Work Messages from Saint Therese

A yellow rose with touches of red! Friendship mixed with love!

... Just a note to say she hears me and will help me get to heaven.

Jimmy Carter Dies at 100

A sad, sad day. He lived to vote for Kamala Harris, ... and died before the inauguration of Donald Trump. Fitting. May he rest in the arms of Christ. 

Pre New Years at the Lake 2024

 It wouldn't be New Year's at the lake without the Christmas cake from the Downs. These 2 friends of Brian's parents as a tradition for the last 40 years or more,  Spend their Christmas morning making these cakes for others and then deliver them. 

 I am not sure why I didn't take more pictures of this mini-vacation! It was very relaxing, yet rainy at the lake. But we did manage to go to Fiddlers Blues for a wonderful dinner. And I was so proud of Grandma for finally agreeing to go back to church!

Christmas Brunch & Caroling 2024

And why is Dean, who is truly homeless, at our table (and Gretchen was invited as well)? Luke 14:12-14 Well, here is my text to Brian as an explanation:

Noelle Writes:

I just wanted to let you know that 2 people I know have really been weighing on my heart because they have absolutely no one. They have nowhere to go this Christmas and are very sad. I probably should have asked you first, but I invited them to our brunch. 

They will only be there for the brunch if they show up at all. You know them both, one is Gretchen from work and the other is Dean. I really felt Christ pulling on my heart to do this. And this is why:

Luke 14:12-14

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

 Thank you for always being so wonderful and so understanding!! And I can't wait for Christmas and for the lake! I love you so much and am so glad that you are my husband!

The Biggest Gift of Christmas 2024 : A Car

 It took a lot of convincing on my part, but finally Oma allowed Leia and Harvest to "borrow" her car indefinitely. Finally a car that is reliable!  And I am happy to say that I succeeded in having it be a surprise. The way we managed it was to park the car by the Dollar General. And wrap the keys in a large box. Then it was the very last gift opened. Merry Christmas Leia and Harvest!

Pottery & Crochet via Annie & Leia on Christmas 2024

Annie made a new covered dish for our snacks! She said it is her favorite piece she's ever made.

I found and Annie fired Leias 2 last pottery pieces from her high school years: a wedding vase and plant pot.

Annie gave Daddy "Drippy Honey Pot."

Leia made a Binding of Issac plush!

Leia made two Bunnies with scarves for Annie.

And Leia made me a sunflower hair clip to honor Papa along with a necklace and earrings. It moved me so much that I cried.

Here is the sunflower that inspired it all:

Presents on Christmas Morning 2024

In honor of our love of The Dukes.

Leia made candles herself this year! This one smells like honey and was from Edisto!

Daddy got me a new colander!

I got Tom a figure of Jesus healing the blind, because he was healed through treatments for macular degeneration and cataract surgery this year.

Harvest got Leia a real ocarina!

Auntie April got us all Electric toothbrushes! 

Leia made daddy a Pikmin Ornament.

Harvest got Leia a matcha tea set.

Daddy got me a monogrammed Rosary Case from The Chosen.

Family Photos on Christmas Morning 2024

Christmas Morning 2024

 As a little child once, Harvest was very impressed with a huge stocking that Santa put everything in. Leia wanted to recreate that for him this year, which is so sweet.

 Annie with her pottery and Leia with her crocheting are really the 2 big artists in the family, but I did make one thing for everyone this year that was kind of a humorous gift. It was a minimalist nativity set. 

Everyone got one! And it even had the elf made sign from the kids youth. And behind the set is the Gold, Frankincense and Myrhh that Joe gave us, not even knowing that a smaller set was so very treasured by the girls when they were little. 

 Bello was unsure about all of the people in his home this morning, but ended up venturing in and being quite a sport about it.

Christmas Eve with Oma & Joe

Watching Carolina Panthers Football with Grandpa Tom Cloer

 These are true memories to treasure! Harvest and Leia have spent countless Sundays at the Cloer household watching the Carolina Panthers play football. It is a joy for everyone to root for our favorite team!