Grandpa is with Jesus

Last Christmas time I was with my grandparents in southern California. 

I asked them if I could take this photo. 

In February my grandmother went to be with Jesus and last night on Christmas day my grandfather joined her. 

My grandparents are so precious to me. Grandpa was ornery and feisty even before dementia began to take over his brain... but he also was funny and laughed and taught me many things about life. The last time I saw him was at my grandmother's memorial service in February. 

I am grateful for the moments in the last year of his life, that I got to see him in person. I look forward to one day seeing both my grandparents in Heaven.. with no more pain, sorrow, or sicknesses. 

Sights of the Season

 My mother and I drove up to Kandern a couple of weeks ago and since then, I have been taking in the sights of the season. It was while we were up there that I really felt like the Christmas Season had begun.

 Lights hung all over the place...this is the Via del Corso. 

Christmas colours.. are also the colours of the Italian flag.

 Christmas cookie parties with students. We had a lot of fun. 

Decorating sugar cookies is not an Italian tradition.

 Decorating my apartment a little bit. Last year my Christmas decorations stayed in their storage container so it has been fun to pull them out and decorate... even though I will be packing up all my things to move out of this apartment in a couple months.

 Attending a children's Christmas concert at a church across the Piazza from my apartment. 

Fun to hear Italian children singing Mele Kalikimaka-the Hawaiian way to say Merry Christmas.

Something I love in Europe is the way so many people use Advent wreaths. I carried this one from a Christmas market in France back down here to Rome on the road trip with my mom. The Advent wreath helps me to remember the true meaning of this season.