Mon.-Susan and Phil took a special trip to Wilkes Jewelry store where he got her a beautiful silver necklace and also one for me, with a sparkly Treble clef on dangling display. Made rolls for Hertzler Christmas lunch. Rain, rain, rain. Philip working on garage. Michael doing odd jobs. Susan packing, etc. What a day.
Tues.-Philip, Michael, and Susan headed for Pa. shortly before 10. Alli and Freeman went to spend the eve. with her family and will head to Pa. in the morning. I made some old fashioned molasses cookies and dipped the end in vanilla coating. Also made some Reeses peanut butter bars, did some wash, cleaned the house, wrapped some gifts, etc. Phil got some firewood and delivered it to a friend and did a lot of work around the farm. In the evening, we went to Christ Church for their Christmas eve service. The Loys were there and the Jones and others we know and love. It was good to be in the house of God, reading and listening to Scriptures, hearing the word, singing carols, partaking in communion around the altar (first ever I dipped the wafer in real wine and I did it because there were only 4 little cups of grape juice left and I thought there might not be enough if I took one-good excuse anyway), and catching up with old friends. Hit the sack before 11. The kids are Christmas caroling this eve. and will spend the night at Joe's. At least, that's the plan.
Wed.-Woke up slow. Had a nice breakfast of mushrooms, broccoli, ham, and eggs all scrambled together. Read some. Watched several movies. Took care of animals. Made some bacon wrapped, brown sugar dipped, sweet potato cubes-baked in oven. Took a trip around the farm on the Polaris with Phil. Treated this day like a Sunday except we didn't go anywhere. Michael sent us a Christmas song recorded around the Hertzler table. I would definitely say it was a homesick for family in Pa kind of day for me. Merry Christmas everybody!
Thurs.-Did wash and cleaned part of the house. Went out to Farmville with Phil in the eve. for Morris R's wife's funeral. (Steve's brother). Stopped at Janelle's to feed fish and at Grunerts to return mystery book and pick up several more. Also went to Food Lion and Walmart. With Phil. There is something terribly attractive about a man who shops with me. Plus we get more than we came for and get it done in half the time. Received word that Pete M. died of an aneurism. Freeman called from Pa. Terrible accident on west-bound turnpike near Adamstown. Traffic tied up for 7 miles when he went through the east-bound side. Read on news that they closed both sides to clean up. He made it through just in time. Several deaths and a number of injuries. They weren't expecting that much snow. Philip and Susan went to Cabela's with Cam and Jackie. Had homemade pizza last eve. with them. Michael posted a video they made of themselves 'singing' the Trans-Siberian orchestra music. Susan is smiling and tolerating it all in the back seat. So funny. Philip got him to post it with the title-'You're welcome, Face Book.' They had originally made it for themselves. Dan Shippey reposted with the words 'I'm so thankful these guys are my brothers,' or something like that anyway. Phil is achey, sore-throat, and coughing. I am fighting a sore throat. We need to recover quickly.
Fri.-Started Phil on an antibiotic we had floating around here. Did some wash. Planned a calendar featuring church women="Church Women in the Most Unlikely Places" or 'Church Women You Know Where You'd Least Expect Them'. Halfway planned on face book already. Went shopping in town to Belk and found some treasures. Stopped at Judy's first and had a cup of coffee and caught up talking as fast as we could. Fed Diesel on the way home. Philip was hunting when I got back and Susan was here, too. It's nice to have them home again. Mickey stopped in for awhile and told us more about her son-in-law. A tree fell on him, not a branch. He has passed unto eternity. Watched an Indiana Jones movie and got ready for the weekend. Two things the Lord promised me today. I wrote them on cards and put them in the bathroom where I can see them everyday. One says, "I make all things new." I am going to live as though I believe that.
Sat.-Left Va. around 6 in the morning and arrived at my brother, Abe's, around noon. We put the kettle of half frozen corn on the stove top and Abie added a half stick of butter. We enjoyed chatting with family as they came in and scarfed down some special cheeses and spreads and pickles. Karen served us Abe's clam chowder soup as a precursor to a meal of tossed salad, turkey, oyster filling, filling, corn, gourmet potatoes, Harvard beets, and I gotta be missing something. Plus lots of desserts. I sat beside brother Alan and he showed me pictures of his grandkids, etc. and I loved it. Rosalee and her family were there. She came with a walker and cane, having had hip replacement surgery not much more than a week or two ago. My highlight was singing Christmas carols around the piano for a good hour. We also said what hymns we wanted sung at our funerals and I had to pretend wail to hide my desire to really wail when Abie sang, 'Sunset and Evening Star....' as we were saying good bye. He wants that sung at his funeral. 'Isn't it pretty?' he asked. Yes, and hauntingly sweet, and I don't want to think about his funeral, thank you very much. Abby had to work at Lanc. Gen. and we were all disappointed she couldn't join us. Katrina showed us her engagement ring. Wedding late summer, we're thinking. Annika and Stew were there as well as Karistan and her gang and Kendra and Eric. Alan and Carol were the only ones from their family who could come. It's been quite a year for some of us. Hopefully, 2014 will hold more joy. Came home to Mom and Dad and visited with them and gave them their gifts and Jim and Debra came over with Taylor and Jordan and Jordan's friend, Dianna. Then we went over to Joe and Karen's and played with the little guy, Jonathan, and hit the sack around 10. Michael had come back up with us after traveling back on Friday with Susan and Philip. Sarah was going on a missions trip to Guatemala and he wanted to say good bye and Travis and Erik and April were home and he got to spend the evening with them on Friday before hopping back in our car Sat. morning to head back up to Pa.
Sun.-Had a nice relaxing morning with Karen and Jonathan, and then, Joe, eating her homemade blueberry, vanilla, and peach yogurt with her homemade granola. We forgot to bring some home with us. Yogurt. Went to Hopewell and Dwayne, the interim pastor, spoke on 'Family Matters.' Incredible sermon on the family. Visited with many people after church and then walked down a few steps into the fellowship hall where we had The Mast Reunion. Lots of food, shared memories, Doug's 'Potato Jake' song, Christmas carols, Phil and bro's and Uncle Paul singing, "Forever Young" at everyone's request, lots of hugs, and finally good byes. It's always hard to leave Mom and Dad and all of my wonderful sis in laws and brother in laws and Ed and Anne and Phil's uncles and aunts and cousins. It was raining, too. But it helped that we got to take Annie back home. Stopped at Newton B's first to pick up the huge amount of hand towels I brought from Susie for 10 bucks. She was selling them on face book and I jumped at them. We never have enough nice rags around here plus they are nice enough to use for awhile. Phil gave Annie her gift and she liked her pearls very much. We gave her a bag with Little David's gift of a train ornament, camouflage hat, and knit hat and gloves.
We left the area around 4 and stopped once every hour and still got home at 10. Phil is still not feeling well. He said it's hard enough to feel sick at home and it's even harder away from home. I'm not sure if the antibiotic is helping him. I think rest and ginger tea might be what he needs most. And thus ends this Christmas season. My favorite memory of every gathering-our own family's Christmas celebration included, is the singing. We sang and sang and sang. And it was beautiful. It was also very special that a certain little Jonathan sought out my company and wanted me to be with him in his house under the table and sit beside him at the Mast Dinner. Family is wonderful. I am thankful.
No comments:
Post a Comment