Second Annual Vaisselle Awards--2009

Okay, it's unlikely that any of you will have a statue erected in your honor. But the second annual Vaisselle awards recognize achievements in the year of 2009. If you find yourself here, great. If not, I still know you deserve one. So since I can't honor all of you, again I am going to honor my nearest and dearest. But if you've been a little kinder, worked a little harder, tried harder to take care of someone less fortunate or less able than yourself, or even smiled more this year, pat yourself on the back. If we depended on the rich, the mighty and the influential to make our lives great, we would all be in sad shape. It's the little benevolent acts that change the world.

So enough blah, blah, blah. On to the awards:

Drum roll please....

To Michael, the Roger Bobo award for tuba playing. After a long day at work, hauling his horn to a town thirty miles down the road to band rehearsal wasn't easy. But diligent practicing paid off. His big ole tuba made a big difference in his band this year.

To NS, my firstborn, the Pablo Picasso award for wild artistic success in her grad school classes. She's impressed the heck out of everybody at UNT and gotten a quilt into a major exhibition, the Materials Hard and Soft exhibit which just happens to be held in Denton. A real biggie. Go red!

To ZT, her husband, the very bittersweet Florence Nightingale award. His concern and care helped  their dog Wrecks have a wonderful life until the very end.We were all impressed by his compassion.

To MF, my second, the Leonardo Da Vinci award. Whether she was acting as Primary President, Choir Director, hostess with the mostest, mom, wife or dutiful daughter, she did her very best to use her multiple talents. In a very Renaissance kind of way, she wore her multiple hats beautifully this year and even added sewing to an already long list of activities.

To NL, her husband, the Marco Polo award. Not only did he spend the year traveling all over Europe and to the US for his business but he and MF intrepidly took the family to Egypt to see the pyramids. He even traveled to Pennsylvania twice to bring and to take back his family so that they could visit us in Pennsylvania for a month.

To GL, my third daughter, the Barack Obama award. Taking on enormous tasks with courage and enthusiasm was Georgia and our president all over this  year. She continued building her business, did her church work, excelled at the mommy job, started homeschooling her two oldest, and then she had a baby too. Yes she can!

To DS, her husband, the David Plouffe award. David Plouffe was the mastermind behind President Obama's campaign. DS also learned how to run a political campaign this year. Although his candidate didn't win the way David Plouffe's did, DS gave it his all and learned a lot in the process.

To ZL, my son, the Sir Isaac Newton award. Mastering Calculus is hard even in good times. So getting a super grade in Calculus 2 while supporting himself and paying college bills by running his own business in a bad economy is a supreme achievement. So on to Calculus 3!

To my folks, the Dolly Madison award. Like Dolly, they charmed everyone at Dad's 90th birthday  celebration. It was a great party and a wonderful milestone.

And moi? Little moi? I give myself the Marvin Bell award this year. Who is Marvin Bell? I'm so sad I have to explain. Marvin Bell is one of the greatest living American poets. Not only is he a fine poet, but he is an exceptional writing teacher and mentor as my husband Michael can attest. I think I deserve this award because I started up a writing critique group in Wilkes-Barre this year. It's really turned out well and we have a good solid group going. Go me!

To all the rest of you, pat yourself on the back.You're probably harder on yourself than anyone else. Think of something wonderful you've done this year and give yourself an award.