The beginning of hell month

I've really not looked forward to this week, for this is the week that begins the deluge of activities and crowded weekends that won't end until after New Year's. It seems the older my kids get, the more active they become, and whenever they commit themselves to an activity, I'm committed to it as well. Such is the life of a mother of teens.

The 5th of December is traditionally a strange one around here. We always seem to be a little melancholy on this day because it is the anniversary of Mozart's death in 1791. Today is also the first anniversary of Steph's mother's death, and in a week it will have been a year since we first met Larry Weinstein and Thomas Wallner. So much has transpired in a year, to think about it makes my head spin. Lauren went to France in June and in August we began shoots for the film, (now titled Mozartballs). Two weeks after the shoots in Oklahoma, we were on a flight to Vienna for ten days of filming there and in Salzburg. It's really hard to believe that only a year ago we were wondering if it would ever transpire.

It seems that December 5th is destined to be an important day for us for many reasons. Today we got word from Steph's very elderly, very wealthy uncle, that he is giving Steph some stock. He said in his note that he hopes that "you will keep them and receive the income monthly through the coming years". We have no idea how much it is, but it is probably sizable. Merry Christmas! It couldn't have come at a better time.

Well, I had probably better be closing this down. I have to get ready for Chamber Singers. We have a couple more rehearsals before the Messiah performance on the 17th. I'm really looking forward to it!