Well, here we are, it is Christmas Eve. This year has been harder for most but we have still arrived at the same place as last year….awaiting the coming of Our Savior in anticipation and expectant joy!

The Advent season has quickly passed (seems quicker each year!), and we have had many, many joys along the way.

The girls have been practicing for choir and will be singing at Midnight Mass and at 9:00 a.m. High Mass. They will be tired but happy (unless they really mess up a song or two, in which case they will obsess for the day until their family comes over for dinner to distract them).

We have four children at home….Rosie, Hannah, Gemma and Angelo. They are busy and our lives are full.

Rosie (second from the left) is our “driven” daughter. She is always accomplishing something and can’t resist doing the next thing on her list even though she should be taking a break. She sings in the choir, is always baking something “Keto”, diligently looks after the yard (doing landscaping and cleaning it….urging her dad to get his “junk” out of it). She works for her sister, for an elderly lady and then paints with her dad and brothers 3 days a week. She struggles with headaches every day. We are still looking for answers for her health problems.

Hannah (to the right of the groom) is our mild-mannered, sensitive one. She is a teacher’s aid for her sister, Gin, who has a wonderful teacher/tutor come in to school her children. She does that 2 days a week and then works for her other sisters another day of the week. She finally got her license and bought a minivan from her brother. It was his work van (and looked like it) and the price was right. Hannah cleaned it up and bought sunflower (bright ones!) seat covers for it…now it feels like her own instead of an old paint van! She has taken up crocheting and is still diligently working on last-minute gifts for Christmas! She is sweet and kind and children love her.

Gemma (far right) is vivacious, precocious and has an excellent sense of humor…always making us laugh…when she isn’t making us cry! She loves to read books and to write letters. She takes violin and piano lessons. She is self-motivated and practices faithfully. She was VERY disappointed when their (hers and Hannah’s) Chartres Pilgrimage in France was canceled last May due to Covid. This year isn’t looking that great, either. She is our political activist and urges us regularly to pray, do sacrifices, go to rallies, etc., for the betterment of our great nation!

Angelo (back row, left) is our gem. He is inventive, good-natured, religious and just a great young man. Oh sure, he has his faults, but in general….what a guy! He is a leader when it comes to his nephews or anyone else that he feels he can influence for good. He published his own journal….The Squires of Don Bosco Journal…for his nephews and he keeps them on track. He is mechanically inclined and has a golf cart and a four wheeler that he bought (fixer uppers). He runs errands for me and for his sisters all the time. He usually does it without complaining…though he has his moments.  🙂   He is hoping to start his own lawn business in the spring.

Vincent (hubby) works very hard each day. He has always been a physically very hard worker and it is catching up to him but he does not complain. He remains in a good mood and tends to always look on the bright side of things. He has started to raise rabbits and is quite enamored with them right now. His little greenhouse has been converted to a rabbit haunt. He has hooked up all the waterers and has neat little cages built to separate them. It’s nice to see his excitement.

I am busy and love it. After my Covid, I have felt better than ever (though my taste and smell refuse to return). I am almost done a new Maglet…on parenting. I was hoping to get it done for Christmas but the virus knocked that out of me. I have been doing most of the cooking again, and I am, in general, enjoying it. I also have been on Keto with Rosie and I do Intermittent Fasting (although since I’ve been sick, I have slacked with that one…hoping to get back to it soon). I have lost 20 pounds and feel much better. I take care of my sister since Mom is gone. This is our first Christmas without her….

As you must know, one of my passions is this website. Thank you for your support, I truly hope your Christmas is a time of rejuvenation, peace and joy!

Below are photos of our couples. Colin & Z and Sep & Molly are not included. Hoping to post later….

A Christmas Gallery….