Phew!
Well, I meant to post on Christmas Day and wish you all a very merry Christmas, but events got in the way!
Lily arrived safe and sound on Christmas Eve, just three minutes before midnight. We were all very happy and relieved to have her home — almost as relieved as she was to be here.
We all had a wonderful Christmas Day, with lots and lots of food, great wine and fantastic company.

1. 

Lily, Halina, Grace and Pelham took off this morning on the first leg of their road-trip, which will take them to Las Vegas tonight. Eventually they'll end up in Oklahoma City for a New Year's Eve concert.
On Monday, David, Will, Dace, Max and I are all off to New Mexico for a few days, so in case I don't get a chance to post again until we get back:

Happy New Year!
— and let's hope 2009 is a very good year.