As Christmas nears.......

It will be a very different Christmas this year. This will be the very first time that we, Jessica, Dad and I will be alone. When I think of it it makes me sad but when I think again I am happy that each of you have good in-law families to spend time with. I remember that I did it too with my parents. AND I also know that time is fast approaching that you'll want to be home with your own families having Santa come there. I very well understand! So I hope that all of you have a wonderful time and be very safe in traveling.

Let see where to start....The past two weekends have been a whirl wind....they were fun. I thought that Christmas @ Casadei's was a huge success. I thought that Gordon and Gaye were more into the Christmas spirit and that eveyone in general had a wonderful time. I means a lot to me to have my extended family and all of my children around me at this time of the year. I am very grateful for Betsy, she tries really hard to make their home a place where we can come home to. When my mother died I would go home to see daddy but it was a very empty place. His marriage to Jane wasn't a good one...She was pleasant but not loving, and still home was empty. Love was missing. When he married Betsy things changed, love came. None of you every knew my mother, only Stephen may remember her vaguely, but knowing Betsy is like knowing my mother. My mother would have done the things that Betsy does....she would have made her home a place for all the family to gather.

The Bright Christmas party too was a good one. I was so happy to see Mimi feeling so much better. Though I know she got a little sick she was much clearer in her speaking and thinking. Again it was great fun to have all of you there with all of the Bright clan. I wish that Kathy with her children had been able to come. I know things get hectic around there but it was fun to see the little ones play with each other. I appreciate Anne and Tammy helping Mimi and Papa to make things nice. They spent a great deal of time making sure that things were clean and tidy. That the place to eat was attractive. Each time I go home and spend time with Mimi and Papa I tell Dad that I feel such a need to be there with them. I wish we were in a place that we could move in with them. I know they need a watchful eye and I'd love to help. Again this past weekend was such great fun. Thanks for being there.

Now for the best part of all ... the Bright Christmas at the Lynes home. We are grateful to you, Katie and Creighton for opening up your home to us. You have such a lovely home. It was very cozy and such fun to watch all of you open presents. I am glad that each of you enjoyed your presents. Family is so important and I appreciate each of you making such efforts to make the family event a joy. I am grateful to each of you for the presents you gave me and your dad. We are so blessed to have children who are so thoughtful.

Let me end this posting with my feelings and my testimony. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for family. I know that it is a very important unit of the human race. I also know that family can be forever and that forever starts here in this life. We can make our homes a piece of heaven here on earth and that that spills over into the eternities. I am so bless with a good family both extended on both sides and an immediate family with an endless growth. I have a great appreciation for my Savior, who came to this earth to be an example and to give the most precious of gifts that of his own life so that we might be able to live with Heavenly Father and Him again. His gift of repentance was truly a great gift and I am thankful for it. I hope that each of you will remember the "reason for the season" an that each of you has a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Love Ya - Mom