Roseville, MN
Christmas, 2001
Dear Family and Friends,
2001 has been a much better year for us. Our younger son, Tom (now nearly 12), is severely autistic, and a year ago we were having a major crisis about his behavior. He has been doing much better this year. He is in a really good program at Roseville Area Middle School and enjoys it a lot. He is still on a gluten-free/casein(dairy)-free diet and that is a constant concern. We have to look closely at the ingredient lists in the food we buy.
Mia here. Tom is really trying hard to communicate more, and to be understood verbally more. In some ways, it is more heart-breaking when his medications are in balance, and he can try-we can see the person who is trapped inside that miserable, messed-up neurology, and we still can't free him.
James is nearly 15. He is now in High School. He is taking a fairly typical ninth-grade program. Currently he is taking an intense physical science class, so he has a lot of homework questions for me. We are also dealing with all the normal issues of a teenager.
James' elective is choir. This fall, the three choirs of the high school, Freshman, Roseville Singers, and Concert Choir, and the orchestra, did Haydn's Mass in Time of War. It was a real challenge for James, the first serious piece of music he has been involved with. He was very nervous, but got through it fine. In the high school, they have fewer, more intense classes-for example, James has science and math this semester, and social studies and English next semester. This works really well for him, because there are fewer projects to keep track of. James has been keeping up with his homework very well and got good grades in first quarter.
Mia continues to enjoy her garden work, and has been able to do a little work as a horticultural consultant. She hopes to expand this next year. She has also taken up bobbin lace making.
I am hoping to expand my horticultural practice, largely by word of mouth at this time. My ultimate goal is to become a landscape designer/consultant, but at this stage of the game, I am also taking jobs weeding, pruning, etc. I've gotten some exposure by donating my time, and I've done some paying work for people I know. The kids still take a lot of my time, so I'm not trying to move very fast on this.
The bobbin lace is a new hobby, to add to the knitting, cross stitch, and needlepoint hobbies. Fiber arts are endlessly beguiling; the materials are so pleasant to handle!
I am still working for Hennepin County as a Database Administrator, doing mostly Microsoft SQL Server work in an NT environment. It is a good job, but for my home computer use I try to get away from the world of Bill Gates by using Linux as much as possible.
We survived another house crisis when our patio door failed and we discovered water damage under it. Fortunately, the damage was fairly minimal and we are pleased to have it all fixed now. Not nearly as bad as the basement last year. A house, after all, is a hole in the ground into which one pours money.
After we finally got the carpet down last winter, James moved to the spacious downstairs bedroom. This freed up the smallest bedroom upstairs, and I converted it to an office. It is an attractive room (when tidy (which is seldom) with built-in desk, shelving, and drawers. I keep all my sewing and needlework supplies in there-it is a great thing for me to have a place that is my own to retreat to, and a place to keep my things safe. I have a lock on the door.
I did quite a bit of bicycling during the summer and early fall. Not as much was on weekends as in previous years, but for a while I was riding all the way to work (about 10 miles) a couple times a week. However, that is not really practical in the winter.
I'm still working on our own property, too. Some areas are starting to look really well established, and some need more time. There's very little left of the front lawn; I've taken most of it for a woodland garden. To the mature green ash, I've added some understory trees, some shrubs, and a lot of woodland plants, with one corner housing some more sun-loving iris and daylilies.
I have made several visits back to Carleton this year. Mostly these have been afternoon trips with Tom. He needs to have outings and activities, and enjoys exploring the campus.
Next June is the 30 year reunion for my Carleton class. I have been recruited to the committee and am managing the class web site.
Late-breaking news: I have been recruited to be the cantor for our small, less-formal 11:00 church service. I am stunned and thrilled-I have always loved to sing and have never been confident of my voice-but the music director is!
So, 2001 winds down mild and sunny for us. We survived 2000 and have less stress in our lives-may it continue! And may God bless us, and you, this Christmas and in the coming year.
Go to Glenn's home page, or to Mia's. See our 2000 or 2002 Christmas letters, or the index of letters.
©2001-2003 by Mia F. McDavid and Glenn T. McDavid.