I had a very irritating problem today. I recently discovered that our new computer does not have Microsoft Works on it. Today I needed my address labels for the annual letter and picture I'm preparing to send out. But those labels were done in Works. Anthony told me to email the file to him and he would convert it over to Word and send it back to me. That worked just fine. However, it was just one of three pages that I knew I had had. There was absolutlely no sign of the other two files anywhere. So this evening we got our old computer out and, praise God, there they were. I resaved them as Word files and saved them onto a disk. So all is well that ends well, I guess. But I must confess I shed some tears over it. I stupidly did not have those names and addresses anywhere else. I guess I've learned a lesson.
This afternoon I went to Hilltop Acres to buy a pig stomach! We're going to Dick's dad's place on Sunday for the family get-together. We're each bringing a stuffed pig stomach. This will be a first for me. I guess we'll line our pig stomachs up and see who's is the biggest or nicest looking or tastiest or whatever!!
Friday, December 30, 2005
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Family times
Yesterday Dick's brother Steve's daughter Krista and her husband Pete had their first child, a little girl named Natalia Marie. Unfortunately the main arteries to the two upper chambers of her heart are reversed, so she had to be put on life support and taken to a different hospital. Krista and Pete were not even able to hold her. They did a preliminary surgery on her heart last evening and will do the complete surgery in about a week. Please pray for baby, parents, and grandparents during this time. Many tears have been flowing, I'm sure.
I've been working these two days on the letter and picture collage I'll be sending out to our friends and family. It's so time consuming, but I enjoy it most of the time.
On Tuesday evening we went directly from the Philadelphia airport to my dad's house before we came home. My brother's son Steve Witmer and his wife and two sons were there for the evening. They live near Dallas, TX and we wanted to see them before they head back home. Destiny and their boys acted like good old friends right away. They probably haven't seen each other since June '03!
Last evening we went to my sister Mary Ellen's house. She had invited those of our family who live in this area to come. She has lived out of the area her whole adult life until this past summer, so she was glad to finally be able to invite us to her house at Christmas time. My nephew Eric from Idaho was there also and was planning to head back home today. We all had such fun getting to know him now that he's an adult. He's such a lot of fun. We had a great time last evening singing Christmas carols, telling funny stories, and reminiscing about some of the heartaches when my mother had cancer and died. Eric was born the same week my mother's cancer was discovered in the very same hospital. Those were hard days. On Tuesday evening at my Dad's house, Eric discovered a record The Witmer Trio had made back in the 70's when his mother (my sister Barb) was still single. Barb, Doris, and I used to sing as a trio accompanied by Dick on the guitar, our friend Don on the bass guitar, and myself on the portable organ. We weren't too bad and were kept quite busy, actually. Anyway, Eric was so amused by this record, especially the picture of us on the front of the album cover. He planned on taking it home to have his mother autograph it and then hang it on his wall!!
I've been working these two days on the letter and picture collage I'll be sending out to our friends and family. It's so time consuming, but I enjoy it most of the time.
On Tuesday evening we went directly from the Philadelphia airport to my dad's house before we came home. My brother's son Steve Witmer and his wife and two sons were there for the evening. They live near Dallas, TX and we wanted to see them before they head back home. Destiny and their boys acted like good old friends right away. They probably haven't seen each other since June '03!
Last evening we went to my sister Mary Ellen's house. She had invited those of our family who live in this area to come. She has lived out of the area her whole adult life until this past summer, so she was glad to finally be able to invite us to her house at Christmas time. My nephew Eric from Idaho was there also and was planning to head back home today. We all had such fun getting to know him now that he's an adult. He's such a lot of fun. We had a great time last evening singing Christmas carols, telling funny stories, and reminiscing about some of the heartaches when my mother had cancer and died. Eric was born the same week my mother's cancer was discovered in the very same hospital. Those were hard days. On Tuesday evening at my Dad's house, Eric discovered a record The Witmer Trio had made back in the 70's when his mother (my sister Barb) was still single. Barb, Doris, and I used to sing as a trio accompanied by Dick on the guitar, our friend Don on the bass guitar, and myself on the portable organ. We weren't too bad and were kept quite busy, actually. Anyway, Eric was so amused by this record, especially the picture of us on the front of the album cover. He planned on taking it home to have his mother autograph it and then hang it on his wall!!
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
We're home!
Well, another Florida visit is over already. But I can't complain. This was actually my 5th time there this calendar year! Our flight home went fine. I'm too weary to write much tonight, so just enjoy the pictures.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Just taking it easy
After a very early morning start on Christmas morning, and a flight that felt like a bumpy road the whole way to Tampa, we arrived around 10 a.m. It was so good to see Sophie (although she wasn't as delighted to see us at first!), Lisa, George, and Jeremy. We had a delicious brunch with them and George's mom, watched movies and napped in the afternoon, and had George's delicious chili for dinner. By evening Sophie had warmed up to us. She's learning to talk a little bit, and her favorite thing is to say, "Oh, wo-o-o-w!!" It sounds so cute! We watched another movie in the evening and tried not to sleep through the entire thing - not that it was boring, but we were so sleepy from having gotten up in the middle of the night.) After everyone else left and the little girls were sleeping George, Lisa, Dick, and I had some time to sit and talk.
Today we're just relaxing around the house. Sophie is getting more and more comfortable with us. Destiny definitely has some problems with jealousy, but that's to be expected, I guess.
Today we're just relaxing around the house. Sophie is getting more and more comfortable with us. Destiny definitely has some problems with jealousy, but that's to be expected, I guess.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Christmas lights and Christmas visits
I decided to let Destiny open one gift when she woke up yesterday morning and then another one last evening, since she'll be at Enid's all day today. I still have a few gifts for her that we can take along in our luggage for Christmas day.
Last evening on the way home from church we went through the lovely Christmas display at Elvin Metzler's. I took quite a few pictures, but only one got good, because we were driving slowly. I told Dick to stop the car for the one picture, and that's the one that got okay. There was someone else behind us, so we hated to be stopping every few seconds! His display is the most beautiful I have ever seen. I think he should get some kind of national recognition. To top it off, he has Christmas music playing on outdoor speakers, so you can roll your windows down and feel like you are truly in a Winter Wonderland. I donated $10 to the Sertoma Club to be able to drive through the display they have at Long's Park last week. It was nothing compared to Elvin's display.
I must clean my house. Later today my parents are bringing my nephew Eric Brubaker for a visit. He is my sister Barb's 23-year-old son. Barb and her family and their entire dairy herd move across country to Idaho in the early 90's. Eric hasn't been East for many years. He drove by himself last week, stopping to visit relatives and friends along the way. He spent several days with his Brubaker grandparents this past week, and is now coming to spend several days with his Witmer grandparents. This is our only chance to see him, since he'll be heading West about the time we arrive home from Florida.
My sister Rose and her family (who live near Atlanta) are spending this week with her husband Bob's family in Orlando! That is only 1 1/2 hours from Tampa! Maybe, just maybe, it will work out for us to see each other. That would be so much fun.
This is a travelling family!
Last evening on the way home from church we went through the lovely Christmas display at Elvin Metzler's. I took quite a few pictures, but only one got good, because we were driving slowly. I told Dick to stop the car for the one picture, and that's the one that got okay. There was someone else behind us, so we hated to be stopping every few seconds! His display is the most beautiful I have ever seen. I think he should get some kind of national recognition. To top it off, he has Christmas music playing on outdoor speakers, so you can roll your windows down and feel like you are truly in a Winter Wonderland. I donated $10 to the Sertoma Club to be able to drive through the display they have at Long's Park last week. It was nothing compared to Elvin's display.
