A Christmas surprise!

It seems I am hardly at my computer these days, which is very unusual for me, so I have not been posting on my usual schedule. I can peek at my blog on my iPad, but doing much more than responding to comments is limited because my frustration level is quite high. The iPad just won’t cooperate!

Some positive things as this year reaches its close …

• my sprained foot is healing so is much better now, still a little sore and I have to be careful yet, but it’s much improved;
• my depression has lessened, and I am getting a B12 shot every three weeks to help with that;
• I’ve started trying my hand at sketching again. So far I can’t say my efforts are anything to brag about but I might follow the advice of an illustrator I ‘met’ through PiBoIdMo and post my drawings on my blog – eventually … if it’s not too embarrassing;
• I have many more story starters to work on, and I found that participating in Susanna Hill’s challenge was quite inspiring even though my story wasn’t chosen. Now to keep writing (I really need to develop a writing habit that helps with that);
• I still have many books to read, several to review but I’ve decided to cut back on accepting books to review and may mostly write about the books I read of my own choosing as I have so very many in my stash find it hard to keep up with everything;
• I have so very many delicious tempting interesting (or all those descriptions!) books in my stash to read for my own enjoyment and I can hardly wait. Oh, I sort of said that already.
• We had the most wonderful Christmas surprise!

Our Christmas surprise …

Christmas week was my sister’s turn at Dad’s, but my husband and I stayed overnight Christmas Eve so she could go home to her own family for that night and Christmas morning. When she returned we went home and got the rest of our Christmas preparations finished, including cooking the veggies we were contributing to the dinner later in the day. Back at Dad’s I told someone I had a really good feeling about it this year, more peace and contentment, but I didn’t know why.

Twelve of us shared the main meal – which was exceptionally delicious this year – then two more of our family arrived which meant we could move into the next phase of our day … the gifts. We all were making our way to the living-room for that fun when behind me a voice said, “Is anyone going to feed me or do I have to get it myself?” I spun around and there stood our daughter who lives in Alberta!! She had come home to surprise us, and had told no one she was coming. What a fantastic surprise that was! It was so great having her join us, especially since the last six Christmases she has not been able to get home. We expected to FaceTime with her later, but this was MUCH better. 🙂 Hug break!! Well, after I let go of her.

After gifts exchanged with Dad and my sister and her family some of us enjoyed a variety of desserts. We learned a few years ago that it was more sensible to leave the dessert until after we’d been away from the table awhile. 🙂 After a major clean-up so it wasn’t all left to my sister to do alone, my husband and I and our girls and families headed to our place where we exchanged gifts – (I was thrilled when my daughters gave me a family ring with their birthstones and names on it) – and spent such a pleasant evening. All my family home for Christmas! Yay!  You can be sure I’ve been thanking the Lord for that.  🙂

Okay, now it’s your turn. What special thing happened for you this Christmas? What positive things do you have to share about (Please do!) as the end of 2014 nears?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