Happy Birthday, Marlene!

Well, I must say that I had a very good Christmas. I was surrounded by loving family and friends, didn't have to do all the work all by myself, in fact I didn't have to do much work at all and yet I was able to reap all the benefits... it almost felt like being a kid again. Aside from my mom occasionally forgetting who we were or what we were doing, along with a phone call last night where I once again had to tell her I did not steal her grand piano (she never owned one) nor did I take it with me to Dana Point (mine's still in Rocklin at a friend's house) it was a great trip. On Christmas Day, while Dad napped, I went on a walk with Mom and took some pictures of her. She looked beautiful and was very cheerful and happy, greeting others on the street who were also out for a stroll with a hearty "Merry Christmas".

My mom, Olea Mae Babbel Woolf

But the best part of Christmas was when we had little Sawyer blessed that night after a delicious meal that my ever-cooking sister, Marlene, prepared for 30 of us, including 6 missionaries. Kelly, her husband, gave Sawyer "a name and a blessing". He was joined in the circle by the missionaries, my dad, Holly's husband, a nephew-in-law, and a friend. And he was blessed in my dad's blessing gown that was sewn for him by his grandmother. Dad was blessed in 1915 and my great-grandma, Mary Lucretia Hyde Woolf, died the next year, so she must have been quite old at the time she made it. All my brothers and sisters and I have also been blessed in the gown and most of all of our children and now grandchildren have been able to wear the gown on this special occasion.

Chelsea, Sawyer, and me after the blessing

Today is Marlene's birthday. The best way to sum up her life thus far is one of SERVICE. I love this picture of Kelly and Marlene flanking the missionaries as they attempted to teach the Elders how to sing Silent Night (Stille Nacht) in German. And what a heavenly peace it was.

Thankfully, they all have beautiful voices

I can't send Marlene birthday greetings without posting a picture of her kids and our friend, Miriam, who also entertained us with several Austrian yodels and carols on Christmas Eve.

Cailey, Miriam, Madison, Brigham, Brittlyn,Mackenna, & Camryn