Day after Christmas

Christmas Eve was the Grandma Baker Christmas party.  We had a nice time and it's always nice to see family who we only see at this time of year.  Grandma was recovering from her back surgery and is still in some pain - good and bad days - but at least she was able to be with us this year.  It was very sad when she had to spend Christmas Eve in the hospital once before.  I have spent every Christmas Eve with this family since 1969. 

After a very nice and peaceful Christmas day (with a clean house!) I enjoyed the most amazing Sacrament meeting today.  A former coworker and friend Dr. Dean Belnap and his brother, Hal, (who actually lives in our ward and whom I love dearly) were the speakers.  Dean shared his experience painting a wonderful piece of Christ calling Peter that he did in the 1950s (while serving in Washington DC as a pediatrician to the troops families living near DC, including President Eisenhower's grandchildren).  The picture hangs in our chapel and his story is amazing.  So wonderful to hear about it directly from him.  Then three ward members did a violin duet (husband wife team - John and Sarah Margetts) with Vincent Humphries accompanying on piano - Pachabel's Canon.  It was fantastic!

Later I prepared a Christmas dinner for the family and enjoyed the company of five of my kids and theirs (minus the children who are kept far from us!).  We are praying that next Christmas will bring them home.

Good food, good family.