Let it snow; let it snow; let it snow...

We had a surprise today. Here's how it went down. Jill needed to take the car to the shop for a repair estimate. At the same time I had to wait home for the cable guy to come and install our internet upgrade. Laura had a date with a friend from high school, so Tim drove her to Tualatin.

After the car appointment, Jill and Tara drove to IKEA for some shopping. On the way home they picked up my mom and brought her to the house so she could see the kids and grandkids. Meantime, Tim stopped by his favorite bento house and picked up lunch.

During lunch, I was studying the sky out the dining room window, and I said, "The sky kind of looks like a snow sky." It was less than half an hour later, when snow flakes started drifting down here and there. Soon, there was heavy snow falling. Tim took Josiah out to play in the snow. They threw snowballs. They made a snow man. Tim tied a rope to a recycling bin and then put it around his waist. Josiah got in and Tim towed him around the neighborhood. I'm not sure who had more fun!


Initially, the weather stations indicated that there would be some flurries, but little accumulation...WRONG!! After a little while, we began making plans for Mom to stay the night. In addition, we were concerned about getting Tara to the airport at 5:00 AM!

In the long run, the snow stopped, the temperature rose, and the rain began to fall. I was able to take Mom home, and I believe the wee-hours trip to PDX will not be a problem...well, at least not weather-wise!!

While we were dealing with our paltry little problems, son Patrick was on a bus traveling from Amity to Portland with his high school basketball team. About the time they arrived in Portland, the game was called, and they turned the bus around. By the time they got back to the high school in Amity, they had been on the bus for nearly 8 hours. I'll get the full story later, but I am sure it was not the best day he has ever had.

So, now it is late evening. The snow has begun melting. The grandkids are bedded down. It may be time to go to bed soon!

Here's our fishpond with a garnish of snow.

The uniqueness of traditions...

As the day of Nativity approaches, our family traditions are revving up to meet the occasion. Tim and Laura and the boys arrived last evening. Jill broke out a couple of pizzas, and we had a lovely visit, after the boys were bedded down: Josiah in his Spiderman sleeping bag, and Judah on the guest bed.

At last, we all were weary from a long day, and we went to bed. Today, the Sagawas left for Tacoma to visit Tim's mom. It is traditional for them to spend Christmas Eve with her and Tim's siblings. They will return after dinner on Christmas Eve. In the meantime, while I went to help my mom with some last minute preparations for her trip to spend Christmas with my brother and his family in Bothell, WA, Jill baked the Danish fruit bread that is her tradition from childhood. Her brother is coming tomorrow, so this will be a nostalgic treat for the two of them. Of course, it will be a treat for all of us, because it is so good!
This evening, after a nice, brisk walk with Pogo in the nice, brisk December air, we launched into making the English meat pies that are a tradition my great grandmother brought from the old country, and which has been the traditional Christmas Eve dinner of my family since I can remember. I had prepared the filling yesterday, and Jill, bless her heart, made the pie crusts, while I filled the pies (they are about 5" in diameter) and pinched the crusts together. The first batch is in the oven baking as I write.Tara is due to arrive from Denver this evening about 11:00! She is bringing fixin's to make truffles (candy). This could become a new tradition! I love truffles. Patrick and Katie are coming tomorrow morning for their first Christmas with us on Christmas Day since they were married a year and a half ago. Pat is an avid collector of unusual board games, so I am sure we will be in for a treat, when we engage in some gaming in the evenings, which is another tradition in our family.

All things considered, this Christmas is shaping up to be traditional in some respects and unique in others. Having the kids and grandkids all here together for Christmas is the traditional way Christmas has been celebrated for centuries, and yet it can only happen every four years in our family because the kids have other family obligations. And bless their hearts, they are committed to enjoying this season with all of their family members on an equal basis. This Christmas will be traditional in the sense that we will be enjoying traditional Christmas Eve treats around the table, and yet it is unique in that we are including the traditions of my family, Jill's family and her brother Bob's family.

Most of all, it will be traditional in the sense that we will all be blessed by the celebration of God's reaching out to mankind to reconcile us to Himself by becoming flesh and blood, being born in a lowly stable (have you smelled one of those things recently?), and living among us so that He could know the human condition first hand, feeling the pains we feel and the joys we rejoice in, the trials we face and the temptations that overtake us. But it will be unique in that He cares for each of us individually, loving us unconditionally and longing to have a unique, personal relationship with you and me. He sits in heaven now to intercede for each of us with the Father. And the only Christmas gift that He desires is for you to give Him your heart. In exchange, He gave His life for you. Won't you do the same for Him this Christmas?

Just hear those sleigh bells jingling...

OK. Long time, no post. It is the Christmas season, and it kind of takes over one's life. Jill and I have been staying on top of things pretty well, and are finished with our shopping, decorating and most of the baking. (I even baked my signature Sprits cookies.)

Let's see now. We have watched a number of Christmas movies, although we have a couple more in our collection that we still need to check out. We have cleaned the showers, because all of the kids and grandkids will be home for Christmas. We are pretty excited about that.

We went to the annual Christmas play at Rolling Hills Community Church (RHCC). That has become a tradition. Mom, who just turned 94, has everything she could want, so for several years, Jill and I have taken her to some kind of Christmas play or pageant or concert. Her favorites seem to be the RHCC plays, which are done quite professionally.

Jill and I joined the rest of our Bible study group for a benefit concert put on by a group called The Trail Band for the benefit of Friends of the Children. Friends of the Children provides long term mentors for disadvantaged kids. The friends help with homework, hang out with the kids, take them to events and stay with them from kindergarten through high school. The main idea is for the friend to be a reliable adult in the kid's life, something many of these kids don't have otherwise. The concert was a lot of fun and the cause is a worthy one. We plan to attend again next year.

We anticipate, with great joy, the arrival of our kids beginning tomorrow. We expect Tim and Laura and Josiah and Judah to arrive from San Diego tomorrow evening. Tuesday evening, Tara will arrive late from Denver. We are not sure yet about Patrick and Katie. They are either arriving Tuesday or Wednesday from Monmouth.

In addition to the kids, Jill's brother, Bob, and his wife, Sandi, and daughter Tess will be with us on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They are driving up from Walnut Creek, CA. So, we will have a houseful, and we couldn't be more excited.

We haven't seen Judah, except for photos, since he was two weeks old. That was in Early September, so we anticipate huge changes. In the meantime, here is a photo of the grandsons. Josiah is 4 and Judah is 4 months.