Happy New Year!

We didn't have a white Christmas, but we had a white day-after-Christmas! It snowed just enough for our grandchildren to have fun playing in the back field all day, and for me to take a few pictures! It was so pretty and peaceful.

Wishing you all a lovely new year!

Happy Holidays

I want to wish each of you a very meaningful & joyful Christmas and a healthy & safe 2008!

Thank you so much for all the kind and thoughtful words upon our arrival back home from my husband's surgery. He is doing ok, but recovery is very slow and discouraging to him and he's in a lot of pain. I keep hoping the next few days will be a breakthrough for him feeling a little better.

I obviously have not had any time to read blogs in some time, infact this is the first time I have popped in on mine in a long time! I can only imagine the festive pages and photos as the holidays near. I will look forward to visiting with you sometime early in the new year!

May God bless each one of you, and remember....make every day a holiday!

We are home!

We are home, and my husband's back surgery went well and as planned. Of course he's not feeling to sharp, but the first several days can be really rough. Hopefully by next week, he'll be feeling some improvement.

The evening after his surgery, he was transported to a care home where rooms are always available for patients from the spinal surgery center to come and recover. This was recommended by the doctor, as we were in another city, away from home and they preferred him not to travel home that night.

I cannot even adequately describe it to you. It made me think even more about hospitality (as it's been on my mind so much anyway with the Emilie Barnes book I recently read).

Of course with it all being decorated for Christmas, it made the place seem even more enchanting. Upon entry, is the lobby, or living room as they call it. Tall ceilings, dark thick wood mantel over the fireplace (which had a fire burning in it), tall-backed Victorian style chairs and a beautiful couch covered with a multitude of gorgeous pillows. A huge Christmas tree decked out with old fashioned vintage looking ornaments, what looked like a baby grand piano in the corner, many ornately framed oil paintings all over the wall, and a huge, beautiful Asian style rug on the floor. It looked like something preserved out of the past.

We were taken to a back room, where my husband's name was hanging on the wall by the door. Upon entry of the room we were to stay in, I could not take it all in. It was a small room, but also decorated like something out of the past. Yes, there was a hospital style bed for him to sleep in, but it had green sheets and pillows on it and a comforter that was beautiful! The walls were decorated with art work, there were tall artificial plants in the corners, a huge soft black leather recliner (which was my bed for the night) and two dressers that looked like something from the Edwardian era (very dark wood too).

While the male nurse got acquainted with my husband, and discussed his care with him, I was escorted back to the living room and asked what I would like to drink. I was craving a diet pepsi, as I had been without one all day (giggle). It was brought to me in a crystal goblet filled with crushed ice and a straw.

We had both not eaten all day, of course, so sandwiches and soup were later delivered to our room on covered trays and served on fine china.

The next morning coffee was brought in, served in delicate little floral fine china tea cups and saucers. Breakfast was later served in the same lovely manner our dinner had been, and our juices were in crystal goblets.

This is just a small glimpse of the place we stayed in. The words I left in their guest book hardly described our appreciation! We were treated like guests of honor every second we were there.

We were both so very impressed. To spend a night recovering from surgery in those surroundings, with that kind of hospitality, is something we will never forget! I just had to share it with you. It made the ending of a rough day, pure bliss, nurturing our bodies and souls.

Thank you so very much for all your prayers, my blog friends! They really have helped and will help, as my dh continues to recover!

I hope you are each having a blessed holiday season!

In Friendship,
Janice

More Treasures

Recently I placed my first order from Lallee's Cottage Etsy shop. I was completely delighted with the things I received! I purchased a floral dishcloth and a Scotty dog bookmark, both crocheted by Lallee, for Christmas gifts. She does gorgeous, high quality work! She was so sweet and included a little gift for me, a faux pink gingerbread cupcake! It's adorable! She also wrote a thoughtful note on one of her pretty pink azalea notecards, which she has listed in her shop. I forgot to include it in the photo. I highly recommend her shop for wonderful gifts for others or yourself! Thank you, Lallee! I love everything!

These adorable cookie cutters and snowman oven mitt were received from a nice lady named Melissa, who was my swap partner for a cookie cutter exchange that Sue, from Country Pleasures, hosted. I look forward to making sugar cookies with my grandchildren with these cutters! The oven mitt is so cute and will be also put to good use! Thank you, Melissa, for the swap, and the sweet note included!

December is upon us!

Dear Friends,

How are you all doing during this month of December? I hope you are all enjoying your time preparing for the Christmas holiday season!

Our family has been sharing colds and flu with one another (share and share alike!) lately. I think we have all had a turn, so hopefully we are on the mend now. Our biggest concern is having my dh healthy enough for his upcoming surgery on Dec. 11. I think he'll be able to go ahead with it, if nothing else comes along.

I'm close to being finished with my Christmas shopping and wrapping, and I would guess I might have about 1/3 more of it to do. There's time yet, right? :o) I had hoped to finish everything up before next Tuesday, but some of it just may have to wait until after we get back from our hospital stay.

It is really funny, in a way...every year for a long time now, I've told myself that next year, I'm going to be organized, finish with everything early (including my decorating), and spend the last half of the month, dancing around in my pretty Christmas apron, listening to Christmas music and baking at leisure. Something always comes up to change these plans, but I'm fine with it now. They may never happen, other than in my thoughts.

Some years our colds/flu are going around right in the middle of the holidays. Two years ago our oldest granddaughter (age 10 at the time) was very ill with what turned out to be cat scratch fever. We were worried sick about her, as she was in a bad way for about a month before it was discovered what the problem was, and before they found an antibiotic that would begin to heal her. Other years some of our adult children have been in the midst of problems which would involve our help, encouragement, and money and even sometimes allowing them to move back home temporarily. This year, my husband is having his surgery and will be quite a while recovering.

These are all ok, because these situations are a reminder that I am surrounded by people I dearly love, people who need me as much as I need them. I am reminded that there is really nothing in this life more important than family and caring for each other and being a support to one another. That's what it's all about.

Hopefully I can get most of the house decorated before we leave for dh's surgery next week (this will be taking place in another city about one hour from where we live), and hopefully sometime before Christmas I can bake my candy cane cookies, a tradition in our home for years. I'll pop in a Christmas CD, and smile with thankfulness to God, that I have a very dear family, and I would not trade them for anything in the world.

Keep a song in your heart!

~Janice~

**Thank you, everyone, for your thoughtful words and prayers concerning Jack's upcoming surgery. You have no idea how very touched I am, and how strengthened I feel by your support!