This past August my wife, best friend and mother of our children died suddenly. Roberta Ann Lubanski Paulson was a light and encouragement for us and so many. So much so that at her memorial service the church sanctuary was packed and seats stretched into the hallway, even outdoors.
She was a woman of strong faith in Jesus Christ. She not only knew what she believed but why she believed it. She taught our three children in our home and engaged them passionately in the outside world. She had a sense of curiosity that lead her to read widely and converse freely with well ordered thinking. No one who spoke to her was ever bored. The many shelves of books she leaves behind are her testimony.
She traveled so well, preferring to delve into a town or neighborhood for a few days. She wanted to see the place like the people who lived there, no matter where
there might be. The same held true for restaurants. In Toronto's Chinatown she ate the chicken feet. At a Middle Eastern place she would order Kibbee, and on and on. The weekend before she died, the five of us visited my brother and his partner at their house in Santa Fe.
She was the driving force behind making that trip happen. I am so thankful we had that wonderful weekend together as a family.
And I could go on and on. Our three children and I miss her terribly. Perhaps her finest tribute is that in the midst of overwhelming grief, our family and friends showed us overwhelming love and support...and they continue to do so.
Bobbie, we are missing you, but with faith in Him, we look to the promise of the new year.
Here is the family photo from this year's fifth annual Netherfield Ball. Sarah did not attend this year due to work commitments. As in past years, we all got to follow the caller for English country dances as were performed during the Regency period. These dances play a prominent role for young men and women to meet and speak in the Jane Austen novels. We have been a part of these events from the beginning. Videos from past balls are here and here. Click on the second one for a brief scene from the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.The difference this year is that we have been a part of this event since 2008. Correct that, Bobbie has been a part of it since 2008. The entire event will be passed off to a new committee next year. So, we all felt a bit nostalgic this year as next year's event could be quite different. If so, that is great. This is a special event, but we don't want it to get stale or become irrelevant. Now that may sound strange because this event recreates a bygone era. But the purpose is to provide a family centered formal dress social activity. If nobody comes to it, the social part is lost. 
