Merry Christmas! The draft of this letter has been done since the morning of December 7th, but here it still sits in the laptop. So, As papa elf still snores away in his warm cocoon, I send it to you. Forgive us for not getting it in the snail mail!
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Soft amber skies greet me as I walk out into the cool still air this December morning. Two cardinals, resplendent in red, perch in the bare fig tree. The last golden leaves cling to the black walnut; nandinas heavy with glossy berries mimic the red of the birds. God is good; we are blessed; Our circle has come round to Christmas once again.
After we welcomed in the season with song, food, and over sixty friends from three to ninety-three last evening, we paused while putting away the last of the Chili con Queso and chocolate dip to think about the evening, our friends, and the year that is almost over.
We have shared happy times and sad , but we are reminded once more that it is all is a part of what life is all about and we are all part of a larger plan. We were saddened to lose George Brown, Pam’s father this year, but we are encouraged to know that he was a man of faith who loved his family and doted on our great nephews, his grandsons.
We also marvel in the glory of the addition to our large extended family with another beautiful grandgirl, Leila Kate whose laughter and smiles light up a room. Her sister Ava Grace is an excellent older sister who will be able to teach Leila wonderful things such as bubble blowing and swinging upside down from the monkey bars.
We have continued to enjoy not having to go to work each day. Klep’s position as a town councilman gives him a chance to employ his planning skills. Right now he is working on a park improvement project which will provide more of a playground area for our town children. He has also completed a new fence across our front yard which has drawn compliments from our friends. Believe you me, that sucker is straight! Every paling is precise!
Our travels have taken us up and down the road to Tennessee for April and October where we enjoyed extended family and watching our hills transition into spring and autumn. We have visited several times in the uplands of South Carolina. Suffering from the malaise of winter in March, we booked ourselves on a four day Caribbean cruise out of Jacksonville where on the last evening we watched the shuttle rise through the sunset skies.. In June we took my long dreamed trip to Anne of Green Gables country, Prince Edward Island, Canada flying into Portland, Me., renting a car, and driving up the coast, across New Brunswick, and over the Confederation Bridge to the Island. While there we stayed in a B&B in Charlottetown that was straight out of the era of Anne. Coming back we took time to drive along the Bay of Fundy marveling at the mountains falling steeply to the shore and the wide fluctuations of the tides.
In August we spent a weekend on St. Simons Island at the Scrambling for the Cause, an event to raise money for MS which is done to honor our son Kevin each year.
Since October we enjoyed home, friends, and family here in Jennings. Thanksgiving time was a joy, with only one table but two shifts this year as Pam, John, and the boys got back for leftovers. We all struggled manfully to complete the Thanksgiving 1000 piece puzzle so that we could finally get some sleep that night.
And now we are at Christmas again. Oh, but does our country need real Christmas this year: hope, peace, joy, and love.
All the presents and hurly burly will not do much for us, but a little quiet reflection about the child so long ago and what He means will go a long way toward giving us all what we really need.
May your Christmas truly be full of Joy, Hope, Peace, and abundant Love.
Love,
Klep (Lowell) and Barbara
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