Yes, I love the season!  Yes, I'm glad when January 1st is over and life can get back to normal!

We love to have a family get-together with our kids and their kids.  There are so many of us that we don't invite extras--where would we put them?

Our basement isn't fancy, but we sure are glad it's big enough for 3 nice-sized tables.  The washer, dryer and the old porcelain-top table from the farm where Bill grew up make a nice long surface.  Covered with tablecloths, they serve as a buffet table, and hold crockpots, platters and bowls full of hot "family favorites" food.  Another folding table holds drinks or desserts.  The serving line is lively as the hungry horde fill their plates, joking and laughing as they slowly move to the end.  Only a few young'uns still have their plates prepared by their Mom or Dad.  The rest are past that stage.

This is the first time since Cindy and Mike moved to Ohio that they haven't been home for Christmas.  I really missed them; we all did. 

They made one trip home when Mike's Mom was sick and then passed away, and another trip was made by Cindy alone when I had hip replacement. Now, with Mike's Mom gone, they weren't ready to come to PA and cope with her absence.  They had always slept at her home Christmas Eve and then opened gifts there, with Kim and Michael joining them.

So they spent the first Christmas in 10 years in Ohio. 

New Year's Eve, Sue's family, Carol's family and Bill and I went to Billy's and ate, of course.  We had a nice time there.

Today was New Year's Day.  Hilda was dropped off here in time to have a wonderful sauerkraut, pork and hot dog dinner with Bill and me.  Amazingly, Hilda will be 80 years old on the 10th, but she sure doesn't look it!  She and Bill have always been very close.  She was his substitute mother because their mom was sickly after he was born.  We love her to pieces!

Later in the day, Scott, Debby, Bronson, Brandon and family and their new puppy came.  We had a smorgasbord of food for them, including ham, turkey, keilbasa, meatball hoagies, veggie tray, red beet eggs, chips, pretzels, Amy's Christmas cookies, pineapple pie and Montgomery pie.  Wow, was it good!

But better than the food was being with them.  We love each other, and wonder why we don't keep in touch more.  It feels so good just to be able to see them and talk with them.

God is gracious to us, giving us such a wonderful family, immediate and extended. 

I'd like to write more, but boy, am I tired!  Bill has already fallen  asleep on his recliner.

Can't help wonder what the New Year holds.  Will Jesus come back for us?  Will I be more fruitful and more faithful to Him this year?  How will our lives change from last year?  With God's help, it will be the best year yet!