Knock, Knock!

Who's there?
Merry......
Merry Who????

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Here is a picture that didn't get posted to Judy's Parlor....but I think Miss Five looks great in her new jammies...no?? The photo itself is poorly lighted, but this was taken just after we got home from renegade caroling....on treacherous roads....I think she looks great fresh off a near death experience on the icy roads....no???

Christmas was different for us this year, and being creatures of habitual tradition meant some harrowing moments for Kyle, but he and I both survived.....we had a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful time chatting with Elder Taylor.....
Good thing we had our girl here to carry on with the things that really mattter.....
Happy Boxing Day to all!

Holiday Home Evening 2008

I know you've been waiting all day for it - but wait no longer...The Taylors perform "Mamacita, donde esta Santa Claus?"


Just in case you needed more proof that our local elderos are amazing: here is their contribution to the Taylor Family Holiday Home Evening:

Missionary Central

I know it's been forever since I posted....I have tons to write about, but I haven't been good about making time..And we seem to be spending a lot of our time with the awesomr young men serving missions in our area.......It seems that since Geoff left on his mission, our home has become Missionary Central...and we love it! We hope that our place is known as a place of refuge and a haven where Elders and Sisters can come and take a breather....relax and get recharged and re-energized....we kind of think of it as missionary karma....we hope that anything we do is visited back on the head of our own Elder Taylor in the field...we hope he has found families that love him and care for him as much as we do for the boys serving here.... Night before last was Elder Thomas Cook's 21st birthday....no carousing, drinking, or debauchery...no wild carrying on....just a quiet dinner at the Taylors.....I tried to send this video to his mom, but somehow it isn't travelling well, so maybe this will work...it doesn't mean much except to those who know him....but the whole thing cracks me up...especially Chanel's coaching.....it makes me smile everytime I watch it, except for the scary, scary part when I am on camera! Yikes!!! I really am not that freaky, am I?????
...

Consider Yourself Warned!!!

I post this picture as a two-fold cautionary tale......

First, if you get the reputation for nudity.......go with it, but be careful to wear pants if you are expecting company....

Second......look carefully before hitting the "SEND" button when forwarding email with pictures or jokes, even if you are sending them to yourself.....take special note to avoid any problems, especially if there is an "accidental" address....like, say...oh, I don't know....maybe the lady at your Payroll Company...........sheesh.........Good thing she knows me!

Life Imitates................Cartoons

This is SO me......

A Rose By Any Other.......Fence

This is a beautiful rose growing over our back fence.....What nice neighbors!

Knock, knock....

Who's there?
Hydrangea...
Hydrangea Who???

Hydrangea hot tub, so you better fill it back up!!!

In my pretty garden........

We don't have nearly the flowers we did last year, but my lily finally bloomed, and we added a gorgeous hydrangea bush to the patio.....and this year I received the most enchanting begonia....it's a shade of yellow/orange I would never have thought of for myself....but it is soooo beautiful.....I love summer!

Life is just a bowl of cherries....

And sometimes, if you are lucky, you have no further to look than your own back yard to fill your bowl....

Tonight the Ol' Coonster picked a bucket full of cherries from our tree.......Now, I'm not much for cherries my ownself....cherry pie is my least favorite of all the pies, but these patikler cherries DO look enticing!

I suspect the birds won't be too happy in the morning when they find that Cherry Tree Diner is just about out of the main dish....but maybe they can have the ones that are too high to get........too bad we don't own a cherry picker!

All cooped up...

Here is the gift Jordin made for us at the Ceramicafe, the ceramic shop where she works....

It's a fantastic plate ........all of us represented ....either as a chicken or a rooster.....my personal favorite is Elder Rooster....he's the one in the necktie........I just love it...

Speaking of Names.....

My niece, Mrs. Doctor, had her sweet baby boy....to my great disappointment, they chose NOT to name him Burton Ernest.....BUT they did give him a great name so I can't feel too bad....

Belated as this is.....

Welcome to the World, Andjroo!
Love, Great-Aunt Trixie

It's not that I haven't had anything to write about....

I haven't posted in over 2 months....which is pretty bizarre considering that some of the biggest changes in my entire life have occurred during this time. Weird, isn't it? You would have thought I would be posting every night......nearly every day has been newsworthy....and I mean really BIG newsworthy.....but last night I was given a gift by a sweet young lady we know...it touched me so much, my first thought was to share it....and I realized that I better start posting again before I forget all the wonderful things and feelings and happenings of late....I guess I just needed a little push to start posting.....so, thanks, Jordin!

