Gifts

Good morning. It's a beautiful day. The sun is shinning and I love it. Now, I realize it might be chilly out there, but it is November.

I was sitting here thinking about Christmas and the gifts I haven't purchased yet. Our gifts aren't expensive but I try to find something nice. If we buy for just our family, which is our kids, their spouses and the grandchildren and our three beautiful great-granddaughters, it adds up to about thirty-three people. So we really need a big place for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think that leaves our apartment out of the question.

Many years we celebrated both of these holidays at our son, Bob and daughter in law Judy's church basement. It was very nice. It had a large kitchen and they always had a decorated tree because they have Sunday school there too. Bob and Judy cooked a large turkey because it was convenient to use the large ovens there. What they never told us was they usually gave a donation to the church for the use of this. One year, we found out and I felt bad that they took on this cost alone. But I tell you this to explain how our family are givers. I'm very proud to be the Mom, mother-in-law and last but not least the Nana of this wonderful bunch of Kelly's. All seven of them.

The last couple of years we have gone to Todd and Gail's because they bought a very large house and have the room. Then last year we only went there for Christmas. This year we will go to Wayne and Korana's for Thanksgiving and Todd and Gail's for Christmas. We don't have dinner on Thanksgiving day but on the Saturday after it.

Wayne and Korana have purchased her Grandfathers house after he went to be with his Lord a couple of summers ago. You see they moved in with Grandpa a few years before so he wouldn't have to live alone, and it worked out very well for everyone. He was a very active man and lived to be 95, I think. Wayne told me about a time at midnight he heard something downstairs. So he went down and here was Korana's Grandpa up on a chair in the kitchen looking for something that was in the top cupboard. They would come home and find him up on a ladder because he said the gutters needed to be cleaned out. They told him that they would feel better if he waited until someone was at home before he climbed ladders, but he always said he would be fine and they worried too much. I really admired that gentleman.

This could be a little sad, but I remember the day he passed away. Really the day before cause he lived passed midnight. We were at the hospital with his whole family and it was a really an emotional day. He was sitting up asking why everyone was gathered around his bed. He knew. But I think maybe he wanted to sleep and wouldn't if he had company. He talked to all of us and I thought, "The doctors have to be wrong, this man isn't dying. He isn't on medication so heavy that he can't communicate with anyone like my mom was. This is a mistake." I was going out to get a cup of coffee and I walked up to the bed and said, "I'll be back in a few minutes, Grandpa." He smiled at me and said " you know I really love you." I thought he might have thought I was one of his family members but later, he called me by name and said he loved John and I and always thought of Wayne as one of his own. Stop! Now, I'm blubbering like a baby and I thought this might be hard on someone else not me. Korana was with him at the end (I really should say beginning) and I know how much that meant to her. "Thank you Lord for granting her wish to be with him then."

Sorry, I can't proof read this now, so if there are mistakes please just ignore them.

God Bless you all.