The annual Clear Lake birthday celebration of 2016 has grown exponentially in the past 6 years.  Our Clear Lake family and friends know it sucks to have a birthday within a week of Christmas.  You grow up without special celebrations because many friends are traveling during the holidays, so you get an “extra present” under the tree to recognize your birthday.  No real birthday party just for you.  We don’t allow that to happen in Clear Lake.  Matt Wilcox, Joann Dickson and Donna Garcia all have birthdays during Christmas week and we’re not letting that go without a special party to recognize them.  Plus, it’s a great time to catch up with our extended family and friends.  So much has happened this year, all good.  Matt Dickson grew a beautiful beard, now aka Santa Dickson.  Everyone loves the new look and hopes it continues into the new year:)  Several new babies have been added to the celebration, with Lucy Fourmy and Olivia Alford being the latest additions.  Ika has gone to work for CCISD as a school psychologist, and loves it.  Shane and Courtney are officially engaged; we’re all looking forward to a late summer wedding!  BTW, contrary to the “bar scene” Ika is not teaching her mother-in-law to drink, I’m just holding Matt’s margarita for him:)  Best of all, when the clock struck 8 pm, everyone promptly gathered their loved ones and headed for the door.  This is the result of the thirty-somethings marrying off and starting families.  Kind of reminds me of Hank Williams Jr’s old tune “all my rowdy friends have settled down”:)  Does a mother’s heart good.