January 8, 2013

• I’ve been absent from here a few weeks because to put it mildly, I’ve been busy.  I realize many people can still manage to write during the holidays, but I don’t seem to be one of them.  So…..rather than beat myself up because I can’t do it all, I just waited until today.  I just spent several hours uploading my photos from the past few weeks and I feel as if a big ton of bricks has been lifted off my shoulders.  I was telling Erin yesterday on the phone that I always dread the time it takes to upload photos, and I don’t even edit them.  Perish the thought, if I did edit, they would never get done! 

  What an enjoyable time we’ve had these past few weeks.  We have enjoyed spending time with family, all of our grown adult kids were home, with their spouses and all our grandkids were here.  We don’t take these times for granted, knowing how expensive it is for families to travel these days and realizing that some day they may not be able to come home for Christmas.  I’ve been thinking of the flipside to coins lately, and anything that has two sides to it.  Someone at church was asking me about our holiday and I told her that I was tired.  But I hastened on to say, that I enjoyed the holiday, it’s just that there is a flipside to it….on the one hand I am busier than ever and get very tired, but on the other hand, we are making memories that truly will last a lifetime.  The grandchildren get to  play and  the boys are getting to know their cousin Analiese and Analiese her cousins.  They played really well together and had a lot of fun!

  In a nutshell here are some of my favorite things from the last few weeks….
  Baking cookies with Rachel and Jody.
  Finding a Christmas tree and decorating not only ours but helping our grandsons decorate theirs.
  Decorating the house.
  Enjoying the snow!
  Dinner on Christmas Day with our friends the Drayer’s and included in that day were my sister, her husband and grown adult sons and our friends, the Idzerda’s. And then stopping by the Crider’s to see Christopher, Megan and Analiese as they had just arrived the night before.
  Having Erin and Nathan come for a few days.
  Making Almond Sticks!
  Having a Christmas Eve day and evening on Dec. 28 with our family and Christmas “Day” on December 29.
  Singing Christmas Carols with my family….I love to sing with them!!
  Seeing the darling Princess outfit and the Knight outfits Erin made for her her niece and nephews (for Christmas)….spoiling them has never been so cute!
  Going to see The Hobbit.
  Having fun discussions about anything and everything!
  Game Day on New Year’s Day here at the house.
  Going to the Stanley’s for dinner one evening. 
  Having their daughter, Laura over for a few hours and playing a game.
  A sad highlight was the funeral of our neighbor’s grandson.
  Friends stopping by for visits.
  And to end the two weeks of celebration, we had a lovely Epihany Party at Pete and Heather’s house.

  So…………..we are tired, but grateful for another year of celebrating the Lord’s coming as a baby in a manger.  Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!

  • 6:58 pm
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