A Fun After Christmas Week

On the day after Christmas, two of our Texas granddaughters and grandson-in-law flew up to spend a week with us in Indiana.

Before leaving the Windy City, they visited The Bean.

We have never had this wonderful opportunity to spend Christmas with almost all our Grands before so needless to say, Dick and I were thrilled.

Some how they all ended up in one of the girl's bedrooms.

Then downstairs to laugh and catch up around the table.  Jackson tried his big hands at french braiding Cassidy's hair.  It left a wee bit to be desired, not bad for a football and Rugby player.

It was a week full of laughter, games, hugs, friends, and delicious food.

After dinner the first night, we gave the Grands our gifts for them, only to find out they had all gotten switched.  They decided it would be more fun to open each others present rather than their own.  And fun, it was!

These Texas Grands loved the snow off Lake Michigan and adapted quite well.

I read the following story today and thought it so relevant.

Holly Butcher was from Grafton, in New South Wales, Australia. She was an athlete, representing her state in squash and hockey. But she developed Ewing sarcoma, an extremely rare form of cancer, and died last week.

Her family then posted her letter on Facebook. It is making global headlines.

Holly notes that life is "fragile, precious and unpredictable and each day is a gift, not a given right." She advises us to "work to live, don't live to work" and to "do what makes your heart feel happy."

She realizes that time spent on small frustrations—"You might have got caught in bad traffic today, or had a bad sleep because your beautiful babies kept you awake, or your hairdresser cut your hair too short"—is time wasted: "I swear you will not be thinking of those things when it is your turn to go."

And she notes that life is not in our control: "I don't want to go. I love my life. I am happy . . . I owe that to my loved ones. But the control is out of my hands." However, this is in our control: "Tell your loved ones you love them every time you get the chance and love them with everything you have."

Facing death can bring great clarity to life.

Let's not wait until life is threatened or special occasions bring us together, to share our love for family and friends.



Tell them!  Show them!  Be there for them in big and little ways.



Dick and I will forever treasure these days spent with these special people.



We loved the way they loved each other.





Thank you John and Michelle for making it all possible and for being the perfect host and hostess.

It's as if Chandler is saying, "This is the way Christmas is supposed to be.  Why have we waited so long?"  And I have to agree!