Open House

My daughters are here, helping their mother get things ready for the Open House that is today. Miriam was cleaning and is now topping the cherry-cheescakes. Cristin is decorating the Chrustmas Tree that I just put up and trimmed. Susan is setting the buffet. It’s a nice family feeling we don’t get much anymore. Everyone is working well together; they’re laughing; there’s Christmas music in the background and the tree smells wonderful. What’s not to like?

At four o’clock, over 80 guests will start to roll in to the parsonage: friends from the neighborhood, the police department, the church, and family. If only our family in other states could be here too, it would be complete. Hopefully we’ll get to see them in the New Year. It is getting harder and harder to get to Ohio though because the church is growing and needs more at this time of year…combined with Susan’s job at Duke needing her to be present for budgeting at the start of the year. We’ll figure it out though—and in the meanwhile, enjoy the family and friends around us here.