Home for the Holidays

We have been spending lots of cozy time at home, but what a blessing to be home for the holidays!

Jonathan went to Jacksonville and spent Thanksgiving with the McFerrins and Gradys, some good friends from our time there. It's so nice he has some familiarity for a holiday.

He also had lunch with a childhood friend (David) from one of the neighborhoods. 

(David is in the orange shirt in this adorable picture; actually I think he's in the blue shirt. He and his brother looked a lot alike back then. Maybe they still do.)

As for the rest of us, we had a quiet Thanksgiving at home with just us. Phillip was just a couple weeks back from the hospital, and it was too much to go anywhere or have anyone over. 

The preacher boys all preached one Sunday night. They were all so good. So sincere, preaching the truth, reading the Scripture, these young men feeding us adults God's Word. I am so grateful. 

Phillip's been to church twice (this was the first time), and it has wiped him out both times. But it was neat for both of us to be there to hear Harrison preach. 

And somewhere in there Phillip ended up back in the hospital for a couple of nights. They were saying he needed to be transferred to BJC in St. Louis in case there was a problem with the stents. But then a doctor breezed in Saturday afternoon and said, "You're numbers are looking great!" He picked up the lid from his lunch. "Looks like you're eating well. I think you can go home tomorrow." And I said, "Can he go home today?" And he said, "If you feel comfortable and well enough, sure!"

And after all those antibiotics, he felt the best he's felt since this all started. At least for a few days. He's very up and down health-wise, but generally on the healing path. I took a picture of the lighted trees lining the roads to the Hannibal hospital. It was really a pretty sight at night. None of the pictures I took captured it well. I'm so appreciative of the beauty some people put effort and money into.

We drove to Columbia with Paul to see Galen's son Gregory along with his wife and son. It was so nice to meet them! 

Paul with Gregory and little Eric. 

I saw John's sons Jay and Zane over Thanksgiving when Harrison and I went to Uncle Lee's continuing dinner at the Junction (Lee's son Eric is continuing the tradition now that Lee is gone). And Galen's daughter Alicia was here earlier this year. So I have seen all of Phillip's nieces and nephews this year! (Except, of course, for Galen's son Eric who passed away in a car accident some years ago.)  We haven't seen most of them in many years. 

Phoebe and sleeping baby in the nursery. She kept hugging him and saying, "He's so warm!"

Winter puzzle finished before Jon got home.

Harrison and I at Pizza Hut going to pick Jon up from the airport.

The kids got the tree up and decorated, pretty much by themselves. 

We went to half of the lighted Christmas parade. It rained the last half, so we hightailed it home.

The preacher boys sang Christmas carols at King's Daughters nursing home.

The kids have been playing Minecraft together on Christmas break. We Face-timed Lanaya Elizabeth, but the only picture was a very blurry one of her bangs. She and Amos are heading to Oklahoma for Christmas.

Matthew has been having friends over to camp out in the cold in the cabin he built. Harrison has gone two or three times now and has a good time. I'm always glad to get a picture of them surviving. 

More puzzles! These are a lot of fun. They get done quick.

Christmas Eve started with Phillip reading the Nativity story from the Bible, starting "In the beginning" and going all the way through to Him "growing in favor with God and man."

The kids opened up their stocking gifts. 

Then we had hot cocoa and watched the new "Best Christmas Pageant Ever." Can't get through that without some tears!

Christmas morning ~ opening all the gifts under the tree! The kids all bought gifts for each other. Lanaya Elizabeth received her package of gifts from all of us and had opened them already. (I wasn't sure it would get to her in time; so I was so glad to hear that it did!)

Phoebe gave some money to Harrison to use on Robux, and she wrapped $5 worth of quarters individually so that he'd have to unwrap them all. I'm not sure who got the worse end of the deal though ~ the one who wrapped or the one who opened. :-) 

Mimi and Papa came over with half the meal for Christmas lunch. We tried to keep it mostly low-fat for Phillip, but it was still really yummy!

And so we continue. We love having Jonathan home. It's been just a real good time being kind of homebound without feeling we need to (or can) go to a bunch of outside activities. 

Merry Christmas!