What's in a Name?

My niece, Mrs. Doctor, is expecting a baby....her fourth child.
All the children have great names...that begin with the letter "B." From the sound of things, they are serioulsy mulling over names that do not start with B for this new junior boy....but I have a suggestion...

Burton Ernest Stringham



Whaddya think????? Shall we take a vote? We all know how important names are.....and these days even spelling is a key feature of a name......especially middle names! I'm thinking if we all pick out a great "B" name, they'll just HAVE to go with it...right??

A Royal Decree

I have an adorable little grand-niece. Princess is all girl, from top to bottom, inside out. She is sweet and feminine, and loves all things lady-like. She recently wrote a poem....I really liked it because, even though she lives in Missouri, it reminded me of Oregon...

In my office space at work, I have posted a few things that really mean a lot to me...there is a photo of Paris that Chanel gave me....love it.....and a Penguin cartoon that I love because it has to do with Corky...a portrait of my Malley grandchildren....and this poem.....(in case you are counting, Elder Taylor has a shrine all his own)

Princess, I read this poem every day and it puts me in mind of a lovely park on a lovely day thanks to a lovely little lady.....PS: Did I tell you she is FOUR YEARS OLD???

A Sister is a Forever Friend

I have something my daughter doesn't.......I have a sister...
I love my sister! Every year for my birthday she gives me a new blouse...or shirt...or top...whatever you want to call it.....and every year it is perfect. They are always the right size, the right color.....and they are "me." I guess that's the best part. I always get compliments when I wear them...
I have come to one of those points where I really need a totally new wardrobe....I have been wearing the same things for literally years now....not only am I getting a little tired of my clothes, but they are starting to look a little tired themselves.....so Thank You Very Much, Simone, for this new shirt....it looks good! You are a gem....

Alpha and Omega

So, Elder Owens went home this week.
Elder Owen Owens (for reals) finished his two year LDS Mormon mission this past week and left here and returned to Albuquerque.....to the loving arms of his mother, who has missed him terribly (she wrote him that she was going to hug him "right in two")....and now we will miss him, too....
He was a great missionary, and a really nice young man....he was "whitewashed" into our ward, and has trained his last three companions.......and it has not been easy.....the first greenie was very quiet....hard to get a word out of......the second was a real piece of work......he reminded us of Kenneth the Page from the sitcom 3o Rock, if you are familiar....except Kenneth would be much easier to be around....but the most recent greenie has been a great change...a great young man who will be a great missionary, he will be a leader in the Portland Oregon Mission, you mark my words.....he's got one whole transfer under his belt now, and is doing great...we enjoy his personality a lot, but the main thing we have in common is that we both hate to see his companion leave.....we are hoping that his new comp will be awesome, too......Elder Owens was a great example of obedience, and of just "keepin' on keepin' on" no matter what. He never complained, always had a smile, always looked for the positive.......he is a perfect example of "If you didn't know, you would never know!" In our last conversation, he told me that, yes, even though there had been some really tough times, he had learned something from every companion.....never a negative word!

Elder Owens really liked whipped cream, so every Monday night we would try to have some kind of treat that involved whipped cream....real whipped cream....
one night Chanel had a whole bunch of different flavorings....they were all good....really good.... but when Owens took a spoonful of the Hazelnut flavored cream....apparently it was a little strong....and he claimed he was nearly blinded!! This is a picture of him in his state of going-blindness, from which I am happy to report, he recovered....
So Thursday was one of those Alpha and Omega days. I spoke very briefly with Owens on the telephone Thursday morning to wish him well, and to thank him for his service....then later in the day we got a call from another Elder (in the adjoining ward) who had just been assigned a "brand new-out of the box-my suit is still pressed-my shoes are still new-my bike is all shiny-today is my first day in the mission field-Elder..........."

Elder Devaney and Elder Jiminez

They had no dinner appointment scheduled, so they called the Taylors.....and we were more than happy to have them come to our house for dinner that night.....Elder Jimenez is from Miami..as far away from home as he could be and still be in the US...what a nice young man....I couldn't imagine his first night in the field eating cereal in their brand new apartment, so I am genuinely grateful they called...I thought of Geoff's letter on Monday when he asked that we do all we can to help our local Elders, including feeding them .......and it doesn't take much to make the correlation between our dinners with the Elders and the bounty of food in our pantry........lucky us!
We were also blessed to have the Assistants to the President in our home for dinner last Saturday night...Elder Larsen was also going home this week to West Jordan, Utah.......we have known and loved his companion, Elder Wyatt, since he served in our ward a year ago as Geoff was preparing to enter the field.....it was wonderful to have them in our home...they are great young men...truly Servants of the Lord.

