Gratitude

My Christmas visit with family and friends in Portland, Oregon, was a time that humbled me and reminded me of just how generously God has filled my life with amazing people.

I’m exceedingly grateful for my parents for again opening their home to me and Anne, to welcoming us, attending to our needs, blessing us with gifts (like the piece of furniture that will prevent us from ever watching stacks of CDs come crashing down and breaking), and providing an extraordinary Christmas dinner.

Dad, thanks for running all over town helping us find our misplaced cell phone so we could get that important phone call when it came.

And thanks, Mom, for mending my favorite winter coat.

Thanks to my brother Jason for giving me a beautiful print of my all-time favorite movie poster … one I’ve had trouble finding … the original film poster of The Dark Crystal. What a fantastic addition it’ll make to my wall o’posters.

Thanks to my Uncle Paul and Aunt Ruthie for the gift certificates … which shows they know EXACTLY how Anne and I like to spend our spare time.

Thanks to my cousins Jenny and Amanda, and to Amanda’s husband Tony, for being such great company. Come up and visit us in Seattle sometime.

Thanks to all of those friends from my high school days who reunited for a couple of joyous mini-reunions: Todd and Angie Fadel and their kids Zion and Brennan; Melissa Toucet, visiting from Hollywood; Austin and Monica Chamberlain, visiting from Illinois; Jon Smart; and Patty Lundy. And for Fritz and Shannon Liedtke for welcoming us into their home for one of those reunions and putting on a wonderful breakfast.

I’m excited to tell you that, thanks to one of God’s most amazing creations–my wife Anne–I am now the proud owner of a digital camera, which will allow me to share with all of you in different ways in the coming year. I’m looking forward to that.

Now I’ve got to go watch a couple of DVDs before I post my Favorite Films of 2004 list.