Anticipating Christmas

 All the preparations for the Big Event we celebrate create eager anticipation, even longing. Christmas greetings coming in and going out - some in the form of cards, and increasingly more via the internet. 

An annual bike ride Michael enjoys is the Luminary, to see the Christmas lights in areas of Indianapolis. He decorated his bicycle for the occasion. There were only seven riders from Muncie who joined hundreds of others. Unfortunately, the people who used to serve hot chocolate and cookies were not there. 

 

As usual I spent time at my writing desk. This was the view one morning, the moon was still up. The trees are bare now, the weather is very mild for this time of year, and anyone wishing for a white Christmas will be disappointed.

Memories of past Christmases surfaced every day. Here a few favorites from last year. I had forgotten the one representing Mary, Joseph and the baby, which was intended for use as our next Christmas card. Sadly I totally forgot.

Below it you can see how much the babe has grown.

Anticipation took on different aspects. At Stephan and Karen's new house, work accelerated hoping to be ready to host the annual Christmas Eve Brunch and Koch family gift exchange. Read about it here.

If you got all the way through you learned that there was a change of plans. The family event was postponed for a week. The brothers were most definitely sleep deprived working through the night, and their dad spent many hours there as well. The brunch, however, was still on, with one difference - it would be a carry-in instead of the Chef's usual fare.

That's where my hours in the kitchen came in preparing: baked oatmeal, torta pascualina (Argentine spinach pie), Grandma Hoyt's fruit salad, Sharon's sweet potatoes in orange cups. 

So, we had a memorable last brunch in the old house, crowded but cozy and happy. 

I especially enjoyed having the families of our two greats there.

There was also a 16-day-old baby in the crowd. The protective mama allowed Karen the privilege of a few moments. That's when I came up with a question and my camera! She protested, "You can't expect me to answer and take a picture at the same time!" (Sorry, Karen.)

Then there was a tour of the new house to observe the progress and a few family photos outside.

Christmas Day is very different as empty-nesters.  It was a rather quiet time with only Diane here. I confess to feeling depressed. 

I treasured each glimpse into the home celebrations - the old and the new traditions.

Grandma Linda makes pj's for each of the grands every year and that is one gift they open Christmas Eve.

2020                 2021

Kayla's house looks Christmas-card worthy in preparation for the joyful family time. Thank you, Matt, for this snapshot.

On Instagram I followed the household celebrations at Sam and Kristie's and also Malachi and Lexi's.

These beautiful internet gifts ministered to my soul! 

And here's another favorite memory, one of the last Christmases with Mother.

Festivities are not over. The Koch family celebration is now scheduled for New Year's Day! 

Last week of October

 We do enjoy the cozy feeling and fragrance of candles on autumn evenings.

Autumn decor

Fall changes happened almost suddenly. These two pictures of what I see out of my window as I write, compare the color differences between the beginning of the week and the last day. 

Michael went out to blow the leaves that blanketed the driveway. No longer had he finished when it was covered again. We looked out and saw them falling like rain.

Stephan reminded us Monday at his dinner table of his great disappointment when he was a small child. I don't remember this, but he said that I explained that it was the first day of fall, which is when the leaves fall. He looked longingly and hopefully at the trees, but nothing was happening. That memory stayed with him to this day.

For lack of photos, here are two oldies. Christmas cards we sent to family from those early days in Germany.When we arrived at Mike's brother Terry's, he had them sitting out for us.

Christmas 1971, and 1973

I've noticed that often when disposing of old photos and letters, they are returned to the sender. Do you do that too? In my case, I find them meaningful, the messages I wrote long ago help me put together the puzzle of different periods of our life story.

I cam across this photo last week, and it was especially meaningful because my dear cousin Ed, we called him Eddie, passed away October 29. He was only four months older than me. He was recently widowed, and leaves behind a young daughter.

In this photo taken at the time of my parents' 50th wedding anniversary celebration, he is holding our granddaughter Kayla who is now 30-years-old.

