Merry Christmas!

Dear friends:

Good morning from Denver on this Christmas Eve!

Mom and Dad and Maddie drove back  to Denver in early December and I stayed home in Arizona until about a week ago when I flew here (after a six-hour delay in Phoenix!) for Christmas and a handful of medical  appointments.

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Mom set up the Christmas tree with just its lights here in Denver before they returned to Phoenix in early October and hung ornaments before I arrived, so Christmas was  just about in full swing with plenty of time to spare. I buy gifts all year long as I see things, so Mom and Dad brought some of what I'd already bought with them and I packed the last few things in my suitcase to bring with me, so my Christmas preparation was just to wrap gifts and get them under the tree.(I find gift bags to be the perfect thing for one-handed wrapping and Mom helps by tying bows on the handles!) Everything is ready to go under the tree and we will pack everything in the car to take to my sister's house for our Christmas morning celebration tomorrow. We are going to their church for Christmas Eve this afternoon and then back to their house for an early dinner. My brother-in-law's family has a tradition of lasagna for Christmas Eve, so Sharon is bringing dinner and we will all be together--my sister and her family and my brother-in-law's entire family too. It will be quite the crowd and oh-so-much-fun! Tomorrow morning will be a smaller group and Mom is making our traditional egg casserole to take with us for breakfast/brunch before Kristen's family heads over to her in-law's for their Christmas Day celebration.

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Dad and I were able to attend my church here in south Denver on Saturday night and I watched one of their Christmas Eve services online yesterday afternoon. We will go to Mom and Dad's church in Parker on Sunday morning before packingup the car and heading back home to Phoenix through Moab on Monday after Dad's last dentist appointment to complete his new crown. I went to the dentist last week  for a teeth cleaning and go back on Friday morning to get new x-rays and to have a small cavity filled and am looking forward to coffee with a dear friend on Thursday. With appointments and Christmas activities, I have kept busy this trip, so I don't get to see everyone I'd like to see. (I think I need to start planning an open house hour or two here  or at a coffee shop when I am here to be able to see more friends when I come to Denver in the future.) My last doctor's appointment was yesterday morning, so my medical business is all done until Mom and I fly back here for a quick overnight trip in mid-March to see my neurologist for another round of Botox injections (I get shots in my neck and left arm to help my paralyzed and spastic muscles relax. It's a horrible process, but the results are well worth the pain and last about three months...)

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The weather has been anything but frightful these past 10 days, though I have still enjoyed sitting by the fire as much as possible since I am often cold  and love being toasty warm no matter the season!

I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year too!

With love, Joanne

Comments

[Holly Smith]

MErry Christmas, my dear friend! I love you and am so proud of all the wonderful ways you have shown Jesus to so many. Love, Holly

[Lloy]

It was wonderful to see your post. I enjoy hearing how you are doing. I think of you often and keep you in my prayers. Have a wonderful 2020

[Helen L Washington]

Merry Christmas Joanne, a few days late!
I am so glad you were able to be with so much family and it sounded festive and wonderful.
Praying that as we all turn the calendar to a new decade that God brings increasing favor and peace into our lives.

Much love friend!