I guess I write about this because I am not a natural born hostess......having people in my home....for dinner, especially...has always been intimidating for me, as I worry about what they will think of the food, the decor, the house, the conversation.....you name it...I worry about it, so I just haven't been one of those "inviter-overs." But as of late, we've had a number of missionary companionships, and good friends over to eat dinner.....and everyone has survived, and some have even said they liked the food...they had a good time! Who knew??? Maybe it's because these young men are always grateful.....or maybe they are just helping me to turn a weakness into a strength..(although in reality, Mark and Chanel do most of the work....baby steps........I'm taking baby steps.)

So....thanks, Elders.....thanks for blessing our home with such good feeling and great spirit when you are here....we love you for it and hope our own Elder Taylor is having the same kinds of experiences........Good luck to Elder Owens....Good luck to Elder Jimenez...or, Alpha Jimenez and Omega Owens....our associations with them are just little tender mercies from the Lord to the Taylors..............................Singing by the Choir............

If I had one wish, then it would be.............

Most of the time modesty prevents me from announcing things like my birthday, but recently those who might be interested in presenting me with tokens on my special day have hinted that I am , well, "difficult" (their word, not mine) to select gifts for.................inside my head, nothing could be further from the truth........and I have always received lovely gifts for my birthday, but I thought maybe I would jot down a few things I could use, solely for the purpose of being helpful to someone, anyone, wondering what I might enjoy on my April 4th birthday...............So, in no particular order, or preference (except the first item):

NEW CELL PHONE/COMMUNICATION/MEDIA DEVICE

A Keyless entry for my car

Floor mats for my car

Prescription Sunglasses (I even own the frame, a-ready, and the eye doctor's prescription is with them in my "Soup" bag........)

An outdoor electric street-lamp like deal.....looks kind of like a street lamp, but works in the backyard.....to sit next to my swing, which I love.......

A new soft bathrobe for me...............and a sexy negligee for Mark (I would be the wearer of both items, just to clarify........and probably not at the same time, also just to clarify)

New Levi's......rare and hard to find in the right size, style, color for a middle aged woman......

I will add to this list as I think of it........but don't you think this list is pretentious enough???? I really don't think it needs to be added to, for Pete's sake!!!

Stay tuned..........

Overheard at the Office....

Colleague One: Hey, did I tell you that my little girl has learned the Ten Commandments?
Colleague Two: No! Wow, that's great.
Colleague One: Yea, she was playing with a little friend at the park, and said to her friend's mother, "I know the Ten Commandments." The mom said, "Oh, really? What are they?" My daughter went through all of them, but the mom's favorite was: "Thou Shalt Not Admit To Adultery."

Words to live by, my friends............words to live by......

Happy Feet......or...... Mark loses his virginity

Can you believe it? After 32 years, we finally did it.....We, as our foot massage therapist phrased it, "Entered into the experience" of Soku Foot Therapy at the Cannon Beach Spa....

Can you even feature it??? Mark and Debbie...at a Spa! But when you are on vacation, shouldn't you pamper yourself? I agree, and thought a pedicure would be wonderful...but Mark went one better, and found this great spa that offered Soku Foot Therapy....I know...we hadn't ever heard of it either, but it was an incredible, relaxing, wondeful experience....

Mark is very patickler about his feet, and I didn't think he would ever let a stranger near the uncovered ends of his legs...but, bless his heart, he agreed to a His n Her Rockem Sockem soak.....and I think the old boy is hooked...........

A Day at the Beach

We love the beach...we are in Cannon Beach this weekend which, according to Wikipedia, is an affluent tourist destination on the Oregon Coast....well, yes, I guess it is that, but we just know it as a place we have been enjoying since we first moved to Oregeon 30 years ago.... We marked our 32nd Wedding Anniversay on the 21st....and came to the beach for the actual celebration.... The weather couldn't have been more perfect on Saturday....

