12 days in Michigan: Dec 20th-Dec 31st

First full day: visiting my Aunt M and Grandma 

(she did PT, is at my Aunts and I came with to PT and my Aunts)

and then my other Aunt H. had her birthday dinner and party that night!

Next day included my Mom baking me chocolate revel bars (not the whole thing but

I have a whole tin of many in my freezer now) and peanut clusters (I have a small box of them

waiting for us in the fridge!!)

Church in GR MI and then a wonderful afternoon 

and evening with my sister, my brother-in-law and niece!

Monday was rest and take a nice walk day, prepare gifts for the next day...

St Herman's day (Dec 25th) with liturgy and a lovely meal afterwards!

Cute Russian Tea Cake cookies and a really neat tree cookie to remember

St Herman living on Spruce Island :)

Then on to the big room at my Grandma's retirement apartment building,

with more Aunts and Uncles 

(well one Aunt, my Aunt Karen is in Heaven, I thought of her so much)

and lots of cousins and cousin's kids. 

Peanut clusters, Chex mix, Snow jello with berry topping, they had a rice and chicken dish

(we ate at church since we are still fasting), ... did a male/female white elephant gift, 

it was really nice!

Next day, my Mom and I went to Aunt H's, joined by my cousin's

A and M who, with my Mom, visit at Aunt H's every Wednesday (usually).

Then we went to various thrift stores,

I found a Delft tile for my Husband's name's day, a blue scarf, a tin, a cute little box,

some white gloves, things like this... not a lot but nice little finds...

We watched the Muppet's Christmas Carol that evening!

(We were going to visit my Husband's brother and family but they 

were sick at the time)... 

 The next day we meet Mr Husband's Aunts and Uncles for lunch!

The next day we went out for a late brunch with

dear friends of ours who have known Mr Husband for 

over 30 years, then to Mr Husband's Aunt G (as we were leaving, my Husband 

took the picture of the house with all the wreathes as he thought that was exactly like

I would want a house decorated for Christmas!) and then

home (a nap!) and then dinner with my Grandma, Uncle L, 

Great Aunt-J, Great Uncle J (my Grandpa's brother), my parents and Mr Husband...

the normal Friday-night dinner place... 

The next day was already Saturday, my birthday!

We had our family Christmas that afternoon/night and had

birthday cake (my Mom made me a vegan cake!) and I got Christmas

and birthday presents! Very blessed! 

Sunday we had a lovely readers service and Mr Husband 

celebrated his name's day!

After lunch we went home and packed and then took a nice long walk

and talked all about the history of the English Kings (as well as the State of the world

and many churches today, plus a bit about WWI) and then back home, finished packing,

gave Mr Husband his Delft tile (I forgot to take a picture of it! my parents hope to bring it

when they next visit, as it is quite breakable and was a real find as it also was in a 

wooden frame! It's of a teacher and students). 

Then we had some nice talks later at night about when I was a kid.

This morning we had breakfast at home,

an early lunch (Indian food!) with Mr Husband's

sister M. and 4 of our nephew's and nieces!

Then back to my parent's home, resting and talking and then final 

packing up of the carry on bag and getting settled in the GR airport.

We had a good talk with our oldest niece on her (18th!!!) birthday and 

then a good (a little bumpy at times) flight, a good cab ride home...

dinner was cereal :) and I unpacked my suitcases, cleaned up a lot of things,

wrapped the Munchkin's gift and read, out loud to Mr Husband, the most lovely

1944 fall Tolkien letter to his son Christoper all about Eucatastrophe,

and then folded laundry, wrote this blog post

and heard neighbours setting off fireworks for the new year!

So now we are back and tomorrow I hope to bake and the next day too

and so it goes.

So happy New Year's everyone!

May God bless and save us!

May God have mercy on us!

May we seek Christ each day of this new year!