A Christmas Party to Forget . . . and to Remember

It's Friday morning and sitting in Honest Coffee Roasters waiting on my coffee.  15 or 20 minutes of solitude, then I'm off to the races.  I'm dog tired.  I was up late last night working on a project for a client.  Unlike most holiday seasons when I'm able to gear down near Christmas, this year I'm simply covered up.  It's been that way the last quarter of the year.

Tuesday night, Jude and I attended our 7th and final Christmas Party at the Governor's residence, hosted by Governor Haslam and the First Lady, Chrissie Haslam.  Jude worked as Director of the Children's cabinet for almost severn years.  She's very fond of the both of them, as am I.  Her job was challenging but rewarding and she learned so much.  Jude's fiercely loyal and part of the reason why she stayed on until almost the very end of the Governor's second term was her loyalty to the Governor, his administration and the importance of the work she was doing.  It probably shows, but I'm very, very proud of Jude.

We've been blessed to be invited to several events over the last 7 years at the Governor's residence and elsewhere.  Christmas parties, summer picnics, inauguration celebrations, etc.  Likewise, the boys have been with Jude to trick-or-treat at the Governor's residence and to see the Christmas decorations there every years.  As a family, we've attended the Christmas tree lighting at the state capital almost every year.  J.P. has attended the Governor's State of the State Address every year, proud to dress up in a suit and tie.  It's been a good and special run for Jude, and for us.

This year's Christmas party was different.  No formal address from the Governor, just quiet conversations with him for a minute or two as he made the rounds.  Attendance was down, which is to be expected.  There were few younger people there.  So many people have moved on to new jobs in and out of state government.  The mood was subdued and not as festive as in years past.  There was a nervous energy, as many of the attendees don't yet know where they will end up or are waiting for a decision from the new Governor, Bill Lee, as to whether he will keep them in their current position, move them or let them go.  In fact, one young man I talked with - whom I see at every event - has an interview scheduled on Monday with Governor Lee.  He desperately wants to remain in his current position and I hope it works out for him.

The contrast between the atmosphere or mood at this year's Christmas party and in years past was profound.  Melancholy is probably the word that best describes the overriding feeling at the party.  For many people - certainly, some of the older commissioners of various departments - the last eight years has been the culmination of long and sometimes storied careers.  There was a feeling of nostalgia, too.  Gone was the feeling of promise, of optimism, of work yet to be done and policy goals to be reached.

When Jude was contacted by the Haslam administration about the job, she was pregnant with Joe.  Very pregnant.  She was working as a consultant to Mayor Karl Dean, cloistered away in an isolated office, or maybe a cubicle, working on a long-term planning project.  That was the way she wanted it after a seven or eight year run as Executive Director at Renewal House.  She was working 24 hours a week.  Perfect for a woman with an almost 4 year old and another son on the way.

Suddenly, roughly seven months pregnant, Jude was working in the mornings at the Mayor's office and in the afternoons for the Governor.  Full time.  It was a whirlwind until she had Joe, after which she took three months off for maternity leave.  Then, she was off to the races as Director of the Children's Cabinet.

It was a good run.  It was nice Christmas party, kind of a bookend to Jude's seven year run working in the Haslam administration.  I'm glad we went.