monday's mulling: family {january 23, 2023}

My kids are grown and living in different cities. When they were unattached, they always made it home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Four years ago, that changed when one got married...the beginning of shared holidays. One year everyone is home for Thanksgiving, the next year everyone is home for Christmas. On the off-Christmas years we all get together whether it's at home or elsewhere. This year's Christmas was elsewhere, an Airbnb in Lakewood, Ohio. 

And boy did we celebrate.

Friday night: Sara's birthday dinner at Luca West. 10 of us at a corner table in a bump out just off the main dining room. Perfect for having the little grandson with us as well as having four bottles of wine.

Saturday: Sara's birthday started with mimosas and a giant donut cake from Bill's Donuts. 

After the birthday celebration, the next order of business was the family Christmas. The presents were wrapped in Christmas paper and the stockings were laid out on a window bench with care. I made a Christmas stocking for each one of my kids after he or she was born. That was back in the day when counted cross stitch was the popular craft to master. I now make Christmas stockings for each new member of the family but not entirely with counted cross stitch. All that detail work is getting hard on the eyes. I got to make a new Christmas stocking this year for my new son-in-law.

I have two more to make for Christmas 2023, one for little grandson and one for another son-in-law (wedding is in September).

Sunday: A winter storm began around 9:00 a.m. A heavy snow fell, blanketing the earth with a fast three inches. A quiet, gentle peace started the day segued into little grandson's baptism at St. Ladislas. I am not a regular church goer but attending a celebration like this is a reminder that hope and goodness are always present. The after baptism party had a house filled with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends. Little grandson is lucky to have a great-grandma on his mom's side.

  “When you love what you have, you have everything you need.”