Christmas Light

I was looking back through my Christmas pictures when I saw how many times I had that maddening habit of forgetting to turn my flash on when I would try to capture a quick second in time. It's never quite the same when you have to say, Wait a minute, let me turn my flash on! The second is ruined! I'm often met with the tease, "Ok , Judy" (my grandma-who-fussed-with-her-camera's nickname), and hence that second and the beautiful memory is lost forever. You can see how important it is to carry the Light with us through all of our seconds or life will be a blur.

Today, in church we were challenged to think about how God has blessed us this year and how we can use these gifts to bless others. I thought of this Chris Rice song(click on the play button):

The Birthday Party

Yesterday, we celebrated Edward's 18th birthday in style at the Queen Mother's house. To see the guests who were invited, put your cursor over the picture below. Unfortunately, you can't see Tom & Paula very well, but maybe you can see why my mom is the Queen Mother!





Edward stopped laughing long enough to blow out all 18 candles in one quick breath.

Flash Back Friday 9

December 1998, The Cousins with Their Wooden Shoes

Christmas Day and the Journey Home

First of all before I tell about our Christmas Day, I would like to say Happy Birthday to Aunt Michaela! Okay, here we go.


Mom's little dog Beatrix was beat after everyone left Sunday night. You can see a bit of trauma yet in her eyes as Mom held her on Christmas.


She later perched at her spot near the fireplace.



Christmas Day was a day to enjoy peace and fellowship. At noon, we had a Christmas Dinner of smoked turkey and ham, and Red Velvet Cake to celebrate Edward's birthday.




Grandma gathered the children for "Grandma Thank You Letter Writing School" as she does every year. Some of the younger kids found the address part to be a challenge since it was not an e-mail.


Soon, it was time to head back to Michigan. Back to reality.

Melodrama

One thing that is kind of fun at Mom & Dad's house is the blood pressure machine that they have. I can probably say it's fun since I have normal blood pressure, but my sister Marianna has high blood pressure. In the above picture, her daughter is taking care of her and they were having a good time of it.

Christmas Eve

We woke up Sunday morning in Celeryville and I must say that I enjoyed looking at Mom's Christmas decorations while I drank my coffee.



At 9:30am we went to the church where I was baptized 44 years ago and where John & I were married over 18 years ago.



After the Christmas Eve Cantata at 6pm, my 3 sisters & their families came over to Mom & Dad's to celebrate.



It was Nephew Sam's turn to read Luke 2.




The cousins all had fun together - Trey, Tiffany, Edward, Maria, Sam, Hunter, Bridget, Allie & Paige.

Going Home for Christmas, the 23rd

We strapped up Leo the red-nosed kitty, but he just got mad.



The trip usually takes us 4 hours, but we did it in 3:45 since we were so excited to get there.



Yes, there is such a place.



If you know anything about northern Ohio, you know that it can be very flat and gray and brown in the winter. Despite the monotone driving, I came down with a slight bit of car sickness from trying to read in the car. This was soon cured when I was greeted at my Mom & Dad's house by some color. And a bowl of vegetable soup.



Mom was already getting ready in the kitchen for Christmas eve. Here she is posing with Edward's Red Velvet birthday cake.



We went over to Andrea's for pizza Saturday evening and everyone was there. I only took a picture of Andrea in her kitchen. It was so clean you could have eaten off the floor. I always notice that about Andrea, probably because she was in the military.



More later...

A King is Born

We can celebrate life because Jesus was born!

Friday Night

We spent last evening with John's side of the family to celebrate Christmas/Edward's birthday. We had a fun time complete with birthday candles in peppermint stick ice cream and Christmas carols and Luke 2 and presents.



The cousins always have fun together. I should have taken more pictures.

Trying Hard to Remember

Yesterday was one of those days. At supper, we all recounted the things we had forgotten that day. Bridget forgot her lunch and her toga and clothespins for Greco Roman week. She borrowed a toga from a teacher and I brought her lunch. I went to Bridget's program at school and completely missed seeing her in the 2 events she was in even though I was sitting in the stands trying to watch her. I forgot my camera because when I was getting ready to leave for work, I couldn't find my keys. The kids all thought this was pretty funny.

