TABLE REUNION

I love this picture ... it was taken in our home this past Christmas. For years Don, Steph, and I traveled around the world but rarely made it to holiday family gatherings. Since we moved to California we've been able to do things we only dreamed of before. The picture to the right is worth enlarging (just double click on it). Sitting around our Thai Chinese table is my sister-in-law Elizabeth "Betty" who works in Redlands at the Quiet Hour, my nephew and budding musician Gary-Adam, my oldest brother and modern artist Gary. Next around the table is my Swiss-French sister-in-law Claire, my Mom - Nancy Marie (the only one waving), and my middle brother Dennis who is a retired high school teacher and linguist now working at Walmart. Dennis and Claire traveled all the way from Missouri to sit at our table. My Don is sitting next to Dennis. Kate is sitting to Don's right. She teaches English at La Sierra and rooms with our daughter Steph who is next to her and is a senior English major and tutor. My Dad Ruben was snug in bed with the flu that day and thus missed the picture and good food. Other family members not here were Gary's daughters Rosie and Sunny and Dennis' daughters Michele & Daniele and son Ray who were with their families. We opened gifts and sat around and chewed the fat ... OH, those were cookies! If you look closely in the background, you'll see our little dog Missy hiding on the couch waiting (patiently?!) for the left-overs!