The Hour of Your Mission Has Arrived - Almost!

 We received our mission call in November and knew we would be leaving in early March . That seemed like a LONG time away but now it is here.  We fly to Utah tomorrow, spend the weekend with George's sister Tammy and go to the Missionary Training Center on Monday!

On Sunday we spoke in church.  All last year I taught Primary, which is like children's Sunday School.  I love these kids so much.  I asked if they could sing my favorite song and they did.  I am glad they sang after my talk and not before.  Their sweet voices singing about The Tree Of Life definitely made me tear up.

Our dear friends Rinda and Brent drove up from Salt Lake City to be with us. 

Last night we were 'set apart' by our Stake President.  He gave us a special blessing invoking God's richest blessing on us.  So many of my fears were alleviated and much comfort as well as admonitions given.  I will forever remember how I felt when hands were laid on my head.  The spirit was strong. I definitely felt blessed!

Next we put a pin in the map to show where we were going. 

Took us awhile to figure out exactly where Piura, Peru was!

But we did!

Today we said goodbye to first Matt

And then to John

Isabella and Monica didn't want to come over to say goodbye.  I think that they thought it would be too hard.  

Tomorrow it will be telephone goodbyes to Mary and Scott.

This IS going to be hard!

So thankful for Zoom and FaceTime and WhatsApp.

Our loved ones won't seem so far away thanks to technology.

Christmas Traditions

 Christmas traditions are important to me.  That's probably one reason that I have a ridiculous number of Christmas decorations.  Some of them my Grandma Boyle made before I was born, others I remember from my childhood, still more from the time when we had little kids plus so many from our trips. I collect nativity scenes and also try to get a tree ornament at each destination. I love them and find joy each year when I get them out.

Traditions of things that we 'do' are even more important.  During my growing up years, all of my Daddy's family came to our house for Christmas Eve.  First we went to our different churches for a Christmas Eve service and then all my aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents came to our house for eggnog and good food.A few years  after I was married the electricity went out during the party.  Unsure what to do with a crowd in a dark house, a new tradition of singing Christmas carols together was born!  Funniest of all, we sang 'The Twelve Days of Christmas" with different people taking each verse.  My Daddy's sister, Maudie, always sang, '3 French hens' and although she could not carry a tune, she was quick to laugh at herself and that just added to the fun. After Maudie passed away, we never sang again because it was just too painful. George and I did renew this tradition when we lived in Spain by inviting all our friends over for food and carol singing on Christmas Eve.  

Our George Lewis family traditions have evolved over the years.  When the kids were little, we acted out the nativity story and also read 'The Polar Express' and of course left out cookies and milk for Santa. 

Our children all have sweet memories of first Grandpa Walt Lewis and now Grandpa George Lewis reciting the Harrison R Merril Poem

'Christmas Eve on the Desert" 

They remember all the years as little children when they didn't understand the poem at all and just felt anxious for the evening to end so Santa could come.  When they were teenagers, the beauty of the poem and the tender sentiments expressed became clear. Now it is a treasured reading every Christmas Eve.

On Christmas morning we open gifts one person at a time. I love this because then you get to see the reactions as special gifts are opened.  When it is a free for all, you miss seeing the recipients delight.

Now that we have adult children and grandchildren, traditions have evolved and we seem to have hit upon the perfect mix for this stage of life.

This year I loved listening to 9 year old Isabella anticipate the Christmas traditions.  Her excitement about the games and food made all the work that goes into making this holiday special well worth the time and effort!

Christmas Eve starts with ornament making.  Every year since 2011, we have made ornaments. You can see them on our tree in this photo of Matt and Cady and their cute dogs, Millie and Baby Dog.  The boys do occasionally grumble about 'crafts' but they are good sports and make one each year!

Games are next on the agenda!  From a marshmallow toss to Christmas Tree Cup Stack to mini golf, they are all so fun.  This year we added 'Oregon Trail' and 'Left, Right, Center' to the mix.

Monica won the grand prize for the "Left, Right, Center" game and promptly gave the $24 to Isabella.

Our competitive Isabella really wanted to win the big games competition. (Although the $24 did make her happy too)  She always does want to win any game she plays but this year she really, really did.  Last year Cady suggested that I buy a trophy to pass around to the winner each year.  And I did.

Isabella coveted that trophy.

We had a Christmas miracle.

I won the game competition!

First time ever!

