To Family and Friends Around the World

Though time is fleeting
Love and friendship are enduring
Therefore we send this greeting
To wish you peace and joy everlasting

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Love,
Dan & Michelle, Danielle, Joseph, Mary

Journey to Bethlehem

An excerpt from a conversation Mary and I had recently...

Mary: I'm going to Bethlehem to see baby Jesus. (Mounts her rocking horse and rocks away, then returns shortly).

Me: So, did you go to Bethlehem? Did you see baby Jesus?

Mary: Yes.

Me: Tell me about it.

Mary: I saw a stable. I went inside and the first thing I saw was baby Jesus.

Me: How did you find Him?

Mary: I followed the star. And the star shone down on the stable.

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Our prayer for Mary as she celebrates her 4th birthday:

I pray that, as you grow, your gaze will be cast permanently on that shining star that leads to Jesus. And by so doing, illuminate the path to the "House of Bread" so that others may find the bread of life through you.

Happy Birthday to our Dearest Mary!!

Thanksgiving with the Fosters

Due to our large extended family, we have had the great fortune of celebrating Thanksgiving twice every year. First, we celebrate on Thanksgiving Day with the Martin/Foster clan. Then, we celebrate with the Tigno clan on the Saturday following Thanksgiving Day.

This year, we celebrated Thanksgiving Day at the home of Dan's sister, (Aunt) Linda, and her family of 14: Her husband, (Uncle) Mike; their two boys, Zachary and Graham; Splash, a Rottweiler-mix with a unique pair of eyes (he was the runt in a litter of 12!); Rosie, a 15-year old Australian Cattledog; Honey, the smallest of the 3 dogs whose physical traits suggest she might be a crossbreed between a chihuahua and labrador (as Uncle Mike jokingly pointed out); Sophie, a fluffy gray cat who came to the Fosters as a stray; Chuck, a.k.a. Ram Kitty; Fluffles, a fluffier version of Chuck; Jet, a golden tabby cat; Diamond, clearly named for the diamond-shaped mark on his face; Zephyr, a mustang the color of butterscotch; and last but not least, another horse named Sparkler.

Their property can be best described as picturesque simplicity and rustically beautiful. A welcome respite from suburban living. A wooden gate opens to a long, private driveway up the hill to the garage. Upon entering, one is struck by the rugged beauty and peacefulness of the surroundings. Their home, which Linda and Mike built together, is perched on the side of a hill surrounded by lush vegetation. Carved on an incline, between their house and the horse stable, is a patch of land where, up until two years ago, Linda spent countless hours tending organic fruits and vegetables. There is an undeniable aura of serenity walking through the pathways to Linda’s garden.

For our Thanksgiving feast, Linda and Mike prepared a feast complete with a huge turkey, green beans with mushrooms in creamy white sauce, cranberry sauce, yam casserole flavored with orange juice and topped with miniature marshmallows, delicious stuffing, homemade pumpkin and apple pies, and an olallieberry pie from Gizdich Farms! We came with a big pot of mashed potatoes, a big bowl of green salad, rolls, and our grateful spirits.

More splendid than the surroundings, and more satisfying than the food, was togetherness and time spent talking, laughing, reminiscing, and simply enjoying each others' company. We traded stories about childhood experiences and shared news about family milestones. Outside, the light of the moon permeated the darkness, and the still of the night was shattered only by screams and laughter as our children played “Cops and Robbers” in the cool evening air. As we were leaving, I stopped to gaze at the view from the deck patio. From there, one can see the towns of Salinas, Seaside, and Monterey all aglow in the distance. The horizon reminded me of a Christmas garland festooned with lights, stretching as far as the eye can see.

Including the 5 of us and "Oma" (Grandma Martin), we were 19 all together in celebration of Thanksgiving Day. And what a day it was for giving thanks!

A Birthday Story

November 22 ended as perfectly as it began. On that day, I received gifts sweeter than any confection, more brilliant than any diamond, and far greater than any sum of money: I received love, respect, honor, and fellowship, divinely packaged in the form of Dan, Danielle, Joseph and Mary, family, and community.

It was early in the morning when I awoke to the sounds of silence.

On tiptoes, I eased down the hallway, past the children's bedrooms, and headed towards the living room where I was surprised to find Joseph and Mary. As if on cue, and still dressed in pajamas, they immediately sprang from the couch and began singing the "Birthday song". Soon after, I was gifted with hugs and kisses from Dan and the children. Next, I was led into the dining room where my eyes laid upon a colorful display of flowers, gifts, and homemade birthday cards.

Moments later, Dan prepared a scrumptious breakfast of apple pancakes and sausage for my birthday -- in spite of a painful back injury. The pancakes were quite delicious and simply satisfying! Having breakfasted, we proceeded to make ready for church. Danielle was scheduled to serve as an altar girl, which, in and of itself, is truly special. On that day, however, I had the added pleasure of watching my daughter serve during mass on my birthday! Unbeknownst to any of us, Danielle had spoken to Father Bennett prior to mass about a little birthday surprise. And so it followed at the end of mass, after the final blessing, that Father Bennett summoned me to the front of the church. Seeing the look of surprise and mild awkwardness on my face, he jested, "You have your daughter to blame for this." Together with Father Bennett, the entire congregation prayed over me and anointed me with well wishes. Then, without missing a beat, the crowd segued right into the "Birthday Song". Their prayers and well wishes must have washed away any trace of awkwardness because I felt very much at ease watching the crowd watching me. I was especially touched by the lovable smile on Danielle's face, stretching from ear to ear. Our eyes locked, and instantly I knew what she was feeling. She was happy to see me in the spotlight, knowing that I have a proclivity to shy away from attention. And happy, too, for successfully orchestrating this birthday surprise.

The remainder of the day was marked with hearty joviality as we played games, engaged in light household chores, made beautiful crafts, and finally, a family dinner at our favorite soup and salad restaurant. After the children were nestled all snug in their beds, we settled in and watched a tagalog romantic-comedy (I, as translator) until drowsiness finally took over.

I turned off the television and fell asleep to the sounds of silence.

Run, run, as fast as you can

Mary has wanted to bake gingerbread cookies since summer. Sadly, we just never got around to fulfilling that wish. I suppose the frenetic pace of summer buried that "to-do" item at the bottom of the heap. Or perhaps, it's because the hot and muggy days of summer just didn't lend itself to holiday baking. Now and again, whenever we read The Gingerbread Man, Mary would remind me that we still had to bake gingerbread men. "Oh, yes," I'd reply, "Thank you for reminding me."

Summer drifted into autumn, and there was no sign of the gingerbread man. I could hear him taunting, "Run, run, as fast as you can. You can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man!"

Last Saturday, we finally caught up with the gingerbread man.

Together with Danielle's friend, Michelle, who was over for a visit, the four of them had a great time playing card games, outdoor games, and hide-and-seek, listening to music, and...baking cute, little gingerbread men! Needless to say, Mary was thrilled.

Before...

After...

Introducing the bakers....

Here's one gingerbread man who won't be running away...

D-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s!!!