Good bye 2013, Hello 2014

In three hours 2013 will be over and we welcome 2014. The past year had its ups and downs. But, then again, I guess every year is that way. On a sad note, we saw the passing of a former daycare child of ours due to cervical cancer. She was only 29. We have stayed close to the family over the years. This was a very hard time for everyone that knew her. Our youngest daughter’s father-in-law died suddenly of a heart attack right after Thanksgiving.  And just this past Sunday, a close friend of ours passed due to colon cancer. Thank God the year in between had more ups. We had three grandsons graduate high school and go off to college. Our granddaughter that graduated last Dec. from college found a job at a bank and got her own apartment.  And we had our first family wedding. Our granddaughter Tonia and Jeremy got married in June. It was a fun time for the family and it was a beautiful wedding.  One big change for me was the fact that after 45+ years of being a home daycare provider, I was able to retire. I missed the daycare kids a lot at first, and I still do from time to time, but it has been nice to be able to come and go when we want, eat when we want and sleep in, if we want. My husband has been retired for a few years now and was my “helper” in the daycare.  I think he is enjoying a quiet house. This was the first Christmas that we didn’t have little ones in our home in 50 years. That was hard at first, too. But I have to admit it was nice to be able to put the nativity sets and other holiday decorations where I wanted to and not worry about them getting broke. As time goes on, I am adjusting to being retired and I like it. I have more time to create products for my teacher pay teacher store. I just have to make sure it doesn’t become a full time job. That is hard for me because I enjoy creating products for tpt.  I like having time to read, work puzzles and just sit and watch the world go by. 

So as we sit here watching football and basketball at the same time, hubby has the remote, I am thankful for all our blessings. And I pray that God continues to bless us during 2014. Now, if I can just stay up to see 2014 arrive.

God bless you all and a Happy 2014 to you and yours,

Rose

Merry Christmas.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 

Merry Christmas.
Rose

Can't have it all but close.

I am sitting here this morning, enjoying my morning coffee. I have the tree lights on, soft Christmas music playing and the hum of the washer in the background. Can't have it all but close.

Hard to believe that Christmas is only a week away. Where has the time gone? December has been an unusual month in many ways. It just seems to have disappeared right before my eyes. I think Thanksgiving being later this year had something to do with it. Plus, we have only been home only one weekend since. We have our family Christmas this weekend. Looking forward to some relaxing, fun time with family. We will all be together for Christmas again this year. We are truly blessed. The grandkids are all getting older, graduating college, getting married,etc, and that is how it should be. But with that comes change. And sometimes that change makes it harder to be all together for holidays. So we truly look forward to all these family gatherings.

Winter came a couple of months early this year. The weather here in Iowa has been more like weather in January. We have had a lot of days when the highs didn’t make it out of the single digits with below zero wind chills. This week we have had a couple of days in the thirties, which is our normal for this time of the year, but that is suppose to change tomorrow with freeing rain and much colder temps. Back into the deep freeze we go. But all isn’t lost. We had a foggy morning on Monday morning and I was able to take one picture before my camera informed me my battery needed charged. I lucked out and it was a pretty decent one. Oh, the beauty God provides when we most need something to pick us up.

Take care, stay warm and enjoy the season.

Merry Christmas,

Rose