Christmas morning 2008

26 Dec 2008

Dear Virginia, Is it true what they say about retirement?

Can you retire and celebrate Christmas on the same day?? YES! Yesterday was my last day to work at Orem Community Hospital, in labor and delivery, at least for a while. I may go back after the middle of January for an eight hour shift, once a week, and help triage walk-in patients.

My Christmas this year actually started the night before on Christmas Eve, when I left work and went to Don and Lora’s house to spend the night, to already be “on location” for the grandkids’ present opening the next morning. There was already a party in progress that evening with Lora’s parents and siblings and about a dozen little cousins. Just like at the party at Josh and Jenn Pilch’s house a couple of weeks ago, the little boys were playing lots of “chase” antics, this time chasing Nicholas. And a present of Cheyenne, the rocking horse, from one of the aunties prompted a lot of “it’s my turn!” urgent cries.

Later in the evening, when the crowd had left, we gathered around Lora’s beautifully decorated tree to watch the 6 car train that Lora’s folks had given them last year, and listened to it whistle and play Jingle Bells and a couple of other carols.

The first little kid up on Christmas morning was Alexander, along with his dad, checking out all the presents. The train could no linger move around the track, due to the pile of presents. Pretty soon, here came Lora and the other kids, one by one. When all were assembled, and after the morning prayer, the stockings were inspected, and then the paper began to fly all over the room!









Later, I drove to work by noon, assisted a new baby into the world, and that last “retirement days left” paper chain ring was torn down. Heather Marston was my nurse friend at Orem Community Hospital who wanted the paper chain so she could keep track of how many shifts I had left to work before retirement. We put up 17 rings, starting on 17 Nov. and Lindsay Judd torn down the last one on Christmas Day.






Went home after 6 hours (we all share the work on Christmas Day by spitting our 12 hour shifts) and enjoyed the goodies in my stocking.

I did not do very much decorating around the house this year, but all the grandkid bears were gathered around the little artificial tree. Very homey :-)

Let's see, that was Thursday. Then I got this call from Sue Saturday evening about how to tell if it is time to come to the U of U hospital for the birth of the Richardson Mystery Boy. They decided to wait until Sunday morning and then drove from Cokeville to SLC, But that is more her story. Check out her blog at suerichardson.blogspot.com.