On December 1, our dear friend Nikita Black gave birth to Samuel Arlen Black.
We had prayed much for his safe and healthy birth, and God answered our prayers.
He was 5#9oz, even though he was taken early.
One of the baby blankets I was praying to be able to make was for him.
Later on in this post, you will see the answer to prayer of his blanket.
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Also on this day, Mary Tallman came over, bringing some delicious soup and corn muffins,
some healthy brownie bites, and a cozy shawl that I have used so much for keeping warm.
We had a short visit and a sweet prayer time together.
I love our church ladies so much, for their caring hearts.
Frank and Sherry Martinoli also came by for a visit, with gift cards for Bob Evans.
We didn't get a picture.
December 2, we had a few inches of snow,
and our last visit to Dr. Noah Shaftel, who monitored
my broken wrist recovery.
Rowen tried his hand at making pumpkin bread and
distributing them to the neighbors.
It was very delicious.
An Advent puzzle was loaned to us for the season.
There was a box for each of 24 days, with the puzzle pieces to put together
for that day. It made it very doable and we enjoyed
putting it together.
This is me enjoying the shawl from Mary Tallman.
I've also enjoyed all the button shirts our kids provided for Christmas
for me. They are so much easier to put on and take off, with my
left arm not being able to be raised.
December 4 was the GBSC staff Christmas meal. We were glad to get to go.
We left the wheelchair in the car and I got along without it, though I was feeling
kind of weak. Elizabeth got to go to be my extra helper.
It's tradition to take a picture by the fireplace at Higher Ground.
A shot of the scene.
Marlene and LaDeana drove from Columbia to spend the next day with us.
We played Play Nine.
Sherry arrived from Tennessee, and Marlene and Sherry made some
corn casserole to go along with chili another dear friend from church
had brought us to eat.
It was all yummy!
We had a fun time together.
Some formal pictures of our guests and me.
It is so sweet to be loved, and have my sisters come so far
to be together!
Marlene and me
LaDeana is my cousin, but she and I have always been close.
Sherry kept her promise to come see me, even though
I mailed her quilt to her.
It was such a sweet time together. They spelled their love:
TIME, and MILES.
One last game of Dahlias before they hit the road.
LaDeana and me
On Saturday, Tim and Becky Keep came by to visit and have prayer with us.
They brought a beautiful poinsettia and a tin of cookies.
Prayer time- so precious!
That night we went to our church's Christmas Drive Through Play.
The Lord answered prayer and took the snow and extreme cold
out of the forecast. There were record breaking amounts of visitors
Friday-Sunday evenings.
Sunday morning, I got to meet Maverick Dicken, who I made a
baby blanket for before he was born.
Monday morning, Rowen's cousin, once removed, Ellen Gafford Carl
came by for a nice visit.
She brought a beautiful arrangement that we enjoyed for many days.
In the afternoon, Heather Kessen came by for a visit. We got to hear
about her recent mission trip to Asia, and her work with girls in Cincinnati.
Later that night, Jeffrey and Lesa arrived to spend a few days with us.
This was actually taken the next day, when Lesa and Elizabeth put up
the Christmas tree.
The nativities on the piano
I had hurried and finished up the Advent puzzle, so we could do other things.
Lesa brought a farm puzzle and we enjoyed putting it together.
It was pretty fast, because she had done it several times before.
It's always fun to have time with Lesa.
Dan and Martha Glick came over one afternoon while Jeff and Lesa were here.
We had a wonderful visit.
Jason and Karen came over one evening. Here Jason is smelling of
Bath and Body Works soaps, helping Karen decide which one she wanted.
We had a fun evening with three of our children here.
We played Bananagrams...
and rummikub.
Andy and Sherilyn brought over chicken pot pie, deviled eggs, and dessert for supper one night.
We asked Andy to take this picture so we could all be in it.
Some Play Nine.
Breakfast before they left on Friday.
It snowed again...
Preston had been at a kennel while they were in town.
He was glad they remembered to pick him up before they
drove to Iowa to see family there.
Friday night we went to God's Bible School to see their Christmas musical: Witness.
It was really good.
We had snow again on December 14.
And a beautiful sunset.
On December 15, Judy Southerland brought us a fruit salad.
It had been a while since we'd seen her, as her husband has been
recovering from surgery.
December 15-19, I had radiation to both my shoulders, left clavicle, and neck for palliative pain control in those areas. It was a hard week, because the radiation table was so uncomfortable and it was a long session on the hard table. I felt better when it was over and I could sit up. About Wednesday, I started having nausea and vomiting, totally dry mouth-no saliva at all.
But Randy's family arrived in town the evening of December 15, and the kids were a good distraction for me. I had wanted to have one-on-one time with each of the children, and that was so fun and a blessing to me. We have many pictures of our activities that week.
Rowen and Jewelyn making healthy Brownie Date Bites.
Meal times
Emily flew in on Tuesday afternoon, so she got to be here for all of the fun.
Rowen gave the guys headlamps.
Mandylyn, Emily, and Jewelyn were matching in red.
Rowen and Josiah
Emily reading to Mishael, Jewelyn, and Mandylyn.
We gave the family the Brave Books Saga 1 box, which had lots of books,
a couple puzzles, and games and stickers in it.
Jonathan's time with Grandma.
Micah with Grandma
Emily reading to Mandylyn and Josiah.
Emily played her violin for us.
A violiny hug for Mandylyn.
Play Nine
The children sang beautiful songs for us.
The older boys sang beautifully for us also.
It was a blessing to hear them all sing!
Emily and her parents
Emily and Mandy cutting up potatoes.
James and Elizabeth browning meat together.
A game of Catan, and Clue. This was Mandy's first time,
but she did it by herself without help the next day!
Several things going on at once.
Lots of visiting in the living room.
A lot of fun happened in the basement too.
Some carol singing one evening.
The children had piano pieces to share too.
More downstairs play.
More reading
Christmas cactus in bloom
Maybe I'll do a part 2, so this doesn't get too long.
