Depoe Bay in December

December

I left off having shared the events of October and November, or at least the high points.  Every day seems to have its own busyness.

One really special thing in December was having a week at the coast in our timeshare.  We love our timeshare but so do a LOT of other people, especially at the Depoe Bay location.

 

It is hard to get a reservation there unless you book months out.  So we did.  And I had months of anticipating that wonderful week at the beach when I could just shut out all the clamor and regular responsibilities and the phone wouldn’t ring…

The first weekend our daughter and son-in-law and baby Margaret and son and daughter-in-law and baby Tillie came to stay with us.

   What fun to see the two kids playing (sort of) together.

 

 

And it was great to have some recreational time and talking time with our grown-up children.

 

See why we love it?  Look at that view!

 

It was a wild and stormy weekend with winds up to 60 mph, fantastic for wave-watching but not so good for beach walking.

 

Inside we stayed warm and cozy.

 

Some intrepid souls went hot-tubbing in the outdoor pool but this photographer didn’t brave the storm.

After they left, my dad came for a few days.  Then another daughter came with a fresh supply of DVDs and stayed for a few days.  I was busy trying to get Christmas presents sewn, so I  tried to stick to business

  

but I realized on Thursday night that my goals were unrealistic and I was making myself crazy.  So I decided to chill and take a more leisurely approach to finishing the projects at home.  Which hasn’t happened yet.  Not surprisingly.  The reason I do things compulsively is that it’s the only way they get done.  ‘Systematically’ and ‘leisurely’ are not in my nature.  How many pieces of fabric do I have in my closet waiting for their fulfillment?  How many sketches of “good ideas”? 

By midweek at the coast we learned that my husband’s brother had been hospitalized in Portland so on the way home from the beach we picked up my mother-in–law in Sweet Home and brought her up to stay with us to be near her sick son and with us for Christmas.

Christmas: 

 Our kids had chosen to have a Pajama Breakfast for our get-together.

 

Supposedly it was going to simplify their coming to our house on Christmas morning, but as it turns out  the kids had to be  diaper-changed anyway with fresh sleepers and I had to get out to buy suitable PJs for Tech Guy

and no one really wanted to come in what they actually slept in, so simplifying was a misnomer! But it was fun.  After wavering between hand-made gifts and a white elephant exchange, they decided on the latter (which is why I was able to give myself permission to slow down on my sewing storm.)  The white elephant exchange was fun with some good laughs and strategy-making on how to end up with the best thing.  Hearing my kids laugh together is the sweetest sound!  Joy!  Of course we had the 3 new baby girls this year

as well as our 2 year old grandson

so it was a happy time.  It was the first time in over 3 years that we had had all 5 of our children together as well as their spouses and kids.  And my dad and mother-in-law.

 

And so December ends on a happy note, wishing you all a

 happy new year.

AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT !

Getting Caught Up

I haven’t written in such a long time that I may not have any friends left.  It has been a busy season of life, but I know that is true for everyone and I must not use busyness as an excuse for not attending to things that are important. The other day I found myself craving some time to write, phrasing in my head what I would say about this or that.  All of these great analyses and one-liners go through my head while I am on the move and then when I sit at the computer I think: “Now, what was that?”

 October 

car accident—On a dark and rainy morning as I was heading to work a semi truck with 2 trailers hit the back end of my car as it (the truck) changed lanes. The impact sent my car spinning in loop-de-loops across 3 lanes of freeway and the grassy median strip and into the first lane of oncoming traffic.  I didn’t know what had happened, if I had hit an oil slick or if the bottom of my car had fallen out or if I had been hit by something. As I was holding onto the steering wheel and swinging on the freeway I cried out, “Oh, Lord, HELP me!” and He did. I remember seeing the lights of cars coming towards me as I went sideways across the freeway. I was able to let go of the wheel and get the car to a stop across the median when I reached the oncoming traffic.  Amazingly, they were able to swerve around my car.  I thought I was in imminent danger of being hit so I got out of the car and ran around it to see what had happened.  I didn’t know what to do.  I remember feeling so alone; no one was stopping to help or to tell me what I should do. I wondered if I should just get back in the car and drive off.  I didn’t know if the car was operable, but I knew I needed to get it out of the freeway traffic or there would be another accident for sure.  So I got back in the van and drove it back over the median strip and along the shoulder.  Up ahead I saw a truck pulled over and I came alongside.  The driver was on his cell.  “Are you alright?” he asked.  By now I was feeling the exultant relief of protection and preservation and the incredible awareness that on my reckless spin across the traffic no one else had been hit or had hit me.  I was so thankful!!  The truck driver said, “I thought it would be a lot worse.”  I told him I had prayed and that the Lord had answered my prayer.  When I asked the trucker if he had seen what happened he said “yes”.  Then I asked if someone had hit me.  He said “yes”. When I asked him if he saw who, he said “I did.” He said he hadn’t seen me over his hood as he changed lanes although I had my lights on. I was pretty shocked by then and had trouble getting the relevant information from his insurance card, but my overwhelming sense as I drove on toward my job was elation at the protection I had been given by the Lord.  When I talked to the trucking company later in the morning the owner said, “Boy, Someone was sure watching out for you today.” I know.  I know. I was overjoyed with His protection, and thankful that my granddaughter whom I was on my way to pick up wasn’t in the car yet.  I also determined to be the kind of person who stopped to help if someone was in trouble.

I have daily reminders of this as I drive past the spot to work each day.

Halloween: a dinosaur, a ladybug, and an elephant--

November

Audrey born—On November 1, our granddaughter Audrey was born, healthy and beautiful!

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In November we celebrated 2 daughters’ birthdays and my husband’s birthday as well as Thanksgiving. Lots of get-togethers!

 

Although I had planned to get all caught up through January in my writing today, I think I will stop here and come back to it later.

At the moment I am feeling antsy to get some laundry and tidying up done for the next week.  Tech Guy’s family is gathering here next weekend and I want to be prepared with the house in order…

Have a great first week in February!

Holly