Our Ozarks Christmas, 2023

 Okay. So we didn't actually celebrate Christmas in My Corner of the Ozarks. But our son, Brad, who was born in Illinois, attended school in Illinois, and lives in Africa claims to be "from the Missouri Ozarks". So I will claim that our family gathering west of Chicago was an "Ozarks Christmas".  

Above: Jackson, Linda, Olivia, Karis, Emily, Lance, Brad, Matt. Bottom row: Cami and Larry. 

Grace took the picture

Matt lives only an hour away from our "Christmas House". Lance drove from Maryland. Brad flew from Kenya, East Africa. We missed Faty, Imaan, and Ruwaydah. 

Jackson had a hockey game so some of us were able to see it. 

Many games of various kinds were played.  

These "kids" can light up a room.

The weather was cool but suitable for some outdoor walks. 

A pillow gift with a "dog" face allowed Bailey to attend while kenneled in Maryland. 

A gift of Bunker Hill sweatshirts brought back summertime memories.  

It was the most wonderful time of the year with much laughter, music, and giving. And everyone made it back home safely. 

Our Weather

 If you don't like our weather, just wait until tomorrow...

We were traveling in January when we heard that My Corner of the Ozarks got eleven inches of snow. This is Cousin Nina's photo: 

When we got home, we found that many tree limbs were broken by the heavy snow.

                                                                        March rains caused flooding in our back yard....

And in the streams, lakes, and ponds.

This is the flooded bridge at the Prongs of the Jack's Fork River on March 3.

On March 31 strong winds caused damage in town. 

But there is hope! Spring is right around the corner. There are signs already.

Easter is only a week away. That is when we celebrate true hope, our only hope: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Christ's sacrifice on the cross took away my sins and His resurrection portends my life in eternity with Him.