Special Family Christmas and Memorial

We met Gail at SEA on December 15, watched the Seahawks win at Toby & Carol's house and brought her home with us until returning to Redmond for Christmas.  On Christmas Eve we attended the Candlelight Service at Bear Creek Community Church with Smiths where Jessie read aloud from Luke 2.  We shared in a time of Christmas carol singing and reflecting on the birth of Christ, our Savior, whom we hold so dear.

 

 Carol had arranged for us all to attend the amazing light display at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens later that same evening.  None of my pictures did it justice, but Toby got this interesting one of us.

 

 

Brad's family joined us Christmas Day in the afternoon, so we imposed upon Toby's good nature and photographic skills to get some pictures of the family.

 

Carol, Brad, Gail

Lon, Janet

 

Toby, Carol, Gail, Lindsey, Brad

Elliott, Jake, Lon, Janet, Ryan

Wesley, Jessie, Spencer, Emma

 

 

On December 26, which was 16 years (to the day) since we were there after Daddy's funeral, we had a small family gathering to remember Mama (Jessie Caplinger) and Ron, whose name was added to the stone at Mama's request.  It was a sweet time of remembrance followed by lunch at Louie's Chinese Cuisine - a favorite of Ron's when he visited Mama in Seattle. Sadly, two grandchildren (John & Jamie) and three great-grandchildren (Johnny, Laela & Leo) were missing due to distance and illness, but they definitely would have been in attendance had they been able. 

Much love to them - Kenneth, Jessie & Ron!!!

 

Lon, Janet, Paul, Karen

Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Seattle, WA

 

 

Family gathering at Mount Pleasant Cemetery