On the Feast of Sts. Stephen and John

the afternoon of Dec. 27th .....



Waning hours, two days after Christmas, mom's draining the caviar.....



As always, the hours have run by swiftly since midnight Mass...kringling was in full swing, Uncle Andrew and Charlie came by with cousin Marcelo....then finally to bed and another Marcelo called at 6:30 am CHristmas morning.....!!!!



Mary and John were up early.....then Margaret...then Mom and then Dad and then James and Tom and Drew and Ann and Ellen...Rocky just watched us...and we all gathered in the living room round the manger....passed Baby Jesus around for a kiss...and then mom led us round the house in a train "jingle belling..."....and the day just took off.....



With Nana and Grandfather and the aunts and uncles and cousins and Ellen's Michael and dinner and presents and then dessert with Mom's parents - Grandmother and Granddaddy and uncles and aunts and cousins and caroling, and more caroling in stereo, and Grandaddy leading us in a carol-off...and mom saying, "Let's call Mom and Dad in Bogota" and we all turned to Grandmother and Granddaddy and laughed!!!!!and more friends came by - Phil and Eddy and Matt and Koles and Kenny and then still later we had cigars and sherry and port and Uncle Charlie talked about his work, and Mom and Ellen and ANn kept the menfolk well-nourished with fine fixin's....



And then it was early morning of the 26th....and we went to sleep on a cold winter's night that was so clear...NOEL, NOEL, NOEL, NOEL, born is the King of Israel!!!!



As mom is so ever-wonderful in saying - "How I love my family!!!!!"



l0ve, Dad