Christmas Eve

Father Joe is with us this year and it has been really wonderful to spend this much time with him. As a catholic priest I doubt he has had an opportunity to relax this much during the Christmas season. As I watched the priests running around just before today's 4 p.m. children's mass, I thought of my brother and how hard he has worked his entire life. I don't think retiring because of his illness was an especially easy thing for him to do, but I believe now that some time has passed he is easing into retirement and starting to enjoy the freedom it has created for him. I know that he still has to be careful about his health, but he looks good and has even stopped smoking, which is something we had all been praying he would do. It is good to be with family anytime, but at Christmas it just seems so much more special. Mom and my sister Judy and her husband will join us tomorrow for a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings, which I will cook. That is another one of my favorite traditions.......Dad cooking Christmas Dinner. Or is it my wife's favorite tradition? Hmmmmmm.

Anyway, all the presents are wrapped and the children have just slipped off to bed and I'm getting ready to shut down for the night as well. However, I wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and I hope that Santa brings good tidings for the New Year.

Good night & God Bless.............