Now that I am retired...

I “retired” after 40 years at MCH/MRHS.  December 13 (Friday!) 2019.  People keep asking me if I am bored yet?  Oh no, I keep busy just catching up on things that got neglected through the years.
And so....
I am going to post some Christmas pictures....through the years....since I got my smart phone.  Here goes:
2019.

Cari’s new Friend Shanne

                                            Little’s (30+ here for Christmas missing Gordon’s, Lee and Larry

                                          Mine! Ethan had to have his hand held and HJ needed pacifier!

                                           My Girls.  Elaina wasn’t happy!

              These are Amy’s and my grands with “Frozen” 

hats handmade by  Grandma Amy

2018

2017

2016

2015

Gathering Meal UMC October 2018

Had a great time serving the (weekly) gathering meal at the Methodist church with our small group again this year! (Susan and Dennis Slaughter, Joyce Schrepel, Joy Reed, Mary Brown, Thresea and Duane Wright and Terry and I.  Jane (Joyce’s friend from Phoenix) also helped.  Kay Hill was sick and Marian Wiese went to Texas)
Served our traditional tater tot casserole (one pan left over) with cabbage slaw, buns and dessert (mostly chocolate brownies!)
Terry said I should go weekly to consult with my friends there:
Rita Goebel complaining that she was in the ER again today with chest pains and the “stupid doctors” can't figure out what is wrong with her.
Lowell Larsen remembering our HHC with his wife Pauline who is now at Bethel (7 yrs)
Rich Caldwell who wanted to know how to get a job in home care so he could help take care of the old folks (he is 75)
Norma Caldwell who wanted to know how to interact with her friend who has Alzheimer’s.
Dick Boldt,  Paul Nordaune
JoAnn Williams who looked terrible despite having lost a lot of weight.  But her appetite is still HUGE.
Linda Johnson “didja know Gaylen is in the Nursing Home?”
John Barrick
Missing Pearl Edythe Johnson this year...
Palmquists
Valiant Living friends.
Dorothy Bahr still there bossing everyone around.
Sara Hock
Youth pastor Andy (spent most of his time on smart phone, but he did run the dishwasher)
Frank Beasley who was kind of rude (very rude!) and asked to talk to my pastor/leader about how rude I was because I called him Frank and thanked him for coming (he was just on his way to get more food and thought I told him goodbye.)  Or something.  Anyway he told Susan that they should bury me in a whole and burn me up.  Thought he was joking but he was dead serious.  Ouch.  I thought that I was being friendly and hospitable. Then got burned in a hole!
Maybe next year will be better.

Happy Birthday Sheldon March 22 2018. 97 years!

Went to the Little's.  Dad was waiting!  Out to Perkins for lunch (French Toast!) then back to TDLs for a PARTY!
Carina, Terry, Jonathan, Nastia, Terry and Karen, Dad, MaryLou, Janet and Larry; Barry and Eli and Emily stopped by too.

St Patrick’s Day 2018

From Cousin Barry whose Dad is my Dad’s brother and his Mom is my Mom’s sister; guess I am a wee bit Irish!
As St Patrick’s Day winds down, I hope there is still time to make a case for my Irish heritage. Five generations before my father, Donald Morton Little was born, the Little family name arrived in Botetourt Co, Va. It was at some time after the birth of David Little in 1735 in County Down, Ireland that John & Elizabeth Little arrived in Virginia Colony, making my father 1/32 Irish. Apparently a long line of farmers, John died there in Virginia in 1793, as did his son David in 1813. There were seven children in the next generation, the oldest child being another David Little. He moved west into Tennessee & was married to Charity Emaline Ross on 12/23/1832 in Roane Co, Tn. His son, Martin Fernoy Little was born in Tennessee but moved with his parents to Logan, Harrison Co, Iowa. Martin Little was married to Mary Magdeline Rowe. Their son, David Abbott Little was my father grandfather. Mary Rowe’s father was Abbott Rowe, who was born in Ireland, making my father 1/16 Irish from his side. On my maternal grandmother’s (Mabel Rose Stone) side, her maternal great grandmother was Ann Gleason, daughter of John Gleason & Hannah Sullivan (they had a son, Patrick). All Irish, making my father 1/16 Irish on that side. Added together, that almost 1/6 and possibly qualifies me for a bit of the blarney?
Oddly enough, not much more than 100 miles from where John Little settled, over in Cumberland Co, Va the family of Stephen Pankey was also starting out in America. But it would be over 200 years later in Denver, Co before the two families finally met. But that’s the topic of another post....

March Birthdays 2018

March 3 we went back to Inspiration Hills (where we celebrated my 60th Birthday...5 years ago!)
It was warm, cloudy, wet, muddy; rainy but we still did some out door stuff as well as indoor!
What a great time with the Fam!

We all got together and bought a trampoline for Kevin's kids, still in the garage because it is too cold for outside yet!

 Willow and Oak Cabins

 Lots of GOOD FOOD!

 Lydia's BD is March 6

 Abby: March 3

 Had some fun with "Anthony on a stick"  (so he 

can't miss anymore family pictures!)

 Anthony March 30

 Elaina March 26

 Terry March 13

 Mnason March 14,  Kj March 22

 Traditional German Chocolate BD cakes; made in the waffle iron!

 Panoramic view; Anthony set up MarioKarts

Ethan; forever exploring.  Everything!

January 2018

 Where is Lydia?!?  In NYC visiting Rebecca!

 Where's Mnason?   On the move, of course!

Blessed! Oh MY YES!

Christmas train with Mary Hunter and the Trinity Kids!

Stella Little 10/15/27-12/15/15

Thinking of Mom today.  Thought I would share this devotional that came today.

 I think Mom would have liked it too.

Love you all

Karen

 (coincidence? I think not! )

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Life and Death at Christmas By John Piper “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) As I was about to begin this devotional, I received word that Marion Newstrum had just died. Marion and her husband Elmer had been part of our church longer than most of our members had been alive at the time. She was 87. They had been married 64 years. When I spoke to Elmer and told him I wanted him to be strong in the Lord and not give up on life, he said, “He has been a true friend.” I pray that all Christians will be able to say at the end of life, “Christ has been a true friend.”  Each Advent I mark the anniversary of my mother’s death. She was cut off in her 56th year in a bus accident in Israel. It was December 16, 1974. Those events are incredibly real to me even today. If I allow myself, I can easily come to tears — for example, thinking that my sons never knew her. We buried her the day after Christmas. What a precious Christmas it was! Many of you will feel your loss this Christmas more pointedly than before. Don’t block it out. Let it come. Feel it. What is love for, if not to intensify our affections — both in life and death? But oh, do not be bitter. It is tragically self-destructive to be bitter. Jesus came at Christmas that we might have eternal life. “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Elmer and Marion had discussed where they would spend their final years. Elmer said, “Marion and I agreed that our final home would be with the Lord.” Do you feel restless for home? I have family coming home for the holidays. It feels good. I think the bottom-line reason for why it feels good is that they and I are destined in the depths of our being for an ultimate Homecoming. All other homecomings are foretastes. And foretastes are good. Unless they become substitutes. Oh, don’t let all the sweet things of this season become substitutes of the final, great, all-satisfying Sweetness. Let every loss and every delight send your hearts a-homing after heaven. Christmas. What is it but this: I came that they may have life? Marion Newstrum, Ruth Piper, and you and Stella Little and I — that we might have Life, now and forever. Make your Now the richer and deeper this Christmas by drinking at the fountain of Forever. It is so near.