So Much Fun!

It's Christmas season! That means lots of gatherings, get-togethers, and parties :) It's wonderful to spend time with family and friends, and it was especially nice last week when all five of us 'sisters' were able to meet for coffee on a Friday night, a spur-of-the-moment notice. We were delighted to meet Bryce, the son of Michelle and grandson of sister Rose.

Michelle and Bryce

Proud Grandma Rose

Brandon - Bryce's brother

My friend Jacque hosted a lovely brunch on Saturday - delicious meal, great conversation, and wonderful fellowship!

Tena, Lyda, Jacque, Ruth, Diane

Saturday evening was spent with one of our small groups - what a great gang!

The gals

The guys

After worship on Sunday, Bill and I enjoyed lunch at Rick & Beckie's. They SURPRISED and blessed me with a new coffee maker - what a marvelous and generous gift!

Rick drinks a LOT of coffee!

Kristofer worked really hard to create his gingerbread house :)

Kenny still likes his sweatshirt :)

Joey 'skiing' with the Wii

Silly Sisters - Margie, Lidia, Ricki

Tori's Christmas program was Sunday evening and it marked the end of an era - for the last 16 years, we have been enjoying the church programs, since Zac was in pre-school. Now that Tori is in 4th grade, there will be no more Bonnema kids involved after this year.

Tori during one of her speaking parts

Tori - 2nd from left in the top row

Tori's drawing of the Best Christmas Present (on the screen)

Tori's other grandparents, Howie and Jeri, invited us for supper after the program. Jeri asked for a 'just a little bit' of dessert. Steve, of course, accommodated her wishes :)

Zac needed stitches on his pinkie - a casualty of working on vehicles.

Is that the hand of a mechanic, or what?!?

Amelia showed us her finger painting skills via Skype.....

....and she caught Grandpa's kisses - all the way in California!


Wednesday was the Joy Club Christmas brunch here at our house. It's a day I love, spending time with my beloved 'old folks' from Bible study. I got so caught up in saying goodbyes that I failed to get many pictures. Just these three:

Helen, Arlene, Jennie

Lucy, Ruby, Al

Lucy, Beckie, me, Gert, Kaye

I spent a little time with Noah today while Anna attended Abby and Sophie's Christmas party at school. Noah is home with pneumonia - bummer! But we still had fun with one of his new presents - we never did get all the cars on the track at the same time.


Anna brought home a bag of gifts from Noah's school friends - lots of treasures!


Laura, Ben, and Amelia are in town for Christmas!!! We had a wonderful day with them at John & Jo's, who graciously shared their home and meals with us. We went for coffee and bagels in downtown Holland - Amelia loved the cream cheese :)

Amelia and Laura

Grandma Jo and AJ

Amelia had great fun with her cousins Grace & Greta :)

Surely -
my cup overflows!

People and Projects

Last Saturday Bill and I went to the first party of the Christmas season. We met lots of new folks and spent a lot of time with a Rod, colleague of Bill's at SCHS, and his wife Julie.


We arrived home about 11:30 to a phone message from my step-dad. He sounded exhausted and very discouraged because my mom was in the hospital due to complications following a lumpectomy for breast cancer. Bill got on the 'Net, bought plane tickets, and twelve hours later we walked into Mom's hospital room in Bradenton, Florida.

It's been a rough stretch since Nov. 22 when Mom had the lumpectomy, which was more extensive than anyone anticipated. After blood and fluids broke through her incision, she was taken in for a second procedure to insert a drainage tube - certainly should have been done the first time. Then a serious infection landed her in the hospital.

The good news is that Mom is back home, receiving daily infusions of an antibiotic, and feeling a bit better every day. We are SO thankful we were able to spend four days with her and Rich to see the progress and improvement.

My brother Ron drove twelve hours from Tennessee and REALLY surprised Mom and Rich when he arrived Tuesday night. He is great medicine for them!

Bill and Ron

These pictures were taken Wednesday morning - both Mom and Rich are looking more rested and relaxed than when we arrived! I have a couple of other pictures that would show the improvement, but they will remain in my iphoto folder :)




Flowers always brighten a room and brighten spirits. These were sent by Ryan and Heather - more flowers arrived today from Rick and Beckie :)


Thanks for your continued prayers for renewed strength and that the cancer has been eradicated. It is amazing to see how God uses medicine, people, and kind gestures to restore and heal!



We arrived home late Wednesday night. On Thursday Tori's Michigan project was on display at her school along with the projects of all the other 4th graders. Tori's is a replica of Oxbow Campground on the Muskegon River where Steve & Lynn spend a lot of time in the summer. Her project shows the layout of the park, complete with campers, boats and docks, park buildings, basketball and volleyball courts, and playgrounds. Tori worked very hard on her project and she should be very proud of it - she did a TERRIFIC job!

(Aunt Anna will like the shirt - very appropriate for a Michigan project :)

The view from the river

I brought some friends to the airport a couple of weeks ago and stopped at the West Michigan Aviation Academy where our niece Betsy is the Executive Assistant. I met her boss who was full of accolades for Betsy and her work - she sure is appreciated there!

This is the 'mid-size' vehicle we rented while in Florida. Bill said it's the ugliest car he ever drove. I reminded him of a gigantic purple, push-button Dodge.....

Wherever your vehicle takes you,

God goes too!

Giving Thanks

We GIVE THANKS TO GOD for the family and friends who continue to bless our lives! These are just a few of those we've enjoyed time with during the past two weeks:

Sunday breakfast friends
Stan & Carrie, Ann & Cal

Coffee with my niece Margie and her friend
(plus Beckie who took the pic :)

Sophie loves Ernie

Abby loves to dance!

Anna showed the kids the science lab her Hope students experimented with - they were fascinated with the 'memory wire'!

Noah did it over and over and over...

We love seeing sweet Amelia (and Laura and Ben, of course) on the computer!

Amelia shares her snack with Elmo :)

Bill went to the Thanksgiving feast at school for Abby, Sophie, and Noah. The kids love having Grandpa available during the day!

Noah's feast :)

Abby

Our Michigan 'fam' came for supper on Thanksgiving Day. Ty left before the picture was taken - I know he'll be sorry about that....

What a WONDERFUL bunch!

We enjoyed supper out with friends Tom & Kathy and their daughter Sarah - always great!


We love spending Sunday evenings with Steve and Lynn. It's great to see Zac more often now that he's finished with his college studies. Here's a pic of Tori decorating their Christmas tree:

Tori has become a great knitter! She made a beautiful scarf for Lynn
and is now working on arm warmers for herself.

An update on my Mom: the lumpectomy is behind her and we are very thankful that no lymph nodes were involved! There is no indication that the cancer has spread but, as a precaution, she will have with some radiation treatments after their visit to Michigan for our family Christmas celebration. Thanks for your continued prayers that the cancer has been completely eradicated.