Good Morning Grandma,

Well, here we are; 2011. The year I'll write something different at the end of my name, the year "mine" will officially become "ours", the year you were certain you'd be here for. And you're not, and even though that's ok, I still wish things were different. You were the only one who thought it was ok that I didn't come home every holiday with a boyfriend until I figured some things out, and who, all in the same thought, was sure I'd be walking down an aisle someday. I was a little bitter over the holidays this year. I don't understand why most people my age have grandparents, sometimes all of them, sometimes even GREAT grandparents. By the time I was a freshman in high school I was hanging on tight to the letters I got from my one and only grandparent, you. Now, not yet 25, I have none. I sure hope those people out there who are complaining because they have four Christmases to go to in one day realize just how lucky they are. I wish I could divide my time between nut pudding and phase 10.

But 2011 is going to be great. I can't control a lot of things. I won't be able to help it if my kidneys make me sick, or if work gets unbearably busy or unbearably slow. Or if stubborn people holding on to grudges can't find a way to come around. But I can make the best of everything. Things don't always fall into place or happen when I want them to, and people don't always treat each other the way God intended them to. But I'm one very lucky girl. I just hope everyone takes a minute to think about what they're lucky for in their life and quit wasting time on things that aren't important. Don't think we haven't noticed, Grandma, some of the changes you're making happen down here. We need a few more nudges in a few more places, but oh what a difference it's made.

I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store and I already know it's going to go fast. I better make it count because once it's over I can't get it back. I'm sure it will be filled with memories of you and days I still don't quite understand why you're up there ... but I sure do wonder what the Papes and Weissers are doing up in heaven.

Love you
Miss you everyday,
Kristen