Another Memorable Christmas!

Lots of times we don't think about what our family truly means to us until the difficult times come. This past weekend we had Christmas at my Grandma and Grandpa's in Indiana. It was a long, but too fast trip and one that I will always remember. As many of you know from the Christmas email that was sent around, my favorite Christmas memories growing up were always Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's.

We had Christmas there every year. Some of my favorite times from those years were our family traditions. Every Christmas Eve we had a huge meal that consisted of Cornish hens and other typical Thanksgiving/Christmas foods. It was a candlelight meal and we used china. It has always been a Colglazier tradition that the men clean-up from Christmas Eve dinner. This was the only meal the Colglazier men were expected to help clean up after. (I am thankful that Jeremy helps WAY more than once a year!!) It is nice to help fix the dinner and then have all the men clean it up.

After the meal, we opened presents. Growing up, Grandpa and Grandma always got us grandkids different presents. Grandpa always got each of us a subscription to a magazine. Grandma usually gave money, but she made finding the present fun! Every year she would plan a treasure hunt through their 100 year old farm house. All of us cousins would be running all over the house, up and down the stairs until we found each of the 5-6 clues. At the end, we always found the treasure. One year I remember us each finding one of those bears that the department stores sold when we were little with the year on it. We were all so excited.

The last few years one of my aunts has started a new tradition. Every year we have to answer a question. Last year was something we were thankful for. This year we had to tell the best Christmas gift we had ever received. During this time several of us grandkids included in our answer the treasure hunt. We never really cared what was at the end, it was the hunt for it that made it the most fun!

This year we moved Christmas up to this weekend so that more of the family could attend. One of my aunts surprised us on Friday morning with her daughter. So, the only people who were unable to make it were my aunt's husband and son, my sister-in-law and one of my cousins, his wife and daughter. We fed 24 at dinner on Friday night. So, needless to say, we had another memorable Christmas this weekend.

I love my grandparents so much and I am so thankful for the love they have shown me over the years. They have always made it a point to come to everyones graduations and/or wedding. They would never miss something unless it was absolutely necessary. Last year we were all thankful my grandpa was with us. His health has been a roller coaster over the last several years and last year we almost lost him. By the grace of God this year his health is better than it has been in a long time. It is such a blessing!!!

As many of you know my grandma was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July. It was already a stage 3-4 when they found it and was to a point where the doctors were unable to operate on it. They did not find it anywhere else in her body and they were hoping chemo would be able to shrink it enough where they would be able to operate. After her first round of chemo, the tests results showed the mass had grown. So, she began a new kind of chemo. On Thursday of this week they met with their family doctor. More tests had been done and they show the cancer has spread to her liver and lungs. They will meet with the oncologist on Tuesday.

My grandma Emma is a sweet lady to me. She is soft spoken, gentle, kind, sweet spirited, loving and a strong, quiet leader. She is one of the most submissive wives I know. She will do anything for anyone. She is one of the best Christian examples I know. Christ shines in everything she does. Her desire is for the Lord. The decisions she makes are those in which she knows the Lord would choose.

Her example and impact on my life is one of the few reasons why we named our daughter Emma after her. Here are my two sweet Emma's-I am asking you tonight to please pray for my grandma. Only God knows how much longer on this earth she has. I ask that you pray for her to have good days. This last week she has had trouble keeping food down and the doctor gave her a prescription of morphine for the pain last week. She is also a diabetic and today her blood sugar was low and she couldn't keep any food down. Selfishly I don't want to lose her. I don't want her in pain either. It is so much harder to handle this when it is someone so close to you. Please pray for our family as well. I know God's mighty hand can heal!!

I know I have more gifts to unwrap this Christmas, but I know the best gift of all this year will be making more special memories and ANOTHER CHRISTMAS WITH GRANDMA!!!