It's been a week full of constant activity and all of a sudden...quiet. The only children left are Jeremy and Krissy and they will leave tomorrow morning. Even Curt is at work. As I'm writing this I feel I could cry.
The wonderful week of Christmas started last Saturday night with the arrival of Ben and Ashley...just in time to attend the Christmas program at our church with the Edgeley Community choir singing the cantata, "The First Noel" and then the Hillcrest students performing "The Mircle at the Manger". We had a quiet Sunday morning breakfast, delivered Meals on Wheels, and played some card games. Tim and Amy got on the road from Clarinda about 5pm which meant an early morning arrival and then around 8pm we found out Jeremy and Krissy's flight from Denver into Jamestown had been canceled and that they were on stand-by hoping to get a flight to Fargo, which they did. So Ben and I headed to Fargo in the rain (in December!) to pick them up at 11:15 pm. They arrived safely but with no baggage to we stopped at Walmart so they could pick up some things. We arrived home at 2 am after having to drive on some icy roads from Eckelson on. Tim and Amy and the kids arrived at 3 am so I had just waited up until they arrived. Skye was sick with bronchitis but they hated to miss out on Christmas with everyone so had decided to come anyway. She was quite a trooper. Having to adjust to a new environment with so many people and feeling rotten she did quite well. But despite the best attempts at sanitizing, Cody came down with it too. Amy was very sleep deprived with little Cody not sleeping due to cough and runny nose and wanting no one but "mama".
Angela and Jim arrived on Tuesday evening. The Friendship Supper wasn't well attended so we returned with many plates of treats that we were giving out.
On Christmas eve was the big Toay get together at the Jud Hall. 60 some people attended and everyone seemed to have a good time. Tim and Amy stayed home with Skye and Cody, not wanting to spread the respiratory illness to any more.
Christmas morning was a mad rush to get everything baked at home before we left once again for the Jud Hall for dinner and opening stockings. We had way more food than we needed both at Christmas Eve and for Christmas dinner. Cindy, Cristy, Brian, Jeanie, Marcie, Warren, Carol, Brett, JL,Luke, Shasta, Elle, Mia, Brandon, Christine, Cole, Jordyn, Angela, Jim, Amy, Tim, Skye, Cody, Ben, Ashley, Jeremy, Krissy, Mom, Curt and I were all in attendance. After cleaning up and taking down decorations most of us headed out to the farm, Amy and Tim headed home with the kids.
On Sabbath Ben, Ashley, Jeremy and Krissy helped me out with the worship team and Amy had special music. We had haystacks for lunch and some napping followed. Angela and Jim left Sabbath morning since Jim had to work on Sunday. We played "king of Tokyo" and "palace"( a new card game Jim taught us) on Saturday night.
And then this morning most everyone left. Tim and Jeremy ended up getting "the crud" that the kids had. But the rest of us are healthy so far. Now we just have lots of left over goodies, and still some left over Christmas dinner and other meals and I am 6# heavier :(. But the food has been so good!
I told the kids the best Christmas gift they could give my was just to keep the dishes done and they did an amazing job of doing it!!
The house was crowded but everyone had a place to sleep quite comfortably. We had some great times together. I just wish Skye and Cody could have been well so they and their parents could have enjoyed the time together more fully.
I thank God for family and for health. I have something going on with my left foot, a tendonitis or something which I hope is not going to deter me from getting back into exercising and losing weight. We'll see what the New Year offers.
