current parents that voted or better said that did not vote in the May election.

Please vote.  Already voted early or absentee-way to go, THANK YOU!

If voting in Ohio, please consider a vote for Judge Craig Baldwin: https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheHonorableJudgeBaldwin/about/?ref=page_internal

If voting in Granville, please consider a YES vote for the School Levy:  https://www.granvilleaces.org  Our schools, our community really needs this funding.

I encourage you to be an informed voter, here is the link to our ballot in Licking County! https://licking.ohioboe.com/apps/ballotlist.aspx  Want to talk through some of this, I'm happy to do so- just not on social media.

We live in interesting times.  In my life on Newark-Granville Road, as we conduct our Sunday week prep we know it will an emotional week.  Sunday school discussion is about Grace. I'm always grateful and hopeful Grace will be with us all this week.  Thanks for reading, talking, respecting, sharing and being a voter.