Marion's Miscellaneous Musings

Saturday, December 30, 2023

Christmass 2023 Letter

Dear Friends and Family:

We find that God has continued to bless us this year!

Deki continues to do well and has his last visit to Seattle next month. At that point, he is expected to go on the survivorship program, where the Seattle Children’s Doctors come HERE for visits. (OK, they do visit all the other survivors also.) Way cool. We are tired of obsessing about driving Snoqualmie Pass in snowstorms…like the possibility in January….

Jack is still not retired. He improved from his ministroke of 2022, and went back to work 3 weeks later, and they are even giving him more projects, and he gets to work overtime.

Marion was finally able to return (after 3 years!) to the English camp in The Czech Republic, to lots of cheery greetings and hugs. Well, also teaching English, games, liberal distributions of candy, and such. Was it because of the candy? We will never know for sure, because she will ALWAYS bring candy. But she stayed for 2 English Camps this time, and is looking forward to returning.

We had a great time with Yasmin: trips to Seattle, the Oregon Coast, back to the mountains, lots of talking and playing cards, and then said a teary goodbye. But wait! This year she is in New York City! We can still chat on the phone!

But now for the most recent news:

Tuesday, November 21^st of November, Edalynn Circe Minerva was born to Laurie and Chris, at 34 weeks gestation. She got to stay in NICU for a week, then in Peds, and is now home. One of God’s little miracles here. Babies do not eat, breathe, or poop in the womb. This occurs at birth, normally after 40 weeks. But Edie (so far the leading nickname) had to learn to do all that early, and before they would send her home. She is doing well, and the boys are ecstatic! (Just wait until she gets into their stuff…)

Edie wanted out on a day when: Marion was supposed cook a turkey for an ESL potluck, go and set up and take down the potluck, not to mention be there for 4 hours, and pick up Connie and Dean at the airport. Now she had to add watching 4 boys to the list. It all worked together wonderfully! (Mostly because she gave all the ESL responsibilities to someone else.) Connie got reacquainted with the nephews and Dean got thoroughly acquainted. (We are looking forward to more visits from them in the future.) And Marion even worked in an eye appointment! (Secondary cataracts.) It was originally scheduled for December 14^th, then Laurie scheduled the c-section for that day. There was a cancellation, Marion got an appointment on November 22. Kind of ironic…but more audiences for the brand-new baby pictures!