As some of you know, my mother turned 95 on October 1.  When each of her grandchildren phoned with birthday greetings, she told them: I just wish we could all be together again. An event that hasn’t occurred in 7 or 8 years!

Her wish was magnified this past week, when numerous touch-and-go health issues arose.  In fact, all we could do is pray, and thankfully, given the miracle of medicine our mom/grandma is healing.  All of us found this situation so anchoring that we decided to grant her wish.  On Boxing Day, (December 26), we will come from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, and California to Houston and celebrate the joys of family and the true essence of the holiday spirit.