Ah, Dear Ambian...How I Love Thee

So, you all know that I don't sleep well unless I have help...and for the last while I have taken Ambien to be able to soundly sleep....it works well, and I get good rest. Unfortunately, my prescription ran out and I didn't get to the pharmacy for a couple of days, so I spent a few restless nights this past week....but on Valentine's day, I was reunited with my heart's desire at bedtime....my beloved Ambien.......ah..such bliss! I took a pill.....and decided to post a Tribute to my Dear Valentine on my blog before retiring to bed as I had come up with a MOST clever premise....and I didn't want to forget any of it by waiting until morning....it was Valentine's Day, for Pete's Sake...not a tribute to my Valentine-the-day-after.......I vaguely remember typing and having to backspace, delete and correct nearly every letter I typed before I was "shut down" by the laptop sheriff....Mr. Valentine quickly closed up my writing workshop when he found me slumped over the computer...halfheartedly trying to find the delete key...one eye half open....and the following draft which appears here EXACTLY how it was left last night....and I still think it's a clever premise.....one that have I every intention of explaining and expounding upon someday soon.............but for now, get a load of this!
AHEM.......

"OWED TO MY VALENTINE'

The dictionery says an Ode is:
An ode (Classical Greek) is a form of stately and elaborate lyrical verse. A classic ode is structured in three parts: the strophe, the antistrophe, and the epode. Different forms such as the homostrophic ode and the irregular ode also exist.
Well, I don't know about all that, but I do know that the real truth is that my dear Valentine is owed more than any ode could convey...
It's been 33 years since the February when we had our first date..some of you who read this haven't even been alive that long! But from than month to this my Valentine has been racking up IOU's...
Right from the beginning of our relatonship, I owe him for his patience wth my family and friends...not too many saw potential for longevity in our relationship.....my dear sister Connie was on the bandwagon right from the start and she is owed a debt of gratitude for trusting us to make a good life together...from the early days, I owe Mr. Valentine for introducing me to different kinds of music, different kinds of musicians....different things that may or may not have become part of my life lives together independing if they were good things. I owed him my btintroduction to all different kinds of music...and comedy and humor....Monty Python, and Firesign Theatre...Steve Martin....concerts....clubs......and DISNEYLAND! The Happiest Place on Earth, bar none....(well some may contend Grandma Siple's, place) but for sheer acreage, Anahieim 's Set up wins what joy my Valentine is owed for taking me more over many days....I'll never forget
His succeess
R

Of course, in the bleak light of day....it has it's moments....it has potential.....but the bones are there....it pretty much says the real heartfelt sentiment...................of a very dependendent Valentine.............oh well......maybe next year!

Sure, I'll Tag Along......

So..What is this "tagging" of which you speak? My niece, MKB, has tagged me...and as an elderly woman, I am not always hip to the jive, but I think this means I'm supposed to answer these questions...I'm not nearly as clever and witty as you all are, and I fear there isn't one thing here that will reveal any new insight.....but for your dancing and listening pleasure, please welcome..........my tag lines.....

A. Attached or single?
I think I am attached to one single guy

B. Best Friends?
The single guy......my daughter Chanel, my sister Connie.....but please don't expect Valentines from me.....I never got that gene.........

C. Cake or pie?
Yes, please...

D. Day of choice?
Monday, when I get email from my missionary son

E. Essential items?
my glasses, diet pepsi, and my sound machine

F. Favorite color?
Plum or purple....fading to lavendar....

G. Gummy bears or worms?
Do I have to????????

H. Hometown?
Ideehoe Falls

I. Favorite Indulgence?
Falling asleep to the sound of running bathwater......sorry...

J. January or July?
July....are you kidding???

K. Kids?
Not anymore....I now have adult children....wierd, huh??

L. Life isn't complete without?
My family....or my laptop........or my family's laptop

M. Marriage Date?
February 21, 1976........not even in this century!!

N. Number of brothers and sisters?
Same as MKB! 3 brothers and 1 sister

O. Oranges or apples?
Orange, I guess....I think I need more fruit....

P. Phobias or fears?
Oh, where do I start? umm...heights....being sick in public...dying in the night and no one knowing...not knowing when I'm being mocked behind my back....

Q. Quote?
"You know I'd rather walk ten miles on my tongue before I say "I told you so...."

R. Reason to smile?
Hmmmmm......I'm thinking........my Malley Grandbabies!!! Yessir!

S. Season of choice?
Summer, without doubt....

T. Tag three friends or family.
All my friends have been tagged.....sad, isn't it?

U. Unknown fact about me?
I'm too old to have any unknowns.....except maybe the fact that there are way more unknown facts about me that no one knows....

