December, anticipating Christmas festivities and joys
It's hard to beat the gratitude and joy I feel at Thanksgiving, especially this year with so much family here, but Christmas is always joyful and exciting, with so many magical events.
 |
| December 8, some of our family (here with siblings and cousins) and friends gathered at an Oakland redwood lodge to honor the life of my brother-in-law Norman Lovelace. Although death is sad, he, as chief of Environmental Protection Agency for the South Pacific for many years, was lauded by many Pacific islanders (some in attendance) as having "saved" their islands. I am happy to think he is now reunited with his wife, my sister Eloise, who passed away a few years ago of ALS. |
 |
| We have finally gotten the long-anticipated rain to relieve the long drought that has caused so many California wildfires. The hills are green again, but the San Francisco sea lions take it as an excuse to lounge along the wharves. |
 |
| On a cold quiet Monday morning my brother Roy, sister Irene, niece Lisa and husband Mike, and Irene's childhood friend Adrienne visited Pier 39 and especially enjoyed the very amusing Musee Mecanique one of the world's largest privately owned collections of mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade |
 |
| Everything made of toothpicks |
 |
| Mike had to arm-wrestle Batman |
An evening concert by the Mountain View High School Madrigals, was part of our 32nd annual Creche Exhibit "Star of Wonder, Star of Night"(250+ nativities from all over the world, beautifully displayed in our whole church building, with exceptional working artists...this year, sculptor Leroy Transfield and painter Linda Etherington and others...and live vocal and instrumental music throughout the five days). (photos of the exhibit are not permitted). Around 10,000 attend and enjoy this "gift to the community" each year.
http://lindaetherington.com/
 |
December is filled with wonderful concerts: This baroque chamber group performed works by Biber and 4 sons of JS Bach at Stanford Church. I learned that several works they played had been preserved by the Moravians (Schweinitz ancestors) who brought them to Salem, NC; otherwise lost in fires and wars in Germany. |
 |
| We had a fun Palo Alto Foothills ward (our local congregation) Christmas supper, Santa appearance and sing-along; and Sunday a "linger-longer" after church. The kids had their own low table. The Hunts' cute foster boys (sister and foster mom and sister at the back table). It is wonderful to have a close and caring ward "family" where all are welcome. |
 |
My friend Ruth spent months making the very detailed, realistic, precisely functioning tracks and landscape of places from their 2019 road trip (Charleston, SC, Civil War sites, New Mexico pueblo Acama, and more) with 3 electric trains running through tunnels and countryside. And then she inserted the tree! I emailed the local paper to see if they would write a feature article which it deserves! We'll see! |
I held my annual holiday open house (started in 1972, only interrupted by 4 missions away from home) for friends on Sunday. I was so busy I forgot to take photos except at the end, as my former students and their families were leaving. It was wonderful to hear about the productive lives of many students, including Juliana and Pui, and to renew and continue friendships with so many people who have enriched my life over the past many years.
And thanks to so many who have sent holiday cards and emails. I treasure them all. Love and connection to people all over the world is so valuable. I know our Heavenly Father loves each of us, as He sent His son Jesus Christ to teach us correct values, inspire us to be better, to serve Him as we serve those near and far, and to invite us home again to live with Him in a better place without so much strife and turmoil. But we can still find peace with our friends and family here. My your Christmas be filled with the light and love brought into the world with the tiny baby born long ago in humble circumstances. If He had been born in a fancy inn, would the shepherds and poor felt as welcome as the kings?
Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel, Frohe Weihnachten, Feliz Navidad and many more ways to say it) .Wishing you a blessed 2020.
