December In the Black Hills

This year has brought some significant changes to our family.  Some are wonderful, some are inconvenient and some are going to take some adjustment.

This year, for the first time since we were married, we both were able to both be with Brenda to celebrate her birthday. We enjoyed our time together even though it was cold outside and in.  The food was wonderful at the Guadalajara restaurant in Spearfish, SD.  We got to enjoy one an others company and we got to see Brenda open her presents with us there.  We even had the opportunity to serenade Brenda along with the restaurant staff.

One of the things that has taken some adjustment has been the cold, snowy weather.  We've seen some of the lowest temperatures we've seen in many

years and we have shoveled more snow that we would like.  Rather we should say that Kent has shoveled snow as Betty cheered him on from the warm living room.  We have a wonderful two car garage and no longer have to leave one of our vehicles out in the cold.  That means no more scraping ice off windshields before early morning appointments, but it also means shoveling snow off of a driveway that is twice as wide.  By the time I finished shoveling snow, the mound was quite high.  I was really thankful when a kind neighbor came over with his snow blower and cleaned my sidewalks when I was running out of energy.  I was equally disgruntled when the city came through and shoveled the streets into a mound across our driveway.   It hasn't melted off, so each snow storm means higher mounds of frozen waste to move around.

In Colorado Springs, we enjoyed the deer in our yard.  Here, the wildlife is a bit smaller.  We loved the mountains to the west of us in the Springs, but here there are no mountains.  Here, the Black Hills jut up within the limits of  Rapid City.  I am still trying to get my compass adjusted.  I continue to head north when my destination is to the south.

Christmas came late to us here in Rapid.  The scheduling for a nurse in a hospital is such that Brenda worked.  We postponed our celebration a few days, but we still had a good time.

We've missed a lot of our church meetings this month.  I went alone a few times, but it is just a lot nicer to go together.  Today was the first day we have attended together for the last couple of months.    I love the Gospel and really enjoy going to church. 

Betty is making good progress with her knee.  She is now walking with a cane in public and without it at home.  We are even going down into the basement to watch TV together.  Betty is also riding the stationary bike as part of her PT.  She can now do full revolutions on the pedals.

There is beauty no matter where we go, and there is happiness to be found in every situation.  It is my prayer that we can all find them.

Love,
Kent