Visit to Jeffrey's Place & Christmas Without Jeffrey

I went back to HobLob to find out if the vases for Jeffrey's place had come in. They did not, so I picked up some smaller ones. Since these only have a 2" stick at the bottom, they won't stand up. Especially with the wind down here, so I had to dig (with water to soften up the ground), and put the vases at least half way down. The Christmas flowers with the cute little ornaments look very nice.

Then I went to Lisa's place to add some flowers and an ornament. The flowers her mom and put in the vase the other day had blown out, so when I added my flowers, that helped to keep them in place. They look very nice too.

Well, the persons I spoke with regarding care of Jeffrey's headstone had no other solution than "soap & water". Yeah, like that works. I've been searching the internet for marble cleaners and found some info for "marble cleaner for headstones", so I just need to go from there. A couple of places I've read about them say you can only get certian ones different places. I might have to order online, since we're such a small town. We'll see.

We have decided to put up a Christmas tree and decorations this year. We hadn't felt like it, and I wasn't going to for evermore, cuz it's just not the same, or ever will be. But, I asked our daughter "The Teacher" if she wanted us to, and she said yes, so we will do it for her. She will be coming home for Christmas. We might even go to the beach for a while after dinner. Though I'm so not in the mood to celebrate Christmas, I'll have to try.... for DH & for her. It's so difficult.

On the bright side! My BFF & her DH, and Lil'Gal and Farmer Jr., will be coming by to help decorate the tree the night the Teacher comes home! That will be a tremendous help. And then I get to give the little ones their Christmas gifts from US! Can't wait to see their faces! TG for BFFs!

We will, of course, still include Jeffrey in opening presents, by talking to him, laughing and crying with him (as we tell stories about him ~ embarrasing ones to make us laugh), putting a check in his stocker for his scholarship fund, and possibly buy a comic book figure which he collected over the years (I'm looking for a curio cabinet to put his collection in); and having a glass of wine for him at dinner table, along with the candles that we light for him every year. You know, when Jeffrey was little, he used to come into our bedroom on Christmas morning at the crack of dawn every year and yell "IT'S CHRISTMAS! SANTA CAME, SANTA CAME!!" Hurry, get up!! He did that well into his teens; amazing, right? I miss that.

One thing that will keep us laughing is our Teacher's little dog. Bently is a TeaCup Yorkie. He is adorable (all 5 pounds of him)! We wrap his presents too, in one big box. Then, the Teacher, opens up the box and he gets all excited cuz he knows something is in there for him! Then he jumps in the box all excited, and we start throwing all the toys across the room for him to chase, and chase he does! He's just like a bunny rabbit.... jumping all the time! He's too cute!

Well, time to go. I have to get things in order to leave tomorrow for Lufkin to see my baby bro finally graduate from Stephen F. Austin University! Looking forward to seeing him and his lovely wife and our 2 nephews! Hope Y'all have a good day!