snowy days and birds

We had a white Christmas this year.

Rare in Kansas.

 It was foggy in the morning.

This cardinal taps at our study window daily.

Female cardinal and junco - some of my favorites!

 My rain gauge froze up.

 

 As the temperatures warmed up, it began to melt.

Things will really melt today as the high is supposed to be 57 degrees!  But this is Kansas and tomorrow the high is said to be 24 degrees.

I think these Canada geese are wintering here once again.

I have a lot of little birdies outside my kitchen window.  As I was doing dishes, I heard them making quite a commotion.  I looked out to see this!

 A cooper hawk.  Just sitting on my bird feeder!
 Luckily those little birdies know how to hide among the rose bushes!

Safe to come out now!

For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

Christmas with my parents

The home my parents live at invited family members to come for a supper last week.

Carolers showed up and my Dad enjoyed singing with them so much!

Then the home had a Christmas Extravaganza on the 23rd!

Families and friends were invited to a Christmas party.

 

 Dobson, the resident therapy dog.

 My Dad played the part of Santa for many, many years.    There are just some things he can't do anymore. The new Santa looks a little feminine?  She sounds it too.  When she was reading the story, her voice would change from a deep "Ho ho ho" to a higher pitch.  It was pretty funny!

Mom took us to the Bread Basket for lunch.

 

On Christmas Day, our kids were all busy.  Mindy was at work, Jill's family was having other people over and our son's family won't be here until after the new year.  So the folks and us decided to have a quiet Christmas dinner together.  A sweet time.

 Afterwards we drove Mom and Dad around town looking at Christmas lights for about an hour.

This home belongs to our friends.  Way to go Pankratz's!!

We were passing my Dad's cousin's house and Mom told us that this cousin was experiencing memory loss. Then she said "Quite often memory loss is....now what was I going to say?"  

Hope your Christmas has been a delightful one!  We look forward to celebrating more when our son arrives the first week of January, as others are tearing down their decorations.  It is wonderful that He is Emmanuel, God with us, even when the holiday is over.  He is our Light, ever present in this dark world.  My heart is filled with joy that He came to this world.  What love!!

Merry Christmas!

For a child is born to us, a Son is given to us.  The government will rest on His shoulders.  And He will be called:  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6

I love this verse!  He is our Counselor!  What a privilege to come to Him when our hearts are broken, in adversity, when we struggle to make sense of things.  He is the One who speaks Peace to us.  He has the entire universe on His shoulders and we can lay on Him our worries and cares.  He is Mighty to Save!  Christ came to this earth to rescue us!

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from our family to yours!