Isabella really did not think this was fair since I bought the trophy!

After all these years, I finally won so I am keeping it for the year.

This might be the only time I ever win.  George had the handicap of a cast on his arm.  Matt was having severe back pain. And Johnny missed the games because he was working.  Scott came in a close 2nd.

This was MY year!

Game traditions!  Ornament making traditions!  And of course food traditions!

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup with sandwich fixings....

And the oh so important to Isabella, chocolate fountain....

Her favorite thing to drizzle with chocolate -  the angel food cake!

I agree!

Christmas morning - It's all about the presents and the food again.

Breakfast pizza and cinnamon rolls!

 I made the comment that since everyone loves these two items so much, I should make them more often.

Interestingly the consensus was that I shouldn't.  They like them being special for Christmas morning.

Before and after breakfast we opened presents.

There were a lot of very thoughtful ones!

Not the most important part of Christmas but still so fun!

By the end of the festivities I felt like I should have been wearing Matt's hat.

But I would need it to say

'Tired but oh so happy!'

Next year we will be enjoying Christmas in Peru and trying to make it special for over 100 missionaries who are also far from home.

I can hardly wait!

But I will really miss all these faces!

Christmas In West Virginia

 I gave Mary a sweatshirt for Christmas that said, "Life is better with my boys".  I think she would agree that Christmas is better with her boys.  Jackson, Mark and the new little foster baby!  The baby's birth mother's parental rights were terminated a few weeks ago so it appears that he will become a permanent part of our family.  I couldn't be happier! Hopefully before too long we can share his cute face on social media.

Poor little guy had RSV for Christmas.  His fever finally broke and the meds helped so I think he did enjoy the excitement.

The Reynolds family has the tradition of going out to eat on Christmas Eve.  I love that these boys have so many Reynolds cousins plus a Nana and aunts and uncles on that side of the family.

Back at home Jackson carefully lined up carrots to lead Santa's reindeer to his house. Pretty smart!

And laid out more carrots and a cookie for the jolly old gentleman himself!

From the looks of their living room, the carrots worked and toys were in abundance!

Jackson is following in his Uncle Johnny's footsteps with a love of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Uncle Johnny even parted with his vintage hat from the 1st Turtle Movie.

That is quite a sacrifice.  Johnny's had that hat since he was 5 years old and went to see the movie - way back in 1990.

"HEROES IN A HALF-SHELL!  TURTLE POWER!"

Mary spends a lot of time playing games with Jackson.

I hope he enjoys the Mousetrap game and that it isn't too frustrating.

Mary reports that Jackson's favorite toy is his racetrack.

It does look amazing and like something he and Daddy will enjoy together.  

When we can't be together for Christmas, I am so thankful for a thoughtful son-in-law and daughter who share lots of photos.  And for Facetime so I can almost feel like I am there.

Thanksgiving

 Our Thanksgiving was perfectly lovely! Truthfully I was thinking of taking the family to Chuck-A-Rama like we did a couple of years ago when only Monica, John and Isabella were joining us. The variety of foods was a big hit for everyone and the quality of the food was better than I remembered,  Chuck-A-Rama was one of George's Dad's favorite places. He made sure to get his money's worth by piling his plate high and even stuffing rolls in his pockets.

My original plan changed when Matt told us that he was not going to Wyoming with Cady to her Grandmother's 90th birthday because he knew we would be in Peru next Thanksgiving and he wanted to spend this one with us.  When I heard that I knew I had to fix a traditional meal with all the foods we love.

And that is what I did!

Turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, fruit salad and rolls.

Followed by cherry and pumpkin pie with lots of whipped cream for dessert!

Served on the china my Daddy bought in Occupied Japan with the silver that was once my mother's, the water glasses that belonged to my great grandmother and George's mother's bread bowl. 

A multi generational table setting.

Isabella did the centerpiece and also helped with dinner preparations.

I googled 'best mashed potatoes' and found a recipe that called for a 2 sticks of butter for 5 pounds of potatoes.   Isabella cut them into small pieces and added them to the potatoes.  I told her to count to 20 between each addition and she very carefully did just that.

And the potatoes were definitely the best ever....tons of butter tends to make everything 'the best'.

I love these people more than I can adequately express.

Sure glad they are mine!

We followed this advice.

And we don't even feel guilty!

