Despite all the hardship created by the snow this year, there can be no argument that it makes for a wonderful white Christmas. It was almost midnight when I took this photo of the view we have from our front door. 

Nicolai scored 2 goals and had one assist to help his team to a 6-4 win. His first goal, pictured here was a short range chip, beating his defender and the goalie. His second was a gorgeous full volley that ripped into the upper corner. 

Nicolai had an indoor game this evening. Here he just misses a beautiful flick-on header. 

A nice winter scene on the way into work this morning. 

Question: How do you keep from losing your boyfriend in the crowd? Answer: You put a label on him. This is a very pragmatic solution that never occurred to me while I was growing up. Excuse me, I feel the sudden urge to label my wife in case she inadvertantly strolls beneath some mistletoe at a holiday party. 

Maya attended a Gingerbread House / Sledding party (I did not know these existed either) with this architectural masterpiece. 

While driving to work, I passed a tractor trailer covered in snow and ice and I thought to myself what would happen if a large chunk came flying off and hit my car. A second later, a man-hole size peice of solid ice crashed into my windshield. The impact was massive and I am still amazed that the glass did not shatter. For the rest of the day, I wondered how close I had come to death. What if I was driving 3mph faster? What if the chunk of ice had hit at a less oblique angle? What if I had swerved off the highway to avoid it? The fact that I had anticipated the possiblity left me wondering as well. At the end of the day, I am reminded to take nothing for granted, to live each day fully, and to love those close to me.

I think it is safe to say that Maya loves her dog. I believe in a popularity contest, I would come in after the canine. I now have a new appreciation for the phrase the world is going to the dogs. 

Jeanine assists Maya with her music homework after a day spent largely indoors. I ventured out early this morning to play futsol and cleared an additional 10 inches of snow when I returned. We have already had more snowfall in December than the entire winter last year. 

With all the help, the tree was decorated in no time. Jeanine prepared a two course fondu dinner (cheese entree and chocolate desert) which is a family favorite. Through in the first fire of the season and some holiday music and the house was filled with Christmas spirit. 

The entire crew pose with their creation. Guests this evening include Sarinnagh, Patrick, and David. 

Tonight we decorated the Christmas tree for family night. Each child invited a friend to spend the night and to participate in the tree trimming. 

Maya prepares to take a shot at basketball practice this morning. Despite her diminuative stature, she is a little dynamo. 

Naturally, the kids are enjoying the snow. I snapped this photo of Maya waiting for the bus as I departed for an early work meeting. 

This was the first big snow for Nala. She went crazy. I believe she confused herself with a submarine, burrowing deep into the soft powder. If it was not so entertaining to watch I would have liked to strangle her for messing up my perfect snow blown driveway contours. I should also report that she has learned how to open the front door. She can now let herself in or out of the house. Her ability to close the door behind her (she can’t) is only slightly worse than the children and I am anticipating an enormous gas bill this winter. 

Today we were hit with 12 inches of snow. It began to fall at around 1PM and did not stop until midnight. Because so many people let work early, the plows got stuck in traffic and the roads were really quite bad. I was lucky on my back road commute and it only took me an hour to get home. Some of my co-workers reported spending 5 hours on the road. 

This photo of Nico and Jeanine in Tanzania came in today. It was taken by the leader of the yoga group they spent time with on their visit to Africa. Do these guys look relaxed or what. 

Kyle is getting increasingly committed to his music and spends a good deal of time practicing by his own choice. 

Maya adorns herself with some fabric we are using to decorate the Chistmas tree. 

This evening, my soccer team had its end of the season banquet. The evening begins with great formality at Serafina’s and ends in drunken debauchery at Erik’s house. Tradition demands that coat and tie are worn until the first toast has been made to the Queen of England. Rob, our keeper and team manger, announced my decision to join the over 50 club next season and went on to honor me with some very kind words and stories about my four years with the club. Many others chimed in. Not since my decision to leave Truevision have I ever felt so appreciated by a group of friends. 

Nala begs each morning to go outside to see Maya off on the bus. Because of the invisible fence, she must stay at the top of the driveway. As you can see we have snow and the temperatures have become quite frigid. 

On the work front I was offsite giving a presentation to our premiere broadcast customers from around the world. Over the past year my team has made huge strides in addressing some quality problems we were having in the field. Although our latest software is extremely robust, I got my chestnuts roasted for the pain we had caused during the interim. Despite the grilling, I am proud of the work my team has done and of the product we are now delivering. 

Jeanine and Nico return from Tanzania eboulient from their adventure together. 

Great photographers connect with their subjects and establish trust. It is clear to me from this image that Nicolai and this little girl established a special rapport based, perhaps, on a common understanding of what it feels like to be the object of unwelcomed stares and pity. 

Make no mistake, Nicolai is very deliberate in his photography. If you study this collection of images you can see a very artistic and creative mind at work. 

Great use of lighting. 

He could beat me at chess when he was in the first grade. I don’t know that I have ever taken such a poignant photo. 

My personal favorite. 

One of the boys from the orphanage. 

Nico has become a fine photographer. Today’s entries are of his artistic images. 

Today is International Disability Day and Nicolai and Jeanine are in Tanzania attending the ceremony for distribution of the wheelchairs that Nico raised funds for by climbing Kilimanjaro. Nico’s message as he addressed the crowd of one thousand was that “one person can make a difference.” Nicolai presented the first ten wheelchairs on stage and pushed the recipients back to their seats. As dignitaries continued to address the crowd, Nicolai went behind stage to help present the remaining 90 wheelchairs. He told his mother that the feelings he experienced seeing people receive their wheelchairs was better than the feeling he had when he reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. The remaining 1500 plus wheelchairs will be distributed at similar ceremonies around the country over the coming months.