Christmas gatherings brought the usual good food, gifts, and hangin' out with family we haven't seen in a while. Sarah's dad was in for a shock at his surprise retirement celebration. The turnout of family and friends was overwhelming.
My maternal grandmother, G.G., dodged flaming arrows and retaliated with quick wit during a hilarious roast at her 90th birthday party. New Years Eve brought more belly-stuffing and counting down the final seconds of 2009 along with the Times Square television bash.
And Sarah's dad made family news again with knee replacement surgery and is doing quite well.
Four-wheelers, horses, tractors, table tennis in the basement, strombolis from a local favorite, and a couple of pipe smoking nights for the guys...we needed another vacation just to recuperate from the fun, but it was good.
Spending a morning with my dad and his new horse was another special treat. Dad showed Morgan how to brush and feed "Jack", then she rode him after Dad worked off Jack's excess energy. Braden and Jared helped my uncle clean up a fallen tree, dragging limbs with the four-wheeler and building a nice bonfire...how could a child not enjoy a day like that? The child in all of us loved it.
Another highlight was being at the opening praise and worship night with two of our dear friends Mike and Christa Shore and their band, Beyond the Veil. Mike is a survivor of a rare lung disease which resulted in a transplant that nearly took his life several times. Mike beat every odd the doctors threw at him. Christa--a wonderful artist, singer, and songwriter--was named Evansville, Indiana's 2009 Woman of the Year.
Mike and Christa's story is nothing short of amazing. They recently started a Saturday night praise and worship service at New Horizon Christian Fellowship in Evansville.
The last surprise was a stork that parachuted a baby into my lap. Sarah's brother Paul snapped a shot of the proud moment. :-)
Happy New Year everyone!
