Sparkly Shoes and Jammie Bottoms On This Eve of Christmas . . .

Today is going to be a marathon of wrapping, baking and preparing.  The combination of working during our busiest time of the year (I work for the card company, American Greetings) and running back and forth between the hospital and nursing home and just plain old everyday life (not that there's been anything "plain" about it!!) has left me with no time for wrapping gifts.  My husband worked his last night shift last night and as soon as he wakes up this afternoon I'm locking myself in my bedroom and getting the job done!!  I guess I have no choice at this point, do I???  LOL!!! 

These last two days have been unseasonably warm here in New York.   We actually had our heat turned off and the windows wide open even at night.  I don't remember ever being able to do that in December!!

Megan put on her sparkly shoes and celebrated the warm weather by dancing around the back patio and playing in puddles left behind by the melting snow.  Gotta love bed head, sparkly shoes and jammie bottoms!!  : )

A warm breeze!!

Ohhhh, how I love that face!!!  : )

Speaking of faces, these are the photos I used for our Christmas card this year . . .

Connor, age 21.

Trevor, age 17.

Brendan, age 12.

Megan, age 3 1/2.

Tomorrow we celebrate Christmas with my family.  I'll be cooking a roast pork dinner with all the trimmings.  We'll be visiting my brother in law at the nursing home at lunch time so we can bring him his lasagna that he always has on special holidays.  We're also going to bring him his gifts and try to make things as special as we can.  Unfortunately, the physical therapist strongly recommended that we don't take Thomas out of the nursing home for Christmas so we're going to bring Christmas to the nursing home for him.  Christmas night, we'll visit my father in law in the hospital after our company has left.  It's going to be a busy day but we have so very much to be grateful and thankful for!!  : )

 Many blessings for a beautiful and peaceful Christmas from our family to yours ~ Wendy

God Works in Very Interesting Ways . . .

On Saturday, I went to visit my father in law in the hospital. He had a stent put in his leg. I feel like I've been visiting hospitals and nursing homes a lot lately and honestly didn't feel like getting out of my jammies on such a cold day when I finally had a day that I could dedicate to cleaning, laundry and working in my Etsy shop. Finally, around 4:00, I worked my way up to the hospital. I parked my car in the visitor's lot at the same time as someone who found a spot right across from me. I looked as he got out of the car and realized that I knew the person. He is someone that is invited to the same party as we are every Christmas Eve. I asked him what brought him to the hospital and he told me that a family member that is part of the group we meet every year at the beach was very sick and was a patient there. His name is "Uncle Walter." He was on the same floor as my father in law (who thankfully is doing very well). After visiting with my FIL, I walked over to the unit that our family friend was on. As I turned the corner, I could see the crowd of people in the waiting room. All people that we spend a week with every year at the beach.

For once, my procrastination was a positive thing. Had I not taken my time to get to the hospital I never would've known about Uncle Walter being there. I never would've been able to try to give some comfort to this group of people that we have come to consider part of our family. I never would've been able to see Uncle Walter and talk to him for what came to be the last time. Uncle Walter passed away at 8 am yesterday morning. He was 82 years old. He leaves behind his wife, Auntie Anne, his children and his grandchildren that loved him more than I think I've ever seen grandchildren love a grandfather. You will be greatly missed, Uncle Walter. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to get to know you and to say goodbye.


Many blessings ~ Wendy