A December to Remember

Are there really only 2 days left till 2010? Holy cow! This month has been jam-packed! It feels like Thanksgiving was just last week but in a few short days this whole year will be over!

Probably the best thing about this month has been all the time with family--my immediate fam & extended too! My sweet Grandma Betsy passed away the week after Thanksgiving so I've spent quite a bit of this past month in Houston with my mom & Aunt Libby. My grandmother was a great woman and I will miss her a lot! My mom & aunt are two of the most Godly women I know--they have done so much to take care of my grandma over the last several years. In lieu of a funeral a small gathering (of about 40 people) was held at my grandma's house December 16 & it was really like a going away party instead of a funeral. In addition to our family the 6 or so women who took full time care of my grandma all were there as well as some long time neighbors. Several people shared about how wise, faithful, generous, patient and genteel my grandmother was. And many of them talked about what a blessing her children were to her. It was very honoring to my grandmother as well as my mom, aunt & uncle & was overall a blessing for all of us! The "gathering" or "party" as we liked to call it was held a few days after my cousins Lee & Adam came in from Washington DC & the day before Adam left again to move overseas. All the cousins don't get to see each other a lot so it was an added blessing to get to spend time with them!

Christmas was about a week later & so down to Corpus we all went! Bonnie & I went down a day early & she & I along with our parents went downtown to hear a friend's band play. We had such a good time! If you know my parents, you know their dachshunds Noel & Pama. Well they puppy sat for a friend's 8 week old lab/border collie mix for the few days we were there. "Marley" was 100% puppy! He was confined to the kitchen at all times as he loved to chew & pee on everything! He would try to play with Pama (Noel the grouchy old lady stayed far far away) & she would just cower as he swatted at her. He was bigger than they were & we had to remind Pama that she didn't have to stay in the kitchen--she was a big girl & could go in the living room. They were all 3 very silly dogs. Here's the best pic with all three--

Marley modeling the dog snuggie, Pama (the black one) with her tail between her legs & Noel in the bed facing the other way. This was a rare & very supervised moment for Marley to be in the den.

The day after Christmas we headed back to Houston where the Matthews were going to be heading as well. It was a fun few days before Lee headed back to DC. We too some fun pics in front of my grandma's house in attempts to recreate some old ones--

c. 1988

2009--man I wish I still had that ukulele!

2007

2009

And remember that picture of Lee, Adam, Bonnie & I at the beginning? It was taken in our grandma's kitchen a couple weeks ago. Here we are in the late 80's in her living room--

Aren't these fun?

Tomorrow my 5th year college roommates, Katy & Lynn are coming to town! And then another trip to Houston & Corpus before the year ends! I am a pro-traveler! :) Happy last week of '09!