The past week has been full of activity and warm fuzzies. I spent days cleaning and doing laundry, as well as a lot of cooking. George was coming on the afternoon of Christmas Eve and Becky’s son, Jonathan and his wife Aimee, were coming for a late dinner. I had the gifts ready, the food ready and candles blazing. We ate until we were stuffed and then went right for the packages.

Our room looked like a UPS warehouse. John and Barb and Jennifer and Marc did their shopping on the internet and brown boxes arrived every day for a week. Can you imagine my anxiety over WHO got WHICH box? John and I laughed over his suggestion to sit in a ring around the boxes….open all of them up and then each could grab what they wanted. Actually I think that might be fun….but maybe some other time….because I love what everyone picked out for me, personally, and I’m not that good at shoving and grabbing anymore.

After gift opening we all got on phones and called John’s, Jennifer and Marc and Dale. It made them all seem much closer and part of the gathering. John got a great Christmas present because the Chiefs won their game. Things are shaping up for a great 2005-season. (Hope burns eternally.)

George stayed with us until yesterday (Tuesday afternoon) when he loaded his truck and headed north for Shawnee. I’m afraid he had a “busman’s holiday” as Becky’s computer took a bad turn for the worse and he spent most of two days at her house trying to undo some strange ailments it had. She has begun to cast an eye at her old PC which we bought from her when she bought her new one. I have to frisk her every time she leaves to make sure she hasn’t confiscated it. She is having terrible withdrawals from not being able to post her blogs or to email. I can empathize as I’m sure many of you can. For now she is without wings……..

While George and Becky were at her house working on the computer, I busied myself making fudge and cookies to mail to John’s and Jennifer/Marc. I didn’t get that done before Christmas so wanted to get it done for New Years. I think it might be more appreciated after the big meals are now past. I took “orders” for each personal request so today Marc’s sugar cookies will get iced and mailed and Barbara’s thumbprint cookies will get made and sent…..the last of the list.

Then there is little Zach….Rocky’s grandson who is in Ramstein, Germany. We had an email from his mother, Janet Morand, (some of you see her comments on your blogs) and she said he is to be deployed to Iraq by November….I’m sure she would covet your prayers for him. He just graduated high school last June and is a pretty young kid to be going to Iraq…….however, we realize a lot of other young kids have already gone. Anyway, gramma will be sending him some cookies again, too. Zach has a sweet tooth and I can identify with that very well.

I’d better get on my stick here and get started with all this. I’m beginning to make myself nervous….Ha! I am aware that January is soon coming up and my life story will pick up with 1985. I am beginning to reflect on that year and I will be in print with it January 1st. So have yourself a good day. Remember our friend, Ellen, who is having to face some pretty tough appointments right now……

I hope your Christmas was wonderful in every way and leaves you with the warm glow of family, friends and the God of your faith. I am so grateful for the country we live in and for all those young people and career people who are keeping it free. Our comforts and safety really come home when we see what damage the Tsunami caused, along with the suffering and devastation it left behind. I cannot imagine a disaster on that magnitude…..and I’m sure the ones who are familiar with such things will try to set up a warning of some kind in the future. They deserve our help and our prayers…….

Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther