Blessings and Trials

December 27, 2010.

Outside my window...cold, -10C. Only a dusting of snow for Christmas.
I am thinking...this Christmas week has been good and bad. Good because everything went well for our Finnish, Canadian and Jamaican Christmas dinners. I even attempted to make mashed potato snowmen, but without an ice cream scoop, they ended up looking more like poodles. Bad because two of our relatives were in hospital this week with serious health issues. My husband's sister had emergency surgery a few days before Christmas, but was home in time to join us on boxing day. My sister's boyfriend, who is 52 had symptoms of a stroke a week ago; slurred speech, weakness on one side, and falls, but they ruled that out and found a brain tumour in his frontal lobe. We don't know whether it's benign or malignant yet, but they say it's inoperable because it's so deep. He'll start radiation in the new year, but right now the neurologist is on holiday, and his symptoms aren't much better.
I am thankful for...the blessings in our lives. I love my family. It was good to be together for a few days.
From the kitchen...leftovers, of course. Three big meals will do that.
I am wearing...jeans, a grey top and a grey cardigan.
I am reading...The Lightkeeper's Daughter by Colleen Coble. I scored three new books for Christmas.
I am hoping...my sister's boyfriend will soon get treatment and see some improvement.
I am hearing...the train.
Around the house...my eldest just texted me that she arrived safely in Kansas City, Missouri. She went with three dozen others to a Christian conference. They went last year as well. My youngest is having four friends over for dinner this evening. They're cooking it themselves. She's a chip off the old block. My husband and I had our morning coffee in the hot tub today. A light snow was falling on us. It was a nice way to wake up.
One of my favourite things...Christmas.
Some plans for the week...I just finished six nights off, but now my husband is off for the week. Bad planning. I'm working Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. It should be quiet at work since the O.R. is closed this week. Only chemo patients. I'm of Wednesday night and we may have friends over. Friday night we have our usual Providential dinner, games and watchnight service at church. I just thought it would be nice to have a come-and-go open house on New Year's Day for anyone who wants to stop by. I'll have food on all day from noon to ten p.m. I checked with the boss and he's fine with it. We've been doing a lot of entertaining in our house this year. It's been fun. God has blessed us with this house so we have to share.