Miracles and Angels

 Last Wednesday night when George was driving home from a soccer game, I was watching TV while folding laundry when I got this alert on my phone.  

I wasn't exactly sure what to do.

Should I call 911 to try and get information?

Decided against that and tried a couple of times to call George.

When he didn't answer, I tried googling the crash site to see if anything would come up.

Popped right up with this headline -

Fatal Crash on Linden in Caldwell

I got kind of panicky until I looked at the date and noted that this accident was a few months ago. Whew!

I used google earth to figure out the direction he had been coming from and that the stop sign at that intersection was for a cross road. At least the wreck most likely not going to be his fault.

By this time, I was pretty nervous but mercifully he called.

He was in an ambulance being taken to a hospital in Nampa but he was alert and not in a lot of pain.

Such a blessing!

I drove out to the hospital to find that they had already done an MRI and were in the middle of taking x-rays. He had on a neck brace but was conversational and coherent.

I let our children know what was going on.

Johnny, Monica and Isabella came out to the hospital so that John could report to his siblings.

The doctor reported that there were no internal injuries, no broken bones and a probably mild concussion.

And he warned George that he would most likely be super sore for a few days.

That has been true but today, one week later, he seems to be more comfortable and he plans to ref two games on Saturday.

Unfortunately his beautiful Jaguar didn't fare as well.

I asked George at the hospital if it had been totaled and he thought so but said that I would see it tomorrow so that I could make my own judgement.

What do you think?  I don't think one would need to be an expert to  say

TOTALED!

Never before had George had a car that strangers in parking lots would comment.

"That is a beautiful car."

George will miss it.

On a happier note - as we were driving out to the tow truck yard, I mentioned that he might like to keep the Jaguar figure that was on the front of the car.  Unfortunately it was not still on the car or any place around the car that we could see.

Just to see what we might find, we stopped at the crash site and looked around.  Amazingly George found it!  It was in some tall grass on the opposite side of the road from where the car had stopped.

That did make him happy.

The other involved vehicle was a pick up truck.  The driver had run a stop sign while talking on his cell phone.  Another miracle was that George hit him rather than the pickup truck broadsiding George's car.  That might have had a more serious outcome.

Thankful for airbags, seat belts, and sturdy cars.  Notice that the passenger area hardly looks damaged at all.

And I'm thankful for angels and miracles.

104 Years Ago Today

 September 10th 1920 - My mother, Bessie Jane Boyle was born.  At her funeral her minister expressed it this way, 'She bounced into the world.'  He went on to say, "her years spanned such incredible eras in our nation's history, most that radically affected her culture here where she was born and reared and later where she came back home to live.  Somewhere along the way she resolved to live out her changing times with energy and optimism. Maybe it was born of her years as a navy wife, living in Boston or Brooklyn or Providence, Rhode Island or her time living in Sicily.  Or maybe it was something just born in her to engage her life actively one day at a time.  However she came to that way of living, it served her well throughout all her days.  Moreover, it stands as a model for our own way of doing whatever it is that gives us fulfillment in life."

I know she loved being a mother.  Moma and Daddy were married almost five years before I was born and they were thrilled to be parents.  She was 33 when I was born but it was 25 years later when I think she found her greatest joy. That's when Mary was born and she became a Grandma for the first time. 

Nothing gave her more fulfillment than these 4 children! 

Holding Mary for the 1st time

And here she is in 1980 holding newborn Matt.

And when we added Jonathan in 1984

Then in 1987 with all four of her darling grandchildren.

For her there was never a more true statement than

"Happiness is being a Grandparent"

Monica's Milanesa

 Our daughter-in-law, Monica, is a fabulous cook.  We discovered that soon after they moved to the US when she made delicious gnocchi, hand shaped pasta made from potatoes.  Now she has started her own small business making and selling Argentine food.  

Milanesa are well seasoned, breaded chicken cutlets.  They are pounded thin, lightly breaded and cooked quickly.  Monica bakes her own bread and makes a milanesa sandwich.  

For dessert she makes a very typical cookie called alfajores.  Here is a perfect description I found of them.  'Irresistible Argentinian Alfajores are a soft, sweet and crumbly shortbread sandwich cookie filled with dulce de leche', which is caramelized milk.  It tastes a bit like caramel.

So fun to see Monica using her cooking skills while John hones his small business talents to promote and expand their reach.

During the summer they have been successfully selling once a month at their apartment clubhouse.

I am proud of them.