The First Week of December 2025

 This week started off with a challenge but all is well.

I'll be taking Louis Dean to his primary care doctor in January and he will be more than ready, I'm sure.

He may have torn a muscle since it's been hurting for so long.

There's always something to brighten any and every single day and the photo of Amber and Mike's Bauer after he literally climbed up the Christmas tree!

And on Tuesday I had a beautiful Face Time visit with my sister Deanie and Charlie. 

We talked and laughed and had such a good time just being together again.

Our conversation started while Louis Dean was still asleep and then he woke up, dressed and joined us in the living room. Deanie was so excited when she saw LD!

Those two bonded bigtime when the Bell quads were born and that bond stands true to this day.

A day or two later I called my brother, Lonnie and we had another great visit. My heart was filled with  joy in hearing and seeing my siblings' faces and voices.

We have so many beautiful memories of Thanksgiving days and Christmas mornings and Sibling Trips together. I'm ever so grateful that we did what we did when we could.

Our sibling connections shaped our lives and we all had happy endings.

Nita had the love of her life with Mike and Lonnie is happy with his beautiful bride, Michele.

I found true love with Louis Dean so God blessed all four of us.

We find a lot of joy with Samantha and Tabitha.....

Speaking of Tabitha!

We had to do a deep dive in the den closet looking for Louis Dean's winter coast and sweaters.

From there we went to the front porch to take down all the fall 'debris' down so I could start from scratch with new Christmas decorations.

It took most of Friday afternoon working out there but my plan was beginning to come together.

This was Thursday evening.

By Friday evening I had made a good start on the porch.

We moved the heavy bench to the driveway and I put the glider Amber and Mike had gifted me several years ago in its place. I needed a white bedspread to use as a cover so I went in and opened up the den closet again - and out jumped Tabitha!!!

This wasn't the first time she had locked herself in somewhere!

You would think she would make noise and moan like she does when we are driving down to the ranch. But no. She just stayed in there all quiet like!

However, she was in there long enough to necessitate washing a duvet cover and a warming throw!

All in all, it's been a good week.

Most days have been spent at home cleaning and decorating and I've loved every bit of it.

I decorate differently every year.

So far I have the biggest part of the house pretty much decorated and done!

The den, the kitchen, laundry room, living room, foyer, and now the front porch - all DONE!

Or nearly so. 

No big trees to deal with but I am using some of my treasured ornaments to embellish wreathes which Louis Dean has removed old debris from them.

My laptop has officially died and I will be meeting my son, Jesse, on Wednesday afternoon to buy a new one.

Right now I am using one of Louis Dean's really old laptops and it takes a lot of extra work to do a journal entry and I appreciate Louis Dean loaning his computer to me.

So, I am hoping to be able to retrieve my data from the old one to the new one I will be buying soon.

My book, spreadsheets, finances, so much was on that one and I did not use the Cloud.

I never understood it but it may be time to learn.

But for now, I will be putting future chapters of Children in the Closet on hold until I can get a handle on what's going on.

In other family news.....

Harrison shot his first buck at 13!

It was last minute and a perfect shot with a perfect buck.

Mike is a man among men and field dressed it on the spot.

They will have the head mounted and it will be treasured.

Mike's first buck hangs in the foyer of their home.

Love they have such a father/son bond and great experiences together.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

I've been addressing cards and I went to the post office on Friday and sent off the Christmas Santa and my sister, Rita's, birthday box.

Hopefully I will get all the cards in the mail by Monday.

Please let me know if there's been a change of address or if you would like to send me your address so I can get a card off to you.

I usually write personal messages on a recycled Christmas card and I will still do that but life has changed so if you don't receive a personal message from me, please know I would if I could.