Here is a great article and photo: Former Union College President Edward de Rosset Dies at 77.

Michael keeps busy all the time, but lamentably I have no photos to show of his work. The heating system at Stephan's house is complete now! Michael is now feeling the need to begin gathering in wood for our winter supply. Hopefully a couple weeks of decent weather will help.

Saturday I was scheduled to work at the Helping Hand store. I had fun interacting with the clients. This is a Taylor University Korean student who so enjoyed shopping and finding all kind of items that will help him survive his first Indiana winter. Here he is wearing or carrying them in bags or pockets. 

Mid morning, when the crowd had died down, I had a surprise call from a high school classmate in Argentina. What an interesting conversation after sixty years!

I had already agreed to help Kayla with the library Halloween party she was in charge of. Sadly, she was in quarantine and couldn't be there. However, she had planned and prepared so well that we seven helpers were able to pull off a very successful community event.

I was in charge of the station where kids had fun digging for hidden gumballs eyeballs in the spaghetti mess of brains.

Of course, one of my favorite moments was watching great grandson Kalani kicking around the balloons Tamara and I had painstakingly blown up. That was all he was interested in. A future soccer player perhaps?

Rebecca could not be there, of course, but dressed up anyway. I stopped by after and handed some goodies through the door. 

Sunday, we enjoyed a Moriah-meal. Ever since someone gave us these unique plates, we've enjoyed "plated" meals. 

We had a lot of catching up to do. The young engineer is "adulting" quite well! And, of course, we had to play a few rounds of Splendor. 

Birthdays

Does your week begin on Monday, like Spanish calendars? If so, this is the appropriate photo. We were arriving at Stephan's for Monday Night Dinner and the sunset was so beautiful. 

Kendra and Zack came as well. It was a very enjoyable evening.

However, our calendar week begins on Sunday and we set aside that day for a weekly rhythm of corporate worship and are ever so grateful that we can meet together with our church family.

Sunday, February 28, was Zack's birthday. Kendra baked his cake of choice, one of her family favorites, Wacky Cake. Michael is giving her a hard time as usual, which she knows very well how to give back.

This bag Kayla gave me at Christmastime, is perfect for carrying my necessary items to Tuesday Bible study, but it's message may already be out of season. The sun is out and the snow is gone.

March has the most birthdays in our family circle. Wednesday, March 3, Lexi, Malachi's fiance was 22. I noticed on Facebook that he came from Winona Lake and met up with her at The Bridge Cafe in Upland! I had just been there that morning with a friend. 

We are eagerly looking forward to their wedding in a couple months.

Starting Wednesday, Michael has been helping Stephan every day. The first day they laid out the dimensions of the new house. 

 

Stephan is overwhelmed with everything coming together at the same time: sugaring, ice carving jobs, and house building. 

He collects sap from his 40+ maple trees, several hundred gallons by now, then boils it down into syrup.

Thursday's wonderful sunshine invited me to walk the mile or two to a friend's house to pick up a book she rebound for us. On the way back I met another walker. What a surprise to recognize Joy, someone I hadn't seen in more than twenty years. We had so many stories to tell.

The week ended with yet another birthday celebration. Destiny had experienced a Koch-style fondue meal early on in her relationship with Skye, so that is what she wanted for her birthday. 

I spent the day preparing and we were able to enjoy a "fun to do" fondue with two thirds of the growing Koch clan. It's a slow meal where everyone cooks their own meats and vegggies in either of the two pots of hot oil. Fondue fork squabbles and a race for the "floaties" are part of the fun.

Destiny also preferred the Krazy Koch birthday song.

Can you read her age on the brownie cake?

Come back next week for a very significant birthday in our family.

Christmas

One of three tables ready and waiting--tablecloth from the Basque Country.

A change from Monday Night dinner--Sam's family rented a whole theatre room for a limited number to watch "A Christmas Story". Later, the boys opened an early present, slingshots. The photo caption: "Hope they don't shoot their eyes out!" was a perfect follow-up.

Rebecca "helped" me Tuesday while her mom was at the library. We did a variety of activities, including painting rocks.  Any favorites? Which ones are Rebecca's? You may have to enlarge the photo to get the full effect of the bottom row.

However, her greatest accomplishment was to learn to play Splendor--the game that always sits at one end of our table ready for the nightly spousal contest. Surely she is not old enough, nevertheless smart enough!

Still had last minute shopping to do Wednesday, after another brief visit with consuegra Debby. One stop was nearby to this delightful folk singer, Mrs. Kate. Her grandkids dragged out all the totes and cases full of her merchandise and helped me choose CDs and finger puppets for each of the grandkids. Then they performed a couple of songs.

Thursday Diane joined us for Stephan and Karen's annual Christmas Eve brunch. The group was smaller, but as always we enjoyed food, fun and fellowship. 

Thank you, Stephan and Karen!

Christmas Day was spent with Diane who stayed here through Sunday.

In the afternoon, Michael went with his hiking buddy to the Rangeline Nature Preserve in Anderson and covered 3 1/2 miles of trail at the expert and intermediate levels.

Meanwhile, back at the homestead, Diane and I were pleasantly surprised by a group of carolers and a plate of cookies--our neighbors, the Vosses, had walked over through the woods to surprise us!

Saturday was our ALL family gathering. For this year, that was our Christmas miracle. We hadn't been ALL together since Thanksgiving of 2018. The Krazy Kochs photo was my favorite! Notice our newest family member's pose.

We so enjoyed remembering the story of Jesus' birth as read by Kayla and Rebecca, and then visualized for us by the new little family, Skye, Destiny and Kalani.

When Diane asked the meaning of inn keeper, Michael was reminded of an early play on words. In response to a reading in first or second grade, he drew a house-of-sorts with a tree next to it and the name was "Come Inn."

I am reminded of the song:

Into my heart, into my heart,

Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.

Come in today, come in to stay,

Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.

Sadly, when God came in the flesh to dwell with us, he was not welcomed, "He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him." (John 1:11)

May our world today welcome Emanuel (=God with us), the promised one who was and  is "Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

Week 48: Thanksgiving

 The weather has definitely changed. Tis the season to cozy up with a cup of hot coffee/chocolate or. . . 

. . . a London Fog or Green Matcha at Common Grounds Cafe with a friend. We tried this nook in the loft.

Petey and I try to meet weekly but lately with the arrival of her new grandbaby, our meetings are less frequent, but always such a blessing. 

Moriah left us this week. Students will finish the semester finals from home. This is an old photo where she's ready for work at Chick-Fil-A.  

Preparations for Thanksgiving began. Our family gathering was smaller, but the turkey was huge. Michael was in charge of cooking the bird. He also baked a beautiful cherry berry pie.

I spent considerable time in the kitchen, prepared a couple special menu items and got any cooking /baking urges out of the way for a while. 

What we can never get enough of is family fellowship. We miss the gatherings we used to have, but grateful for what we were able to enjoy on Thanksgiving.  

Of course, the center of attention was the baby in the family--Kalani 8 months 10 days old. He hangs on to a little scooter thing and moves dangerously fast! He'll probably be walking by Christmas. Watch out everybody!

Diane spent Wednesday through Saturday with us. She loves spending time with family. Here you see the siblings at table. 

Speaking of siblings, it was good to communicate with Michael's older brother who is always so faithful to call us.

Friday we enjoyed walking the Upland trail.

Saturday after I'd worked at Helping Hand, I was so glad to be home in time to see these two before they took off on a date--Elijah and Ruby.

Michael was gone on his usual Saturday bike ride with the Muncie group--56 miles this time. 

It was such a beautiful sunny day. Diane and I walked the path through our woods.

That evening when we took her back home, we drove through the Walkway of Lights in Marion.

After many many months, probably several years, Michael is back at it! Can you guess what he is making? 

How did you celebrate the holiday?