V. Vegetable.
Corn on the stinkin' cob, baby!

W. Worst habit.
Diet Pepsi........so they say....

X. X-ray or Ultrasound?
Ultrasound.......can we all say "hysterectomy???"

Y. Your favorite food.
Noodles, or a baked potato

Z. Zodiac sign.
Aries...the Ram....the Head Sign.......Numero Uno.......surprised??? Nope...

Four things you may or may not know about me in no particular order.

A. 4 jobs I have had in my life
1. Optometrist Shop Office lackey
2. Paper Supply Company Office
3. Bank Teller/Proof Operator
4. Medical Billing Office

B. 4 Movies I could watch over and over again
1. The Way We Were
2. Roxanne
3. Dirty Dancing
4. Waiting for Guffman

C. 4 places I have lived
1. Idaho Falls, Idaho
2. Portland/Gresham, Oregon
3. Chehalis, Washington
4. Beaverton, Oregon

D. 4 TV shows I watch
1. Psych
2. The Office
3. Chuck
4. The Game Show Network...Chain Reaction, Lingo, Re-runs of old game shows...

E. 4 places I have been.
1. Mexico City
2. Honolulu
3. Texas
4. DISNEYLAND!

F. People I email.
1. Connie
2. Dad and Mom
3. Chanel
4. Geoff

G. 4 of my favorite foods
1. Chicken and Rice
2. Baked Potato
3. Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Tomato Soup
4. Funeral Potatoes (surprised I didn't say Ham, arent you?)

H. 4 places I'd rather be right now
1. Someplace warm and sunny
2. On a warm and sunny and windless beach
3. A vacation resort in a warm and sunny place
4. On a massage table

I. 4 things I am looking forward to this year.
1. Mothers Day
2. Summer nights
3. Cleaning my room
4. Vacations

President Hinckley

Last night we got a call from a good friend whose daughter is at BYU letting us know that President Hinckley had passed away...I was surprised, but certainly not shocked...it is by the grace of God, I am convinced, that he remained a vigorous, active man nearly 100 years...and while I am saddened at our loss, I am immediately comforted that he is reunited with his dear wife, and that his final days were not prolonged suffering in his mortal body...I would like to think that his deep respect and love for his family and his heritage sweetened the joy as he joined with all his family...and friends....perhaps President Faust needed a good man at his side once again...I don't know that I can fathom the welcoming by the previous 14 Prophets of the Restoration, but....Wow......wow....what a scene that must have been to behold...
I can honestly say that I love this man and all he stood for...I marvel at the foresight and vision he has had to use and create the technologic advances and structures that are now so taken for granted in the body of the church...I don't think most folks realize the sweeping changes he has made over time using innovative ideas and being on the cutting edge of technology in so many areas...he moved the Church forward in a truly remarkable way...
But I'll miss his genuine love for all...I know it may seem trite, or cliched, but I always felt like he was kind of smiling at me when I watched him on TV...and I have said before on more than one occasion that if I could sit down with anyone for a private conversation, it would be Gordon Hinckley...just to talk and laugh...mostly laugh...he was a clever, witty man, and I don't think we got to see or hear nearly enough of that...I'll bet visiting with him was a real kick...
For many young people, he is the only Prophet and leader they have known...my own son included...Geoff was too young to remember the great men who served during his toddler years, and the first Prophet and President that he really knew and understood about was President Hinckley...it reminds me of when I was young and David O. McKay led the church...it seemed he was always the Prophet...when he passed away, it was all new and different...not in a bad way...and I suppose that's what we will see now...except I see President Monson as a man who shares President Hinckley's vision for the Church, and while he will bring his own personality (which I have also always loved) and vision, I am also grateful for his good health, vigor, and vitality..it will be exciting to see what his focus will be...
I loved President Hinckley as a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator...and as a man of God who was completely prepared to pass from this life.....our loss, but for a time...

Just one more thing...

I'm getting off the Story of the Day kick....but just wanted to share one more....

Flexible Practice

"I was thinking of either meditating or napping, but the way I do it, there's not much difference except in the explanation to the rest of my family."

More of the same...

