MERRY CHRISTMAS 2013

Joyous Christmas greetings!                   December 2013

I don’t know about you, but the short span of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year is making me a little crazy.  I’m normally terrible at time management anyway, so this year is even more challenging than usual, especially with the activity-halting ice storm we had earlier this month.  Still, it’s important to take a moment to enjoy the delights of the season and to reflect on this past year’s happenings.

Let’s start with the most important: THE KIDS!!  Everybody’s great—healthy, busy, and happy.  The Cribbies sold their home in Krum and recently moved into a larger home closer to Dave’s job.  Bonus: they’re a mile from Erika and her family, which equates to both daughters now living 15 minutes from us! Zoey is thriving in first grade while Ruby, Maggie, and Sam keep Jenni hopping at home.  All 4 kids enjoy Sunday School, and Zoey and Ruby are active in AWANA and gymnastics.  The Wiese 4 are also terrific.  Leo goes to preschool 2 days a week, and he and Etta are in Sunday School.  Both families take regular advantage of fun projects at Home Depot, Lowe’s, Calloway Nursery, and elsewhere.  The kids all enjoy helping in the kitchen, and they adore each other....which makes their new proximity to each other a special treat!

We took a couple of trips this year, one planned and one unexpected.  In March Tony and I joined our Endicott family in the celebration of the well-lived life of my uncle and godfather, 91-year-old John Warski.  Uncle John was very special in that he stepped in as father figure to my family after my own father left when I was 16.  Although a funeral would not be the preferred reason for a trip home, it was a wonderful time of fellowship with family members and church friends from my youth.  My sister Lisa and her husband Bob also came up from Florida, and we spent some lovely time with Aunt Olga Warski and our cousins Cathy and Pat and their families.

In September Tony, Lisa, Bob, and I took an 18-day trip to Europe in celebration of their 35^th anniversary in July and our upcoming 40^th next April. We spent 2 days in Venice before boarding the Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam for a 12-day Mediterranean cruise.  The cruise ended in Barcelona, where we spent an additional 2 days sightseeing.  It was an amazing trip and we had a wonderful time.  Eventually I’ll get around to posting pictures and travel highlights on my blog (the operative word being eventually).

The coming year will bring us to the Destin, FL area for a week with Erika and family in mid-May.  If anyone is in the area and wants to try to connect, let me know and I’ll provide details.  Then in mid November we’ll head to Jacksonville for our niece Erin’s wedding to Greg Taylor.  We’re very excited to meet Greg, visit with family, and participate in what promises to be a gorgeous, fun wedding at the Jacksonville Zoo!

We always look forward to hearing from you about your year, so please stay in touch.  May the significance of Christmas be meaningful to you, and may its joys bless you abundantly this season and throughout the coming year.  We send big hugs to one and all from Texas! 

Family photo, left to right: Dave Cribbs with Maggie Cribbs (almost 3) and Ruby Cribbs (4½), Jenni Leo Cribbs with Zoey Cribbs (7 on 12/28) and Sam Cribbs (14 months), Papa and Bammy (aka Tony & Mona), Erika Leo Wiese with Etta Wiese (almost 3) and Leo Wiese (5), Josh Wiese.  Contrary to speculation, we are not Duck Dynasty wannabees. The guys decided to do something different for this year’s picture.  The beards won’t be permanent (I think).