A Special Christmas in Vernon!

There are 7 more days until Christmas and I'm so excited to be spending it with my mom and the family for the first time in 7 years! Sam is looking forward to playing in the snow because we don't have any here in Vancouver. She LOVES the snow and had her brief experience when we had a very short snowfall a couple of weeks ago. Of course it's washed away with the typical west coast rainfalls. This year for Sam Christmas is new to her, as she can now understand more clearly what it's all about. We've been watching all of the classic holiday cartoons on TV and listening to a Raffi Christmas CD I bought. Her favorite songs are Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Jingle Bells. She has been helping me shop for and wrap presents but most important I'm trying to get her to understand what Christmas is really all about... the birth of Jesus Christ!

Wayne has been on the road for the past couple of weeks as usual and he's so tired of flying through time zones and not knowing which way is up anymore. Our Christmas spent with my family will be a nice get-away! My auntie Avis will be holding Christmas at her place this year, as my mom who usually has it at her place, is going through some health issues and is quite tired from all the treatments she's had. A couple of months ago she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and has had to undergo 5 weeks of Chemo and radiation therapy. Today is her last treatment and is an overnight stay and then all will be done. From now on she'll have appointments with the doctors every 6 weeks or so, to see if the treatments have been doing its job.
My mom has been my biggest source of strength and one who never gets sick or complains about things. It's been really hard to imagine this is happening to her after everything she does for everyone. I've just been praying that things will be well after this and that it doesn't come back. Thank the Lord everyone has been helping out so much, as my step dad Rick has been doing all he can for my mom and now my auntie Avis taking over for Christmas.....thank you auntie (and I'll be right in there helping you out this weekend!) This will definitely be a special time together and also a very sad one as we continue to pray for Maureen and her family, and the rest of our family who are still grieving heavily from his recent passing. God Bless everyone.

Blue Tree on the Prairies

My cousin Gordie sent this picture to me and I couldn't help but post it. This is their farm outside Edmonton. The way they get those lights up Gord describes, is "a circus act", (which now he says he's getting too old for...HA HA). For the past 10 years he and and his wife Cindy have climbed an extension ladder propped up in the back of their truck.

Check out that star at the top of the tree. I think this is so spectacular!