Counted Blessings of 2024

December 30, 2024 - Crofton, Maryland - Counted Blessings 2024

They say we should count our blessings. But before I start down that road, who is/are the "they?" Hopefully, the they are good people who want good in the world. If so, I’m in on that!

Instead of counting my blessings in an ordinal fashion, I chose to do it by the month—easier on my mind since so many memories have come rushing in while working on this post. This is a six-minute read.

January - Bonanza in a F.A.R.T (fabric acquisition road trip). An acquaintance/client of mine owns a recycle/upcycle shop in Alexandria, VA, and called me when they received a windfall of a quilter’s stash to sell. I called my sewing sisters Susie and Deb to share this event. We went three days into the new year for one of the most remarkable sales I’ve/we’ve ever been to regarding many beautiful fabrics and notions for pennies. I spent about $300 for about $2500 worth of merchandise! Win!

February - The Best Daughter’s Baby Shower- Olivia never wanted a bridal shower but told me and her mother-in-law we could “go crazy” on a baby shower whenever that was to be. In mid-February, we hosted a lovely baby boy shower at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond for 25 beautiful ladies. We all certainly showered this family with all kinds of outstanding baby items needed to bring home that bundle of joy.

March—Hubby Bill and I received the greatest gift in our lives: becoming grandparents for the first time on March 25 with the birth of Robert Copenhaver Hudson III, AKA Bodie, or, as I like to add, Big Baby Boy Bodie. He is the love of our lives!

April - Travel to Paris and then the South of France (May -The Cevennes). At the end of April, my travel buddy Linda Misencik and I flew to Paris. Our days were spent touring the main sites in Northern France: Normandy, Versailles, and City Center with climbing all the steps allowed in the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Musee D’Orsay, Lafayette Galeria, Sacrê Coeur Basilica, Seine River, Notre Dame (still under reconstruction from the fire in 2019), and the Cimetière du Pére-Lachaise (Chopin and James Morrison’s final resting place). It was a whirlwind of fun (and lots of steps!) in the City of Light. Once Linda flew home after a week, I headed down to Nîmes and Avignon in the South of France and then onto the Retreat for Writers in The Cevennes with 16 writers from all over the USA. It was a grand time - all of it - every single minute. I’m still pinching myself that I was fortunate to partake in all the wonderful days of writing, deepening friendships (along with new friends), and thoroughly enjoying this lovely part of the world (Nîmes is a secret gem).

May - The travel in France spilled over into mid-May, as mentioned in the April blessings. Once home, and at the end of May, our family traveled to Kelleys Island, one of our Happy Places on this good Earth. Family and friends visiting the Island were all a part of the big fun - culminating with the Kelleys Island 5 & 10K running races. Big smiles, Big Fun, and Pickleball for a week! Yeah!

June - Kelleys Island Fun spilled over into June, as the race was on June 2. I’d like to include what Clint Eastwood says below because it’s similar to how I feel:

Do not look for luxury in watches or bracelets; do not look for luxury in forks or sails. Luxury is laughter and friends, luxury is rain on your face, luxury is hugs and kisses. Don’t look for luxury in shops, don’t look for it in gifts, don’t look for it at parties, don’t look for it at events. Luxury is being loved by people, luxury is being respected, luxury is having parents alive, luxury is being able to play with your grandchildren.

Luxury is what money can’t buy.

I’d include that an incredible sunset is a luxury by far, too (KI has plenty of them each summer day).

For me, luxury was visiting our grandson any chance we could get this past summer - we couldn’t get enough (and still don’t) of him and his cuteness and growing before our eyes.

June was the start of the Wedding Bell Circuit for my nephews, Brandon and Nathan, and their brides-to-be, Shana and Taylor. The Bridal showers began in June and spilled into July—All exquisite. Thanks to the Tracys’ (both girls’ mothers have the same name) and my sister Kimberly for hosting all the fun-filled and fabulous showers for two amazing young ladies.

Love was in the air!

July was about lap swimming, bird watching, outdoor pickleball, and more Bodie days that filled our warm and wonderful summer. Plus, we had our 50-year-old home become “new” again with siding/windows/doors as they finished on the last day of the month. It was time for the update, and the place looks fantastic.

