So long 2013

Last year I ended the year thinking about stories
and how we all have them
and how they matter...

My story is one of family.




Emma started Grad School at DePaul.
One day she will be a counselor.
We are so proud of her.



Katie played volleyball a lot and enjoyed it so much.





Patrick came home a few times this year.  It is so wonderful to be with him.
He continues to work hard in California and play more golf than you can imagine.




We made many visits to Chicago.



Matthew and Melinda became parents for the second time....

Malachi was born in May.  He is such a happy baby.







Ginny grew up and learned to smile.















We did fun things.

















Katie got a hair cut.



Emma ran a marathon.



I did what I do best.  Took pictures of family.



Cindy got married to her very own Patrick.




The man...the mystery...




On the needles at the end of the year...




And as for next year....

Who knows....

But I do believe...

All will be well.


Encourage one another.
Love you.
Mean it.

Donna


p.s.  Tomorrow.  Ten Years of Blogging @ Quiet Life.
I can't believe it.

round here

I celebrated with a very special friend.




Finished knitting a hat.





Stayed inside.






Emma took our car back to Chicago for the day.  So I am car less.
Really the only hardship was not having my Chai.

And I was okay with that.

Apparently my husband wanted to make my day!

He left work, went to Starbucks, delievered my Chai and Katie's hot chocolate and then went back to work.

How sweet is that?

The sweetest!

Feeling very thankful for a thoughtful husband and a warm house.
Donna

A surprise winter wedding.

Cindy and Patrick met on Facebook.  Well, kind of.
Patrick's family and our family have many, many connections.
Cindy and Pat went to the same high school and had many of the same friends.
Pat worked for my brother in law up in Minoqua when he was a teen.
Our twins, Janice and Janet, were friends with Pat's sister Tracy.

One day Pat started writing witty comments on Cindy's Facebook wall.

Slowly they became friends and eventually they met in real life.

And once they met in real life.
They both knew it was something very special.
The real deal.

The distance between Columbia and Wausau was just too much so Cindy moved to Wausau.









Last night in Wausau, during Pat's family's annual Christmas gathering, they surprised the guests with a wedding.
We knew and my sister Nancy knew...and Cindy's sons knew.  They had to get us all there some how.

But, Oh! how much fun they had trying to keep it all quiet and get everyone there on time.
(The pastor could come at 6:00 and only stay for a short time.)


























Yes.  I knit these for Cindy.  A long time ago.








This was Cindy's most important detail.  Her wedding cake.
She saw something like this on Pinterest.




The service was beautiful.  Wonderful verses from the Bible.
A dear pastor who knows Pat and Cindy's story.
And so much love.

God bless you Pat and Cindy!

...as long as you both shall live.


love
donna

Quiet Life

It's nice that Christmas can be quiet.
We party and shop and work and play all the way up until Christmas and then it's nice and quiet on  Christmas and then a few days afterward.

All we hear is the jingle of bells.




Emma bought this for Ginny.

Jingle dog all the way.

Thanks for stopping by today and thank you for the kind and thoughtful comments you left since Monday.

I do read then you know.

Talk to you tomorrow.

Love,
Donna

St Lukes Gospel the Second Chapter 8-17 verse.

This is a very special Blessed Sacrament tradition.







Time to make the cookies.




Pears on Earth.

Happy Christmas.