I have decided that most of The Story of the Day stories are more enjoyable when you share them.......I hope this isn't like some sort of infringement deal.....cuz you could subscribe to Story People your ownself if you want to get them firsthand, every day.....otherwise, you'll see them here now and then.........kind of like this:

Story of the Day:
"What do you want? I said & she said, in the abstract or the concrete? & I decided to rephrase the question. I'm going to the store, I said. Need anything? & she frowned & said, Obviously, you meant concrete."

So, for future reference, if you ask me if I want something, or need something and I respond...."abstract or concrete?" you'll know how to answer.....which can be handy information to have, don't you think?

Story of the Day

I subscribe to a daily email that sends a story a day...they are usually just a sentence or two, but I enjoy them...I often print them up and stick them up in my office space...I liked this one...

Here's the Story of the Day:

"Today she decided to be suitably ambiguous, so you can think whatever you like about her (Amount of time scheduled for the opinions of others = Zero)"

Whadja get for Christmas?????

One of the questions asked most often at this time of year...What did you get for Christmas???
Most of the time the answer is something that was purchased at a store, or made by loving hands...and occasionally it is a true gift of the heart...which is what happened to the Taylors, specifically Mark, this year......In order to appreciate this gift, a little back story:
We have a really great Ward organist. Ted Roberts plays very well...with great spirit and emotion...all the Taylors appreciate how well he plays and do our best to let him know that........Our dear friend, Dana Garrett, is an extraordinarily talented pianist....she has a natural talent, you know, that touch that you really have to born with...and we love hearing her play...

So early in December, Dana and Ted played a Piano/Organ duet in Sacrament meeting...a very stirring, moving arrangement of "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing." It would take a pretty cold hearted person not to be touched by the music....and as I sat there listening, I was so sorry that Mark had begun his holiday schedule of working on Sunday, and had missed this special number...after the meeting, I told Dana that there was no one in that congregation that enjoyed their number more than Mark would have.......her response surprised me....she said that maybe she and Ted could play it again for Mark some evening before Christmas.....I told her that I loved her for even thinking of that, but that Mark worked late just about every evening until Christmas, and the few that he didn't were already busy........she said, Well, we'll just have to do it late one night, after he gets home........and she didn't forget about it....we picked a night...the Friday before Christmas, and a time....10:30 at night...Ted often plays the organ at the Temple and would be playing that night, with the session ending at 10:00, so he was all good with coming to the church instead of straight home...

My part in all of this was to get Mark to the church without him knowing what was going on....so I called Dana and told her that I was going to lie to Mark....she relayed that information to the Bishop, which is easier than you might think since he was standing right next to her...Bishop Garrett replied...."Not my problem...." Then I said..."Well...I'm going to tell Mark that the Bishop called and INSISTED on talking to me that night...in his office...along with Mark....at 10:30 as he knew Mark worked late..........Bishop's reply was...."O brother! Don't get me involved!!!" But that was the plan.....and we stuck to it...when Mark got home around 9:40, I gave him the story......and he bought it...he thought it was very strange, but he reluctantly bought it...Chanel asked if she could come along...just in case we needed moral support....so at 10:20 we all drove over to the church...there were a couple other cars in the parking lot that Mark recognized...."Uh-oh" he said..."Must be somthin' goin on..."
We walked in and I went straight to the Chapel door...."We're not meeting in there" he said....but I just kept walking..........in the chapel, Dana and Ted were playing a soft Christmas hymn......The Bishop, and their daughter Lexi, Ted's wife Dixie, and Bill Boland were the only people in the softly lit chapel...Dana had arranged a lighted evergreen garland around the podium and placed one of her beautiful big Nativity sets on the front edge of the pulpit....the only other light was up on the stand so they could see their music....Mark still didn't know that we were all there just for him......then Lexi handed him a scroll...Chanel helped him open it, as I whispered..."This is just for you..."
No one spoke as we took our seats in the middle of the Chapel....and there in the soft light, hushed with reverence, the concert began.....What had been a single hymn in church had become a gift of several Christmas hyms.
They played six or more renditions of the most beautiful Christmas carols I have ever heard....the Chapel absolutely rang with majesty and beauty of the music...



When they were finished, there wasn't a dry eye in the group...I sat there listening, marvelling and realizing that I was seeing true friendship and love in action...there were hugs all around, delight in the surprise, and love expressed to each other........we left there feeling so blessed, so grateful, so uplifted...we had all been given a beautiful gift of self......truly a gift from the heart....