Christmas Time

We had a wonderful, relaxing, snowed-in time at Dan and Diana’s home over Thanksgiving. It really felt like the times we had visited home when we were first married.  Diana is such a great hostess and took such great care to let us relax.  I hope we helped a little.  After that holiday, and the fact that I sent Thanksgiving cards instead of Christmas cards, I thought I was ready for Christmas, so I just tried to get a few gifts and make candy.  Dad Tueller had surgery on the 3rd, and Mark came out andhas been here for a week just being awesome.  Janine has done a ton also.  Carolyn had to leave on the 6th, as they had a trip with Cara planned to Spain and then are going to spend Christmas in New Jersey!  So the rest of us will have to step up until she returns. It is nice to have Dave have so many willing siblings.  It has blessed Dad to be able to stay in his home and not hire help.  However, after this couple of weeks, it may be time to get some assistance if he needs.  He is pretty determined to be able to stay here and care for his basic needs.  Today I am with him, and he pretty much just uses me when he needs to get dressed, walk (holding my arm), or getting things for him.  It isn’t hard, but I can see that he should have someone here most of the time still.  And I just brought a few things to do while I stay.  Tonight I will go with my own father to Jared Thomas wedding.  Dave was planning on going, but he really is swamped with work as well as Stake business.  I hope he can get to a point where he feels comfortable.  Even through it all, he is so kind and offers to help me, but I try to not ask much (he still puts out garbage, brings laundry in to the laundry room and is so clean after himself that I don’t have much to do other than keep the house and make sure there is food to eat.  He takes care of a lot of his food, too!  I am blessed to have such a hard working and supportive man to live with.  My dad is a good one too.  I think his memory and judgment are slowing down.  I know it is hard for him to hear me give him advice and tell him what to do or what he scheduled.  I’m trying to do it with dignity, but sometimes I slip and I don’t like that.  He is so healthy and active, but it is wearing on him to do too much.  He really keeps in good shape.  He would like to have a girlfriend or wife, I know, but with his memory I just can’t see him going through that.  And he isn’t willing to look at someone who is like him, he looks at much younger and active ladies.  I hope he will learn to relax and be single.

I love my children