A Cup Of Christmas Tea

Something special that “us girls” have done for several years is have tea together.  We do this two or three times, usually when Jo is home.  Sometimes we go to a special place.  But really, we do put on a pretty good tea together!  At Christmas we usually take turns hosting.  One year Mom gave us each a Christmas tea set.  I remember one year when Robin discovered a sweet story, “A Cup of Christmas Tea”.  We all cried and now we read it every year at our tea. In recent years a sequel was written, “A Memory of Christmas Tea”.  This year, Elaine had her first tea party! 

                                                                                                                                                                             

                      

                                                                                                                                                              

                      

                       

                        

                                      

Christmas Revisited

 

Christmas does seem long past.  But one look at a picture and I am instantly reliving the event.  Funny how that works.  It was fun to look at these pictures and recall the wonderful time with had with our family…how quickly it was over.  I’m also so glad to get them posted!

Elaine was the center of attention this year.  Here is a four generation picture…My Mom and Dad, Me, Andrea and precious Elaine!

                                

   This is my sister Jo.  She is now a great Aunt to 8 great nieces and nephews.  She loves each one and I know prays for them.  She never tires of hearing there is another baby coming!

Jo spent a couple of days with me at my house.  She made this gift bag to put her gift for Mom and Dad into.  It was covered in mittens!     

                    

On Christmas morning we usually get up whenever and Andrea makes scones and cream and we eat around the tree. That was before ….This is now.  Wesley decides he doesn’t really like scones now.  And Kenny and Ben decide they want to cook.  So we had a very nice sit-down breakfast of pancakes and bacon.  They even very quickly cleaned up the kitchen.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Kenny,Wesley,  Andrea and Ben

               

                                Sylvester and Gypsy

                          

                             Sherry, Wally and Gypsy

Catching Up

Ok.  I really do want to blog. It has been awhile. One of the biggest reasons i want to do this is to share pictures of our family and to try to keep you up to date on us. But the thing that bogs me down the most is posting those pictures. I don't know why I get so technically in a bind but I do. So here is a catch up of our holidays with our family doings!

This is my great-niece Kinsley.  She peeled almost all the apples I needed for two apple pies!!  What a great little worker!

 

Here is our table all set awaiting the feast!

The appetizers.  Decorations created by Kinsley and Selah

Marty and Patti cutting up the turkey.

Wesley, me, Mom and Nathan cutting up for the camera!

The full table.  There were 19 of us.  So special to have Marty and Patti and Cassi and Shaun from NC to be with us. And Jo from WI.

These are the Paul cousins- minus Brian and his family, Nic and his family, Andrea and her family and Ayaka in Malaysia!

Marty, Sherry, Scott, Robin, JoEllen and Mom and Dad.  Only Nathan is missing.

Our godly heritage.  We are so very blessed.

Grandma Duties

What fun to get to bathe Elaine.  The first time I did this I just knew Andrea would break!  Its fun to be a grandma—after bathing, I slathered her little body with Baby Magic lotion.  There is nothing like having that fragrance on your baby to enjoy for the rest of the day.  After bathing, Elaine goes to Mom for feeding and then she is quite content. 

 

Another tough part of being grandma is the cute little outfits to admire Elaine in…and she could change several times a day!

 

What a Difference A Week Makes

A week ago today I was keeping in close contact with  Andrea by phone.  It was surely sounding like she was going into labor to deliver our first grandchild.  We found a flight that left Denver at 12:45 pm and would put me in Norfolk at 9:00pm.  The goal was to be in the delivery room when this child came into the world and surely with this being a first delivery, Andrea’s labor would take some hours. I should make it!  funny how things change when you are in the air.  By the time I landed and was met at the airport, Ben phoned to say they were taking Andrea in for an emergency c-section.  I just missed Andrea at the hospital and Ben was suiting up to be in the operating room.  In a few more minutes our granddaughter would make her grand entrance!  All of that took place a week ago!  I have now had many hours holding that little girl, the next generation in our family.  Wally arrived today to take over the wonder of holding and staring and being amazed by new life.  (Oh, I am not done with that job, just sharing!)  A week ago I was living in expectation and now I am living in a constant state of wonder and thankfulness.  God has created this little girl and already has her life, each day of them, planned out! 

 

Andrea, before all the fireworks that sent her into surgery.

Andrea and Ben, experiencing the wonder of their new daughter!

Notice the clock behind my head.  They were bringing Andrea into the recovery room and Elaine from the nursery at the same time.  The nurse needed to do some things with Andrea and said “give the baby to grandma”  Ya gotta love that nurse!!  Then Andrea spent some time with Elaine before Dad took her for a bath.

 

The Hamilton Family…

Ben, Elaine Cristin and Andrea

 

Day two as parents included lots of visits by pediatrician, nurses, the lactation nurse, eventually the doc  But mostly it included getting to know each other and more amazing gazing!

Grandma doing some amazing gazing in the hospital. Elaine is swaddled in the blanket I made. It’s neutral yellow for a boy or a girl.  But Grandpa is bringing a pink one when he comes!

 
The tired family makes it home!!

The Greatest Thing in The World…

…is being a grandma!

Meet My Family

 

These are my siblings-from along time ago!! 

Robin, Marty, Scott, JoEllen, Sherry (me) and Nathan

This spring and summer Wally and I were able to visit with my different siblings.  In May we went to NC for our son’s graduation from Ambassador Baptist college.  On that trip we  visited Marty and his family at whisper Mountain Christian Camp in Robbinsville,  NC.  Marty and Patti and their daughter Cassi and her family live there.  It was a blessing to get to see the camp and ministry God has given them.  Here’s Dad, Marty, Scott, Mom and Sherry (me)

And below is Marty and Patti 

 

This  is Shaun and below is Cassi in her new veggie garden, planting in progress!

From Whisper Mountain, we went to Kenny’s graduation from Ambassador Baptist College in Lattimore, NC.  Wesley also received his one year Bible certificate.

 

Here is proud Mom and Dad with their boys, Kenny and Wesley and all the fam, Ben and Andrea included!