Christmas Eve morning and Shirley has Rose's and my stockings filled and hanging on the fireplace 'with care'. We have to wait until tomorrow though to see what's inside. It's going to be a long day, even for us elderly ones.

Scott and the boys arrived late Friday night from Louisville to celebrate Jalen's tenth birthday and to attend Mark and Karen's wedding on Saturday. We had the birthday party Saturday afternoon, and Jalen blew out the candles with the first try. He wouldn't tell us what he wished for but with his birthday gifts and Christmas presents, perhaps his wish came true. I'll ask him on the 26th. Besides his Dad and brother, Aunt Shirley, Aunt Rose, Uncle Ding, Aunt Shelly, Goldman and I attended his party. Becoming an age of 'double digits' is a turning point in growing up, according to Jalen. He is nearing puberty and seems to know what that's all about. {He's the first one to know!]

The wedding was an awesome event. It was held at the St. Louis Artists' Guild which someone told me was once a private home. It was a magnificent place with a lovely room for the ceremony, a huge dining room, some other reception rooms, and that was just the downstairs.

The bride was absolutely stunning and, as she and Mark pledged their vows to each other in a most loving, tender and touching way, it brought tears to our eyes. Brayden had never been to a wedding before and was excited about going but didn't know what to expect or what to do during the ceremony. He proudly told one older woman, "This is my first wedding." Scott held him up so he could see over everyone and, at first, he kept his head bowed until his chin was almost on his chest. He kept this position through most of the ceremony with lots of head raising to see what was going on. The bride and groom spent the evening making everyone welcome and just sparkling with joy and happiness. I'mm eager to see the pictures the photographer took, and Rose has some more that she's going to post. I especially liked the one of the bride,'my three sons,' and me.

Mark's son, Drew, who's a student at Truman, was there for the occasion but his daughter, Katie, who is doing an internship in Kansas City and her fiance', Austin, who's a grad student at KU, were unable to make it due to an ice and snowstorm in mid Missouri. They were sorely missed. I had to card Drew when I caught him with a cocktail and it was hard to believe he is of legal age. There were music and dancing after the reception, ceremony, dinner, and photography session. Brayden, despite much prodding, refused to dance, but Jalen, with little or no prodding, really cut the rug with his Aunt Rose. The evening was a very joyous and memorial event.

We had our family Christmas on Sunday, the 23rd and, again, Katie and Austin were sorely missed. Rose and Shirley prepared a delicious brunch which we ate AFTER we opened the gifts Santa had left during the night. Brayden and Jalen helped pass out gifts UNTIL they found some that Santa had left with their names on them. They quit helping then and there. The bride and groom were here along with the rest of the family, and were going to visit with the bride's family from here. Drew was going home and back to bed.