Mietzke's Holden Adventure

We got nearly two feet of snow today! At one point it was snowing three inches in an hour. Over dinner seven inches accrued. It was beautiful and amazing! The walkways from the chalets are up to my shoulders in places. It is amazing how fast it can accumulate!
Today’s festivities included trimming the tree in the fireside room and welcoming new guests as well as a nice evening service and an open mike night. It doesn’t sound like much but being this social can be tiring. We retired early tonight we are all feeling a little tired and grumpy today. I can’t believe that tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I wrapped some presents and hopefully I will have some time tomorrow to just be quiet before the Christmas Eve festivities begin. Jordyn finished her weaving today and it is beautiful! Nyrie started on a loom also and has been working bit by bit. The snow seems to have stopped and the moon is shining through the haze. The cold is strange here it doesn’t get into your bones like it does in Tacoma. It has been in the teens and I am comfortable with a sweater and a light jacket. It could be also that we are in constant movement up here.
Today I inherited Library Ken (a Barbie doll that is passed from librarian to librarian here at Holden.) One of the Matts gave him to be before they departed the village for a three month trip to Peru, and Bolivia. It was sad to see them go but I know that they will have an impact in the world for the better.
I hardly saw the girls at all today. There are many children up here for the holidays and the girls are having fun introducing the new kids to their winter home. At night they are tired from a days play and sometimes weepy. There is a lot of adjusting to be done still. Sometimes I feel exhausted from all of the new input, the sights sounds smells and information. I guess I feel a combination of exhausted and inspired. I imagine that the girls feel the same. The new faces are fun and exciting but tiring all at the same time. Jordyn is testing the ten year old waters and Nyrie is often complaining about it. They have been bickering and sensitive towards each other for the last few days.
Dave and I seem to be doing pretty well, although it is difficult to get dates alone up here. There aren’t many places to go. There are only about four places to go really and most of them we have already been to several times during the day. I hope to get some snowshoes soon and maybe if the snow lets up we can get a snowshoe date in the wilderness. With the volume of guests in the village right now there aren’t a lot of extras around. We do good snuggling at night though and read together in the mornings, and at Holden we can hardly help but see each other throughout the day. We love you all and miss you, and thank you for the many times you all took the kids so Dave and I could go on a date! We have been so blessed by our Tacoma and greater community over the years for so many things. Each one of you has really helped to build us up and support our marriage and our parenting! Happy Holiday to all of You!