Black Friday seems a good time
to start this greeting o’ the season,
Avoid the stores today … now
that’s a very good reason!

A smart shopper … not me!
But I do have an Amazon account,
And UPS comes to my door, so …
This Santa … excuses don’t count!

So with a … “HO, HO, HO”
and a “Jingle, Jingle …ling”
I will write these verses a’telling
what this year did bring!

Our plans for last winter’s fun
… went just a little “crazy”;
A cruise to Caribbean Islands
Sounded nice … and “lazy”!

But Mae had fractured her femur,
had to order up a wheelchair!
We made the trip before the MRI
 showed the break was there!

An operation got bones “fixed”,
And therapy helped things heal,
Ready to make more memories,
slower n’ cautious … how she feels!

It was a baby shower in April,
Stephanie and Brent came to enjoy,
Told us a baby was coming,
And … It is a GIRL … (not a boy).

So we stayed home …
The next six months or so,
But when summer came around
we were about ready to go-go!

We also had been waiting …
news from Stephanie and Brent,
Sophia Elanor Cox … arrived!
July 11th … a blessed event!

Her grandparents went to see her,
Pictures were arriving fast,
So precious … and beautiful …
Making memories to last … and last!

Our plan … drive down in October,
We told the new mom and dad;
She was healthy and growing …
And that made us all very glad!

In August, we cruised the Adriatic,
To Italy … we had been before;
But Croatia, Slovenia and Malta …
Such places made a … new score.

I am still sorting the pictures,
We’ll post them … one day soon,
Good eating, fun people a’plenty,
had us humming a European tune!

So a drive down with “grandma”Cindi,
her grandchild … “doing all right”?
At 3 months … all was perfect!
And her parents… sleeping all night!

Then the election was almost on us,
A few days away … a good plan;
A trip to the Greenbrier Resort,
Go there someday if you can.

They have a “fallout bunker”
a good place … on election day;
Turned out all was peaceful,
Let’s pray that it stays that way!

Here is more news about the family,
Colin at Delta … doing great;
no hand in the crashed computers,
not the one to make you … late!

Megan … a new teaching position,
A bit closer now to home;
But it was their delayed honeymoon,
Gave us news of where they roamed!

That couple went to Europe … !
Italy and Spain … none the less;
Rome, Madrid and Barcelona
Their pictures … were the best!

Seems that gene for travel
has been passed along alright,
Russ and Janet did not keep it,
it’s Delta for scheduled flights!

Janet & Colin get to ride together
in the Atlanta traffic … to work!
They see all the aggressive drivers
and some are just plain … “jerks”!

Russ tells of his gourmand cookin!
He makes anything you might wish,
And like his sister Cindi …
They both plate a delicious dish! 

Keith is home from Germany,
We are glad he is safe on our soil;
Love how he fires up his “smoker”
makes those meats … wrapped in foil!

Grandson Ryan turned 25 in Nov.
Is no longer in his upstairs room!
He’s batching with two other guys,
… And hopes to graduate soon!

His job as a music minister …
Suits him to a “tee”;
Also “Amelia” … works there,
And that’s who he likes to see!

What future have we … awaiting?
… That … is anyone’s guess,
I just hope that for our friends & family
 it can always be for the best!

So that is what I am praying
As this new year hits the scene;
God’s blessings to you all!
The whole year of … Two Thousand Seventeen!