August - Early in the month I went on a trip to Pittsburgh with my highschool friends. The six of us have not been there in ages and were impressed with the city and its offerings - especially some hole-in-the-wall bars and nice restaurants. That’s not counting our fun on a Hawaiin-style Tiki Boat tour. The whole thing was a hoot— a relaxing tour of the city from the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers.

Mid-August was celebrating Ryan’s 30th birthday, and the next day, Brandon and Shana Kocan’s wedding was celebrated at Gervasi’s Vineyard in Canton, Ohio. It was lights, camera, and action with great food, dancing, and the new Mr. and Mrs. enjoying their special wedding day! Congratulations!

September was an ambitious month. I was gone 18 days, first starting with our three-day visit to RVA to see Bodie and Co. Once home, I repacked my suitcase and headed to a Florida Quilt Retreat with my sewing sisters, Deb and Susie, hosted by our friends M&M Sew Charming; Mary Nielsen and Majorie Mulla. All grandmas, we never let it stop us from renting a hot-rod Ford Mustang convertible that motored us all around the state (2-door, small trunk, but a V8 humming motor)!

With my nephew Nathan’s wedding at the end of September in Columbus, Ohio, the thought of heading to Kentucky beforehand and checking out more Bourbon Houses delighted Ryan (and Bill went along with it). Friends Linda & Mark Misencik, also driving to the wedding from Colorado, met us in Frankfort, KY. We had a grand time checking out not only a few bourbon places but also a wonderful state park, eateries, and the Kentucky Blue Grass northern areas—I also love to see the million-dollar thoroughbreds swishing their fine tales all over Louisville and Frankfort farms and countryside.

The month culminated with my sister Kimberly and Jerry’s second son's nuptials (Nathan). It was also a-rockin’ good time despite Hurricane Helene and the rain she brought to the entire region. Congratulations to the newlyweds, Nathan and Taylor!

October had one more Bodie three-day visit in RVA before his mom returned to work, and we loved every minute with him. Bill and I even fight over feeding him a bottle or, get this, changing his diaper! Ha! Olivia also came up to Crofton for a visit with little Bodie, too.

Between visits with Bodie, I was lucky to head back to Kelleys Island, Ohio, with the BGGGWW (Bowling Green Girls Gone Wild Weekend) gals. Our “wildness” includes running/walking/bike riding/hiking/laughing/eating (Lake Erie perch!), laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. A Big Thank you to Jodie Smith for hosting this incredible weekend!

November brought in my college friend Karen Levitt and a visit to the Naval Academy with one of Karen’s former coached athletes in Tennessee, midshipman Sophia. She gave us access to places on campus (Karen’s first time on the academy grounds) that were grand and cool simultaneously. I also had to serve jury duty (I only needed it for one day for a couple of hours, and no one was called up).

Mid-November was a trip to Colonial Williamsburg, VA, with our writing friends Ron and Katy Dalgleish from California and Tim and Julie Rains from North Carolina. Katy is an expert in CW, and we love being on campus with her and the CW actors and reenactors. It’s a delight when Katy engages in conversation with George Washington, Patrick Henry, and her favorite, Thomas Jefferson. I can’t wait to go back!

Since Thanksgiving was so late this year, we were able to host as many of the family that could make it…and they did! Board games and food, a trip to Washington DC’s Natural History Museum and then to Guinness Brewery, and three hours of indoor Pickleball rounded out all the fun we had over this favorite holiday weekend. Thanks to all who made the trek: Olivia, Bo, Bodie (RVA), Kimberly, Jerry, Annette, Brandon, Shana, Justin, and Olivia S (Ohio).

December squeezed in an RVA Bodie visit early in the month for Bill’s birthday wish, plus the visit with Santa mid-month and a couple of days at Christmastime. One more weekend quilt retreat at Penn National in Pennsylvania made for good sewing - a great highlight for me with my head down and pushing pretty fabric through the throat of my machine!

2024 was a magical year for all the reasons above and more in my heart—also Pickleball. It was the year we took it to a new level at the outdoor courts in Crofton and joined an indoor facility within 15 minutes called The Putaway. We love the game in all its nuances and have met great people who are as obsessed as we are!

Cheers to more adventures and Pickleball (hey, it's a family sport!) in the new year.

I hope you had a great year! Write about your blessings if you’d like - it brings the blessings into perspective right quick. Wow!

bSoleille!

Terri