Christmas

Dear Friends and Family,

..Nikki and Steve host a great Christmas celebration
..Dana arrives from Houston
..Art and Connie come to visit
..Dana tempts Nan with southern cooking

Nikki and Steve created a perfect Christmas morning with breakfast served, music playing and then presents were shared. What fun to see Keanna open the various things she has wanted and give a careful thankyou for each one. This year she could handle the paper and boxes just fine and really got into the whole experience. Thoughtful gifts all around, Nikki names it a comfort Christmas for Nan and gave her a heated blanket to put over you for the chair, a heated foot device to warm up the feet, a blanket that zips up around you like a mummy, wonderful photos and for both of us an electronic picture frame that holds hundreds of pictures and shows them one after the other, I gave mom an electric card shuffler since I can't shuffle cards at all and her hands don't have enough strength to do it. I also gave her a device that you put your feet on and it has infered heat and rolling little balls for massage. Mom gave me a GPS device so I can find my way home at night after I've been out working all day. I got new shoes from Nikki and STeve, thats good since my one pair are failing and breaking down badly but I've kept wearing them since they were it. There are other thoughtful gifts as well but since Jason and Jo will not open their gifts for a few days I don't want to talk about ones that we might all have in common. Finally time caught up with me and I had to hit the road to Sacramento to pick up Dana who had flown in from Houston to be with Nan for 10 days or so.

I left Nan resting in their recliner by the fireplace and drove to Sac, then back home to pick up mom and then to our home where Art and Connie Diaz came to visit. It was great to see them again. They helped me unload the van and get the Christmas bootie inside. Then they had to leave and we rested for awhile. Dana started cooking and whipped up corn bread, deep fried some vege chicken, open and warmed some green beans and later made rice for Nan. Dana sure knows her way around a kitchen, just like Nan does. All of us are fortunate to have been on the receiving end of their many kitchen productions.

Now I reluctantly begin to consider tomorrow and going back to work. I have work to get done and also need to help a friend who can't get some appraisals written and out due to illness. Dana and Nan will come up with lots of things to talk about and do over the next few days I'm sure.

As I pause for a moment to reflect I am so very grateful for Nan's courage and stubborn refusal to give up. She is an amazing woman in every way and sure is easy to look at. This morning she slipped on a Christmas sweater, did her hair and I came into the room and was just blown away once again with how lovely she looks. What a lucky guy am I. I am also very grateful for the help of Nikki and Steve today to make this a very special comfort Christmas. They covered every detail and made it easy and possible for us. Thanks so much you two (three). I am also thankful for Jason and Jos several phone calls today to stay in touch. Even though they are in Denver it seemed they were here by their calls. I am very thankful to Dana for leaving her own family on Christmas day and flying out here to be with us. Nan comes from a very caring family and that love means everything to us.

So this evening we are sending our love to each and every one of you, thanking you for being our friends and family, for caring and for loving, for being there when we need you.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

love

tim and nan and dana