Sunday, December 26, 2010

2010 Week 52: Christmas Week

Sunday we were so privileged to attend the Spanish speaking church in Warsaw and hear my two younger brothers speak about the third gift of the magi--myrrh, symbolizing suffering.



We spent a wonderful day with mis hermanos, last time before Ivan and Kim returned to Argentina. They flew overnight and should have arrived back home today, Christmas day.

Monday the small group of new women friends met again, this time at The Loft Inn. In one of the rooms is this beautiful prayer.


There are times when we feel helpless and hopeless. Our hostess said that many of her guests have been moved by this prayer. Sadly, Christmastime is difficult for many. Each year I pray for Christmas miracles, to be able to see God at work in our lives and around us.

It was certainly no divine miracle, but I did get all the year-end letters sent out, most via e-mail on Tuesday,  both the English and Spanish versions. And it was quite an accomplishment to shop and wrap all the gifts...


...and fill the stockings with each person's favorite candy.


They were very pleased and surprised to find their favorite sweets. Most had forgotten that last year I had them fill out a card and list their choice candy. Truth is, I almost forgot about it myself, but was fortunate to find the cards just in time to look for all the favorites. I know so little about the many varieties of candy.

Thursday, SIL Diane came to spend the holiday weekend with us as always. We made one last trip to the mall--fought the crowds; saw a fight in progress; forgot what door we'd come in and took a while finding our car.



A project I failed to complete was one sock of the two pairs I knit for the sons. Again this year I gave a sock and a promise.

Christmas eve morning we joined the Monday meal crowd for the annual holiday brunch at Chef's. Great food and great fun! Here our gracious hosts, Karen still on crutches after her second bunionectomy. 
One day, I woke up and lay in bed trying to remember Christmases past by the decades. Later I looked in the albums and archives for 2000, 1990 and further back, and uncovered some very interesting memories. I hope to write more about that this week.

A photo from twenty years ago was especially pertinent. On Christmas day, mind you, my parents and brother and family came to help us work on our new house to get it ready to move in a few days later. We are wearing work clothes; the electric saw to the left, ballisters lined up on the right, and cute little Tina.

Mother, Kim, me, niece Tina (who just got married!) 
This is what that corner looks like now.


That is, before all the family gathers, then the gifts pile high, most home made or hand crafted with love...


...such as these knit wool hats and neckies, 


...and even cute little boxes with tiny greeting-cards.



Holiday Blessings to all!

6 comments:

  1. A sock & promise - that's great! I wouldn't mind - it would be fun having the expectation of something else & knowing you were thinking of me while you completed it.

    Glad you had a nice Christmas. It's been nice getting to know you this year!

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  2. I love handmade gifts. They are always my favorite!

    Blessings
    R

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  3. I was so sad when I realized that Kim was in South Bend...my old home. I wish I could have seen her!!!

    Your Christmas pictures are wonderful. i had to laugh about the sock....that sounds like something I would do!!!

    btw, tell Mike that my MIL loved her butter bell!!! :)

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  4. Love how you lined all the gifts up on the stairs, it looked like a lot. I liked your stockings all lined up too!

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  5. Had to laugh when I saw the OLD photo of us! That was during one of my curly hair periods. I've told Ivan if I ever think about getting another perm to remind me how AWFUL they are on me. LOL

    So good to see Karen up and around!

    That was a great idea with the candy.

    I'm working on uploading photos now for the final Project 365 post. Taking FOREVER. Back to the Land of Slow Internet :)

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  6. I love all of your stockings and that you fill them with a favorite sweet!
    A sock and a promise....love it!
    That picture of years gone by and now is really special.
    I would love to be able to make some of the handmade things you have there!
    Have a Happy New Year!!

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