Our Christmas - finally! Ending 2020 and on into 2021!

The Rowley family Christmas happened yesterday and it was amazing!  If there is one thing that I have learned in 2020 it is that family is EVERYTHING!  This wonderful group was used to being together about once a month - that was until Covid hit.   During the last few weeks of Ken's life and then right after, the kids came together, in spite of Covid.  I honestly don't know who was happier to be together.  It was a full day of smiles all around.  The kids had such a fun time.  We all celebrated being able to sit together for a wonderful meal (thanks to Tim).  And this year (thanks to Gwen and Tim's new house and the weather) the kids had a blast sledding!  

I didn't get a good picture of Tim in all of his snow gear, but Doug came prepared!  Including Goggles! The kids had several saucers, some small tubes, a longer sled and a big tube.  They spent several hours going down Gwen and Tim's front yard.  Needless to say, it is a LONG hill but also filled with trees.  At one point Tim and Doug had a race down the hill and Gwen, Susie and I couldn't stop laughing.  It was just so much fun.  With this new wonderful property, there is no need to travel to a sledding hill.  And inside is just steps away with warmth and hot cocoa.   It certainly made for memories that will bring smiles in the days ahead.  

I have been planning a special present for the kids since shortly after Ken died.  There is a really amazing company called Project Repat that makes quilts out of T Shirts.  A few years ago I made quilts for Gwen and Tim and Doug and Susie from their stash of shirts from their younger years.  And I knew that I wanted to preserve Ken's shirts this way also.  Additionally, I decided to take all of Ken's Hawaian shirts and make a quilt for myself.  I love having it in my livingroom and I have so many memories of each of these shirts.   I had the idea that I also wanted to make a pillow for each of the kids with a photo of them with Ken and I and then use the shirt he was wearing in the photo as the back of the pillow. Thanks to a very large collection of  shirts, this was a fairly easy project. Here are the finished projects.

I have included a couple of the last pictures I have of Ken next to my quilt.  One with me that was taken on the Fourth of July and one during our tree removal in August.  The kids were so surprised and there were many tears all around the room when they opened their quilts and pillows.  Each of their quilts include a "photography" T shirt and a Christmas T shirt.  Most of the kids had their quilts over their laps and were hugging their pillows during the rest of the present opening.  It really felt like Ken was there with us during this kind of hard fist year without Ken.  

The kids had time to play with some of their new toys and we played a hilarious came of  Kids Against Maturity,  Tim, Ellie and Grace worked on a jig saw puzzle.  Anna and I were a team and I didn't get a picture of us, but we were playing!  Lia was the big winner at the end. 

The hours literally flew by.  The day ended much to soon for this grandma.  It was so life giving and such a great way to end 2020.  One of my presents from the Johnson's was the photo calendar I have been getting since 2007.  Usually this calendar includes pictures of our monthly get togethers.  But alas, this was not possible with the 2020 pictures.  Gwen and the kids decided they wanted a photo every month that includes Ken.  So each month I will have a new picture that includes a memory including Ken.  What a special present. 

I am so, so thankful.  While 2020 was challenging in so many ways, I am so thankful to be ending it feelling hopeful for the future.  Nobody ever "expects" to be widowed at 66.  But this is where I find myself.  I know that Jesus knows exactly where I am and there is plan for me in the years ahead.  Right now I am just walking day by day not looking to far into the future.  I have got myself on every list I can find in the hopes of getting a Covid vaccine as soon as possible. And my plan is to just keep on doing my best to stay safe.  This blog is very theraputic for me.  Every person who reads and likes these blogs, who leaves a comment or mentions to me that they have seen these posts is a treasure to me.  I could never thank you all enough.  I am praying that Jesus uses my words to bless others.  

Thank you Jesus for this year that ended in a time filled with laughter, tears, smiles and so many memories.  Holy Spirit, help us to all feel your presence with us as we walk into 2021.  Remind us to keep our eyes on you Jesus, and keep our hearts filled with gratitude and peace.  Thank you Jesus for your love and care for us in all things.  Amen