Catching Up

It has been so long since my last post and so much has happened!

December was spent preparing for Christmas. Jim's brother Rodney and his wife Kenwa came from Sacramento with four of their five children and sister Julienne came as well. She has three grown kids so we missed having them this year.

Before all the family arrived, my nephew in Bend, Nick and his wife Kate welcomed their first baby into this world on Dec. 22. His name is Cooper and he is perfect. My Mom became a Great Grandmother for the second time and my sister became a Grandma for the first time! I never realized just how emotional that would be for me. Such joy!

We spent Sunday before Christmas with family at church and then had a fabulous dinner with Mom and Dad in Keizer.

Monday was nice to just finish preparations around the house while some of the CA family went shopping - finishing last minute purchases with no sales tax was a huge novelty for them! We had enchiladas and the adults stayed up late sipping red wine. Now some of you are thinking - drinking??? The wine had our name! Yes, there is wine available at Costco with the name Giordano. We had to try it! It was good (I guess, I'm no expert but I liked it just fine.)

Christmas day, we woke up around 8am and snacked on quiche and scones and coffee while all of us just dug into the gifts. Rod's kids finished their family Christmas before arriving so the "zing" was a little worn off for them. Everyone enjoyed watching Daniel begin to understand gifts and opening gifts and getting new toys! My Mom was there - coming over from West Salem and she just loved watching Daniel.

His big gift was a keyboard. Yes - a keyboard. Jim was adament about that. He wants Daniel to explore instruments and would LOVE for him to end up being musical. It has been a blast watching him play and dance. He loves it.

We had a nice dinner with all the family that afternoon. Jim's parents came over from Keizer, my Mom, and all the rest - 13 in all. Very nice.

Jim's brother and sister stayed a few days after Christmas and we enjoyed so much just hanging out and talking till late at night and just being with family that we don't get to see all the time.

Honestly, it was nice to be just the three of us again once the house was empty. We enjoyed a very quite New Year's Eve. I think Jim woke me to give me the annual kiss.

Jim, Daniel, my Mom and I raced over to Bend last weekend to see Cooper. Well worth the trip over the snowy pass. He is absolutely perfect. Sweetness in an almost 8 pound package. Dressed to perfection. My Mom was thrilled. My sister is over the moon - not to mention Nick and Kate (they have struggled to build their family in their young married life so Cooper is long awaited.)

This coming weekend - I have a WONDERFUL surprise planned. It's for my brother in CA. His name is Tracy and he has had a few troubled years (well, lots of trouble years) and recently has made a decision to follow Christ. He is very determined and will be baptized this Sunday at the church that Jim and I met married. My sister in Hollister knows we're coming but Tracy does not. Daniel and I will fly down (so pray for us) and stay just a few days. It's gonna be a blast to surprise him. God has been so faithful with my family. Another story for another time.

I think that's enough catching up. I'll try not to wait too long for the next time. Hope all my blogging friends feel blessed and rested as we head into a new year.