Christmas Eve

We enjoyed our Christmas Eve.  We started with going to an overflowing church with Mom and then the three of us went to the Outback for a nice steak dinner.  We have always loved their salads, too.  Then, we drove to the Ethel M Chocolate Factory to see the lighted cactus gardens.  It's grown since we were here the last time.  It's quite a sight.

 It's pretty hard to capture it all with my phone camera.

We came back to Mom's and Skyped with Tana and family and opened gifts from each other together.  We started doing that a few years ago when we couldn't be together for Christmas.

We are topping off the night with Mom's pumpkin pie and a Hallmark movie.  Missing Dad and other family members, but an enjoyable day.

So, Mom in with her knitting and me with my blog and Craig's drooping eyes, mean putting Christmas Eve and ourselves to bed.

Merry Christmas to all and

To all a good-night.

Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year!!

God Incarnate, Emmanuel

This will be my Christmas Card and letter for 2013.  Since we don't really have an address and the price of stamps has gotten so steep, I don't expect anyone to send us a card, either.  I would love to hear from you in an email or with a Facebook message to let us know how you are doing and what has been going on in your lives!!!

This is a very special Season and I often feel that we just need to take time to reflect on what happened over 2,000 years ago.  It was a simple birth of a child, yet so complex in all of it's meaning.  A fulfillment of Biblical Prophecy in every way and yet so overlooked and misunderstood.  God becoming man........ I believe it, but I certainly don't understand it!!!  How could our creator love us so much that He would become man and dwell among us just to let us know that He is with us??!!!!  A babe in a manger, yet King of Kings and Lord of Lords!!  It's the wonderful wonder of it all!!!

If you have been reading my blog, you know that this year has been full of many things.  We moved back into the home in Aurora, Colorado that we had been renting out for 6 years in Sept of 2012.  We sold that home in April of 2013 after being on the market for just 2 days.  We closed on the home the same day that Craig retired from the field of Short Sales working with our daughter, Tana. We didn't really have a plan of where to go and we wanted to be able to visit friends and family and then spend time with my parents in Las Vegas.  So, we we bought a 32' motor home.  We named it the Whale realizing that we would probably go places that we really hadn't planned on.  And we had a wonderful time traveling almost 8.000 miles until Mom called and said that she was to the point of needing help with Dad.  They have lived in Las Vegas for nearly 30 years.  We found an affordable RV Park called, Duck Creek, on Boulder Highway and we have been here since Sept.  Dad had been on Hospice for two years, but was having more problems with the cancer that was spreading through his body.  He passed away on Nov 21st.  We made plans for a Memorial Service in our home town of Crown Point, Indiana and my two brother, three children and 6 of the 8 grand kids and many of Mom's family were together for a week.  It's nearly been a month, but it's going to be a very hard transition for Mom.  She is doing OK, and is learning new ways to fill her days after 67 years of caring for her husband.

Everyone is asking us, "When are you leaving Las Vegas".  We are praying and trying to hear some direction.  We may travel farther south to some weather that will stay above freezing for the month of Jan. and Feb.  Then, we aren't sure.  We still would love to live on a good fishing/swimming/skiing lake, but we are also very content living in the Whale and going wherever we need to be.

For about 15 years, Dad and Mom have been attending the Dennis Bono Show on Thursdays and we have often gone with them on several occasions.  Because Dad had trouble going, we had not attended for a month.  We went today for their Christmas Show.  It was a great show.  Not sure you will recognize any of these folks.

The center three people are, Rich Little, Deana Martin (Dean's daughter) and Clint Holmes.  Rich Little did, "The Night Before Christmas" doing his own version with impersonating about 8 people.  It was really good.  The best part of this Thursday show is the price = free. 

Our 3 children, their spouses and 8 grandchildren are all doing well.  Todd and Jeff are in Indiana and Tana in Colorado.

We are using our daughter's address in Colorado and she has been showing us (on Skype) the cards that you have sent to us at the address and she will be sending them on to us.  Thanks for thinking of us and sorry that I didn't get my normal cards out this year.  If you don't see this on Facebook, I may include the link in an email.  But hopefully, one way or another, you will know that we care about you, think about you  and pray for you and hope to see you all sometime in this next year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

and a 

Very Blessed and Wonderful NEW YEAR,

Craig and Kathy

Memorial Service in Indiana

Craig and I flew with Mom from Las Vegas to Chicago and then rented a car to our son's home, Jeff, in Crown Point, Indiana on Dec 3rd for Dad's Memorial Service. The ladies of the  Presbyterian Church helped me through this planning and I want to say, thank you to Barbara Taylor Sales, Penny Luchene, Irene Doty and Collete for everything!!! It was a cold day, but no snow and the sun was shinning on Sat. We were supported by so many friends and family and it was great comfort to us all

Jeff and Rachel and their kids made room for all of us in their home and my Aunt Rosie did the same in her home for my mom and two brothers and Bob's wife. Bob and Pam drove down from northern Minnesota. Dave flew in from Phoenix and they lost his luggage. It arrived at 5:30am the next morning.

This was the first time in many years that Dave, Kathy, Bob and Mom have been together.

Craig officiated the service.

Calvin made sure I got plenty of hugs,

Dave made it back to AZ last night. Bob and Pam are on their way  driving back to MN today. Tana and the 2 kids she brought with her just missed their first stand by flight and we are praying they can get on the next. Craig, Mom and I had to Midway tomorrow for our trip back to Vegas. It's even cold and freezing down there at night.

Mom plans to stay in her Vegas home, so we will stay with her until the first of the year and then we will see what we do then. If it stays cold in Vegas, we may have to head down to AZ. The whale is not heated underneath to take cold weather.

Thanks again to you all for your love, prayers, flowers and care toward us all!