THINGS I LOVE ABOUT FATHER'S DAY * My dad * My father-in-law * My son * My son-in-law * Caring men I observe everywhere! The many dads, both in my family and my extended family and many friends through the years, that I have observed showering love & care on their children and grandchildren and their children's friends.

Things I Love About Christmastime

Each day I remember with a smile fun times and stories from Christmas celebrations through the years. I still laugh about a friend of my parents who nailed his family's Christmas tree to the floor one night after it fell over 4 times while they were all sleeping. Obviously, it woke him up each time! We still have some small glass ornaments that we bought our first Christmas in New Haven. That's the year I broke my leg when I slipped on the icy snow. In Texas we had to put the live tree in the garage because Butch was so allergic to it. That's when we moved into "permanent" artificial land where trees were concerned. One year Butch told me he didn't think he was going to get all of the Santa gifts put together before the kids woke up. You know, that Hot Wheels track worked just as well with a "short" rather than "long" run. The kids finally told us about sneaking quietly down the stairs in Kansas, checking out the presents, coming back upstairs, and pretending still to be asleep when I got them up to go downstairs. What a treat it is to see some of the grandkids celebrate what Santa brought them! It's fun to hear those who live far away say how much they love their gifts, too. Phone calls from family bring us all closer during the holidays. The Christmas Eve Services at churches through the years bring many dear faces to mind, along with smiles and laughs and tears. The music of Christmas is always a highlight and faces and places flash through my mind as I sing carols or listen to special favorites. These memories are listed here as they come to mind. What a collage they all create!

The Flurry of Life At Christmastime

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the whole year. Not only do I love the decorating, I love being with family and friends as we celebrate the joy of the holidays. The special events at church and in the community add to the whole festive experience. It is always so much fun to wrap gifts that have been selected with particular people in mind and to anticipate their pleasure when they open the presents. The memories that come "out" with the decorations bring smiles and a flood of feelings and the re-experiencing of some special moments. The Christmas tree always warms my heart when I look at it and I do love the singing Hallmark snowmen every bit as much as the grandkids do. :-) It's a time for remembering and celebrating and sharing and rejoicing. Merry Christmas to one and all!

Poinsettias

This gorgeous flower with the myriad of reds, pinks, and whites, is such a delightful addition to a home at Christmas. It is a treat to give AND a treat to receive.

"A charming story is told of Pepita, a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas Eve Services. As Pepita walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy.

'I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes,' said Pedro consolingly.

Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of common weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel.

As she approached the alter, she remembered Pedro's kind words: 'Even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes.' She felt her spirit lift as she knelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene.

Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes.

From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season.

Today, the common name for this plant is the poinsettia!"

Thanksgiving Sunday

Today was the Annual Thanksgiving Celebration and Dinner at our church. The beautiful cornucopia on the altar, the traditional Thanksgiving music, the new members, and the feast we all shared at the beautiful tables in the Refectory combined for a delightful celebration that even the rain couldn't dampen. Thanks to everyone who made this happen for all of the rest of us! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Kids & Soccer

The kids' soccer season is off and running - literally & figuratively. Today two CA grandkids had their first games, while the Kansas grandkids have already been playing for a couple of weeks. I love going to one of the fields at a local park where there seem to be a gillion kids and their parents who are spread all over the place. You sit back to back with the parents/grandparents/siblings who are watching their kids on fields that are divided by a fairly narrow space. Saintly men and women who are giving their time to coach AND those who come to referee are all to be commended. The kids have such a good time and so do the parents. Our first game today was played under cloudy skies and it was COLD. We were bundled up in jackets & blankets. Then, 3 hours later, after some thundershowers, the sun came out and the next game was played under a sun where it felt a lot better to sit in the shade to watch. Zac's team gave it their best effort, but the score didn't end in their favor. Claire's team came out on the winning side. Watching all of them is a hoot! On Claire's team all of these girls = 6 blonde ponytails + 2 black-haired ones - go bobbing down the field in shorts that hang down over their socks, and with socks have been doubled over. They have boundless energy! The same was true for the boys. For the girls black & white soccer balls are passe. So, we watch pink or purple or whatever color go zooming up and down and around the field. It's all great fun to watch. It's a perfect Saturday morning for kids, parents, and grandparents!

Happy 11th Anniversary, Mark & Susan!

Eleven years ago today we were all in Lawrence for Mark's and Susan's wedding. It was exciting, fun, memorable, special, smiles all around, and hotter than heck! We partied and celebrated and laughed and cried happy tears and had a super time seeing all of their friends and visiting with Susan's family and our family, too. We've had so many good times together since then, and we look forward to many more. With the grandchildren all about the same ages - except for Sara and Luke - it's a super, busy time now when we all see each other.

But the memories of that day 11 years ago always bring smiles. Happy Anniversary, Susan and Mark. Much love from Butch and RoRo