Rewind to Christmas

Christmas morning Bob made his french toast breakfast with his assistant, Karen. :) They hosted me during my 3 weeks in Orlando and gave me royal grand-parenting treatment the whole time I was there (not old enough to be my grandparents). I was spoiled rotten. And I loved it. :)

That evening I spent another Christmas with my family of "brothers." It was so fun to be with them again. Jaron was in a bit of a zombie-state after the Christmas Eve performance from the night before. He walked around in a daze holding a teddy-bear one of his violin students had given him. Desiree fixed a great Christmas dinner and I think Doug helped? :) The picture of Ethan with his suitcase and scarf was taken right before he walked out the door into a crazy night of 360 degrees that involved police and lots of phone calls. Glad you're safe, Ethan.

Thanks for taking the pictures, Grandma K, and thanks for passing them on, Karsten. Roger, I'm so glad you could be there, too!


Jaron pulled off another Christmas Eve orchestral evening (5th one? 6th?), but not without losing a little sleep and sanity (didn't have much to spare, did you?). ;) I specifically wanted to be in Orlando over Christmas for this. I got to fulfill some of that performer in me. :) Thanks for letting me in!

Oh, cool provision story.... In a rehearsal I told Jaron that I had a piccolo, and we were excited about using it in the orchestra. However, then I could not locate the piccolo anywhere! We started checking out rental possibilities (no go) and asked around to see if anyone might have one I could borrow. Dead ends everywhere. Before going to bed the night before the dress rehearsal, I asked Karen and Bob if they would pray with me about the piccolo issue. Karen prayed and then said, "You know, I have a friend who might have one." The next morning she inquired, and after some networking, uncovered one not in use by a different friend, Tracy....

Tracy's daughter, Hannah, had leukemia, and at age 16 the Make A Wish Foundation gave her a piccolo. Hannah went to heaven a few years ago. She was younger than me. Tracy was getting ready to sell the piccolo but was very glad for me to use it for the Christmas Eve services free of charge. She even made a special trip to deliver the piccolo herself. It was a beautiful, wooden Emerson piccolo, used only a few times since Hannah's death. What a blessing! When God provides, He provides big.