Christmas 2012

                                 Erika and Julia made Christmas cookies to deliver to friends.

Christmas morning just after Santa filled the stockings and left a pile of presents.

Everyone kindly sported the hats I made them. Bonus: Julia was wearing her scarf from last year. :) We had a very nice, relaxed Christmas with family here and calling Kara's family in Denver and James and Tammy in Seattle. A great day to celebrate all that Jesus has given us!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Digital greeting generated with Smilebox

Gingerbread Houses 2012

Trip to Logan

Dave and I flew to Salt Lake on December 12th to attend James' graduation from Brigham Young Univeristy-Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho. We rented a car and stopped in Logan to see my Dad and his wife Susan on the way. And, of course, his dog, Olie.

My dad seemed to like the wool hat I made him and kept it on. It was so nice to get to see them since we're across the country from each other.

James' Graduation

James graduated in Mechanical Engineering from BYU-Idaho on December 14th, 2012.

We enjoyed a nice graduation lunch that afternoon.

His graduation was held at their beautiful new I-Center for about 1000 graduates.

James, in line to recieve his diploma from his college.

James just received his diploma.

Wait!  Where is the diploma?  Oh, it will be mailed.

Graduate with proud wife

James and Tammy with friends

James was congratulated by a professor

We spend Saturday together and drove and flew home on Sunday with Julia who was coming home for Christmas break.

  James and Tammy then packed their apartment, put things in storage and drove to California for Christmas.   After their break, they drove back to Idaho, rented a moving truck and drove up to Seattle in terrible winter weather to their new apartment a mile from the bay.  We are so pleased that he had a great job waiting for him designing for airplanes.

Dave's Dad: James Meiners

When we went to Cincinnati over Thanksgiving, it was very fortunate that all of Dave's siblings were there.  His father, Jim, was in the hospital, and it became apparent then that his condition was very serious.


 We were there when he was moved a few days later to a much more comfortable place with hospice.  Andrea was with us and we each had the privilege of saying our goodbyes to him at that time.  We felt that he was able to hear us and give some acknowledgment, even though he slept and was not responsive much of the time we were there.

 A few days later he passed away peacefully.  We returned to Cincinnati with Andrea and Erika for his funeral.











Kara and Luke and their boys Jacob and Blake braved a 19-hour drive from Denver (each way!) to also be there--although Blake didn't mind driving. :)

Kara did a lovely job telling about her grandpa and the whole event, so I will refer you to her post.

Kara's Blog--Deckerbabyblog

                                                Kara and family with her Dad and Grandma.

a recent picture of James and Joyce (Erika's wedding)

James, a WW11 veteran who flew 50 missions! over Germany, his ancestral homeland,

at age 21 as a gunner.

 He was a wonderful man, and father to the greatest man ever--my husband, Dave.