I must clean my house. Later today my parents are bringing my nephew Eric Brubaker for a visit. He is my sister Barb's 23-year-old son. Barb and her family and their entire dairy herd move across country to Idaho in the early 90's. Eric hasn't been East for many years. He drove by himself last week, stopping to visit relatives and friends along the way. He spent several days with his Brubaker grandparents this past week, and is now coming to spend several days with his Witmer grandparents. This is our only chance to see him, since he'll be heading West about the time we arrive home from Florida.
My sister Rose and her family (who live near Atlanta) are spending this week with her husband Bob's family in Orlando! That is only 1 1/2 hours from Tampa! Maybe, just maybe, it will work out for us to see each other. That would be so much fun.
This is a travelling family!
Friday, December 23, 2005
Absolutely content
I feel like a lady of leisure this morning. Christmas programs are over, school is finished, I even got some shopping done yesterday, and some gifts wrapped this morning. Destiny was just dying to see gifts under our tree, so when she wakes up this morning there will finally be some. Dick is at a company breakfast this morning, then he has off for the day. I have my Amy Grant Christmas C.D. on and I am absolutely content.
This evening we will have a candlelight service at church. That is always a very precious time. Destiny will probably spend some time with Frank today, then tomorrow she will spend the day with Enid. Sunday morning we will leave here around 3:30 for the Philadelphia airport. By 10 a.m we will be in Tampa. I can hardly wait. Jeremy even has off work on Sunday and Monday, so that will be wonderful to be able to spend that much time with him. Destiny thinks she's going to be swimming in the pool, but I'm trying to warn her that it's winter down there too, just not as winter as here!
This evening we will have a candlelight service at church. That is always a very precious time. Destiny will probably spend some time with Frank today, then tomorrow she will spend the day with Enid. Sunday morning we will leave here around 3:30 for the Philadelphia airport. By 10 a.m we will be in Tampa. I can hardly wait. Jeremy even has off work on Sunday and Monday, so that will be wonderful to be able to spend that much time with him. Destiny thinks she's going to be swimming in the pool, but I'm trying to warn her that it's winter down there too, just not as winter as here!
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Pre-school Christmas program
I managed to combine some classes and squeeze everything in before 1:00 today so I could go to Destiny's Christmas program at Manheim BIC pre-school. Destiny was a "gift"! They all were really cute.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
No adrenaline left!
It's been a pretty easy two days since the programs are over. I've been showing the video of the school program in each class and getting things put back in place. Last evening Destiny and I watched the video in my bed while Dick was playing basketball, and we both fell asleep right afterward. So I had a good night's sleep, but I still felt like I was on some kid of sleeping pill today. I guess there's no adrenaline left! This evening Dick finally had time to put our Christmas lights up on our front porch and there's one section that will not light. Those of you in the musical at church will find that amusing, I'm sure!!
Last week I got Destiny a flying saucer. She played outside for a while when we got home from school today. As some of you know, our houses right here are on terraces. She was able to start at the level of the house above us, down past our house, and on down to the next house. It looked like great fun.
A few months ago Lisa and George took Sophie to a pediatric eye doctor because they thought her eyes weren't working together. The doctor found that she has astigmatism and prescribed glasses! So they got them yesterday and I have a picture of her below. As of yesterday she wasn't seeming to be bothered by them and seemed very happy with them on. Lisa said they're the tiniest glasses she ever saw! I think she looks adorable.
Last week I got Destiny a flying saucer. She played outside for a while when we got home from school today. As some of you know, our houses right here are on terraces. She was able to start at the level of the house above us, down past our house, and on down to the next house. It looked like great fun.
A few months ago Lisa and George took Sophie to a pediatric eye doctor because they thought her eyes weren't working together. The doctor found that she has astigmatism and prescribed glasses! So they got them yesterday and I have a picture of her below. As of yesterday she wasn't seeming to be bothered by them and seemed very happy with them on. Lisa said they're the tiniest glasses she ever saw! I think she looks adorable.
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