CAIN CHRISTMAS LETTER 2011

CAIN CHRISTMAS LETTER 2011

Written December 24, 2011

Al asked me about a week ago if I was going to get our Christmas letter out before Christmas this year. I told him I was waiting until after his surgery. That happened on December 21 and all went well. He had a total shoulder replacement at Swedish Orthopedic Hospital in Seattle – and he had the best doctor imaginable. Awhile after he awoke from surgery he told me, “I know it is strange to say this: but this is a really good experience.” What he meant was that everyone he encountered was wonderful! He had a ball teasing the nurses. He is looking forward to being in a lot less pain from shoulder issues, and to being able to run a chainsaw again in about 4 months…. (Plus - his shoulder was interfering with his hunting!)

His favorite story to tell is about the RN from Siberia who told him she was going to do a bleeder skin. He was a little concerned about that, and asked her what she meant. Again she repeated, “We are going to do a bleeder skin.” After about 4 times of her repeating it, it dawned on me that she was telling him he was going to have a ‘bladder scan.’

Backtracking to the rest of the year, the first trip on my agenda was a journey back to Israel with a great group of pilgrims to the Holy Land. I loved the trip in February & March 2005, and loved this one in February 2011 even more. I took over 2400 pictures….

In fact, we took a lot of pictures this year! Our together trips took us to the Southwest in early summer, and to Canada in late summer, and they provided lots of photo ops! I posted many of my pics on Facebook….

Our intended destination for the trip to the Southwest was slot canyons – with Zebra Canyon, specifically, the top site on the list, because I saw pics of it several years ago and knew I had to see it for myself! It ultimately ended up a few notches down on our list of favorites…. It was good – but we experienced so much more ‘unexpected that was wonderful’ while we were in The Grand Staircase-Escalante area – and all along the journey – that it didn’t end up being our #1 favorite! It was an amazing trip! I think we’d both rank ‘The Wave’ as #1. It was incredible.

At the end of the summer we went to Canada, with the destination being Yoho National Park. It, too, was a lovely trip! I love waterfalls – and we saw some terrific ones!

We visited some amazing locations in 2011, and got great pictures in the process, but our favorite memories of the year all involve people! Getting to see family and friends – both old and new – made our journeys memorable in the most special way! Particularly memorable ‘new’ friends are 2 very special young women we met on our Southwest trip, with whom we share memories of The Wave and 2 slot canyons!

Our life is punctuated with multiple joys related to our grandkids and their activities: baseball games, soccer matches, swim meets, theatrical productions – and just hanging out. Some of the top fun items here at Kamerlyn are bear hunts, taking walks around the property, dress-up tea parties, Yo’s farm animal waffles, Pa’s pancakes, the zipline – and sledding when the weather cooperates!

Al news:

Al keeps incredibly busy. You’d never have known his shoulder was so bad before surgery. (It was bone on bone, with no cartilage left at all….) In this past year he has turned bowls and plates on the lathe, made multiple types of wooden utensils (and given them away), painted pictures, made picture frames, done a lot of flintknapping (both arrowheads and knife blades), made handles for his flint knives, carved a few ducks, carved 5 bulldogs and 1 other dog, carved multiple bears, and burned many piles of sticks and limbs he’s gathered around the property. (I help him once in a while, but he does most of the work.) He had a couple of nice bow hunting trips this fall – great memories, no critters…. Add to that a few honey-do projects, a lot of daughter-do projects and his garden…. He’s a busy guy! It keeps him young!

Lola news:

For those who have paid attention to my children’s musical updates, (which I have been working on for a l-o-n-g time) I just had a pre-publishing edition printed this past week, which I am submitting for final edits. Kami and I still have to produce a vocal and instrumental CD… but I am very excited about the progress at this juncture. In 2011 I wrote devotionals to go with the musical. That was the new addition for this year – and lots and lots of editing…. It’s exciting to see it in book form, with all of the components incorporated.

Beginning in April 2010, I started growing out my hair to donate to ‘locks of love’ to honor a very special woman in our church who lost her battle to pancreatic cancer 3 days after her 50^th birthday. I had my locks cut off in Melanie’s memory (by her best friend) on what would have been Melanie’s 51^st birthday. It is a deeply imbedded memory of 2011.

For my 66^th birthday I flew to Utah to watch my brother, Duane, perform in Guys & Dolls. The company he performs with just completed their run of ‘A Christmas Carol’. He played the role of Charles Dickens – as the narrator – and grew out his hair and a lamb chop beard to fit the role. I would have loved to see that performance! Earlier in the summer, I went to Eastern Washington to a special wedding, and stayed with friends in Wenatchee and enjoyed their company and hospitality. In addition, I have become much better acquainted in my ‘new’ church – and in reviewing our year I am reminded how incredibly blessed I truly am by all of the people who touch my life.

Other very special memories of the year include visits with multiple friends and family members as part of our journeys, including reconnecting with one of my college roommates and her hubby for a lovely visit! Thanks to each of you who made this year special!

I know Jesus was not actually born in December – but I love the celebration remembrance nonetheless – the reminder that He came once, as promised, and will come again! It is a wonderful time of year to wish everyone we care about a Merry Christmas – His peace, His true shalom. I certainly need that shalom in my life! Blessings for 2012!

On behalf of the Cain Clan – Lola

The pictures are (1) Al at the Wave; (2) Erin's family with Kami and Pa when we celebrated Christmas with them 12/18. Santa Pa and his elf delighted the girls when they came to the door; and (3) Al and I at Lake Moraine, Canada.

A postscript regarding The Wave –

Seeing 'The Wave' is the first time I have ever grieved that at the end of time the earth will be destroyed – but ultimately what God showed me was that this was just a foretaste of the wonder He has in store for those who love Him. Heaven is going to be filled with amazing colors and unimaginable creations!