Maria & I went to the store to get toilet paper, and as we were checking out, we remembered that we forgot to get it. On the way out to the car, we realized that we also forgot her orthodontist appointment which was to start a half hour ago. When I called the office, they graciously allowed me to blame it on this time of the year. Edward used somebody's phone and called at 5 pm because he locked himself and his phone and his car keys in church downtown where he was cleaning. This involved an hour long ordeal of getting him during rush hour and picking up John on the way because he had the spare key for Ed's car.

John seems to be the only one who had his head together yesterday, but at supper, he graciously recounted a funny story of how he locked himself out of his car at a gas station and the next week, he did the same exact thing. When he went in for help, they graciously gave him the same straightened clothes hanger he had used the week before to unlock his car.

So all this is to say is we are trying hard to remember the true meaning of Christmas and how grace and forgiveness get us through each day.

Old Favorite

Eight Years Ago

This picture will probably always be on our mantle.

Due Date

December 19 always, always brings to mind the date on which Edward was due to be born 17 years ago. John & I were so excited for him to be born, and then he was 6 days late! I'll never forget when an old lady from church came up to me a week before he was born and told me I was cheating my baby having him be born so close to Christmas as if I had anything to do with it.

So John & I waited and waited and spent a quiet Christmas eve at home alone. We went to the hospital, Joseph and Mary-like, and Edward was born at 12:36 am. The nurses cheered and put a Santa hat on the first Christmas baby of the year. At the parent's luncheon at the hospital, ours was the only baby of 18 babies who was not named Christopher (after Christ or Kris Kringle, I suppose) or Holly or Nicholas.

And now for the 17th year in a row, Edward gets to celebrate his birthday as we celebrate the birth of the Baby Jesus, and he is very blessed in that it is an exciting time of year with family all around and double the presents and the promise that no one will ever forget his birthday.

Christmas Concert

Wrapping It Up

John took Friday off of work so we could finish up on our Christmas shopping. We had a fun time buying presents and going out for lunch, etc. On Saturday, I went to the mall with Edward and we ran into one of his friends who was also out shopping with his mother. I wish I had a picture of that! Sixteen year olds shopping with their mothers. So cool. At night, John & I went down to our church where we were doing a child care event for parents who needed to finish up their shopping. We had about 20 big people babysitting maybe 5 little people. It was quite relaxing to say the least.

This morning in church, we heard a good message about the wisemen's response to the birth announcement sent to them in the stars. Peace to you all as you look forward to the celebration of Christ's birth!


Maria & Bridget bonding before Christmas

My Favourite Christmas Songs.

So I got cyber-tagged by my friend in Malaysia and I have to blog about my favourite (that's what she called them to all you American's reading this- it's the proper English spelling of favorite :)) Christmas Music.

I must admit that I haven't listened to much yet this year, but I did go to hear Handel's Messiah and how can that NOT be a favourite? It was a good thing to sit there for 2-1/2 hours and meditate on the verses that foretell the Messiah's birth, tell about His sacrifice, and celebrate His victory over death.

So now I'll tag Bobbie, Gracie, & Air Force Fun. You guys can do it! I can't wait to hear your favourites!


For today's photo, we have a picture I took a couple of years ago of my sister's kitty Zoe who likes to sit IN Christmas trees as opposed to under them.

Messiah

Last night, John & I went downtown to hear Handel's Messiah by the Calvin Oratorio Society. I don't think we had been to it since the kids were born and I had forgotten what a great time this is listening to the 140 person choir, the 4 soloists and the orchestra. I was thinking that Mom & Dad should have been there, oh, and all the people I know, and a few angels. Then that would be like heaven.

So now Advent and the Christmas season has officially begun.

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor
The Mighty God,
The Everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Tis the Season

Today, the girls & I started our Christmas shopping. We were focusing on the girl cousins and had a fun morning together!