CHRISTMAS GREETINGS (SLIGHTLY DELAYED)

Christmas Greetings from the Bristol’s in Richmond

Well, here we are just one day after Christmas and six days from 2024. Are we ready? Not really. As we get older, time seems to pass faster. It isn’t fair. Mary Lou just turned 80 and I am just seven months behind her. We both have heavy colds, and my body is hurting all over. Sleeping is an hour-by-hour process with frequent trips to the bathroom. I am not complaining. Or maybe just a little bit. Christmas Eve found us in the emergency room, where we learned that I had Covid. Not to complain, I suppose it was bound to come to our home sooner or later. The good news is that my breathing seems to be not 100% but good enough.

We get Christmas cards from family and friends, each a reminder that we have yet to do any cards ourselves. Do you think that Octogenarians should get a pass on sending Christmas cards? I do. We cannot figure out how to do the online cards with family photos. Supposedly it only takes a few minutes. It might as well be a couple of days of frustration. So, I had this idea. Post a greeting on the Bristol Epistle and link it to all my contacts. That is lots of people, some of whom have passed. I am not good at computer housekeeping.

Since it is hard for me to remember what we did at the start of 2023, I will start with this week and work backwards.

Mary Lou is a very selfless person, never wanting to be in the limelight. So, my marching orders for her 80th birthday were no parties, just a simple supper with family. In coordination with Tim and Deb, we planned an early supper at our favorite German restaurant. Mary Lou was sad because granddaughter Hanna was on an extended road trip somewhere in Florida. So, we procured a small color framed photo of Hanna and her dog Moonie and put in on the table at what would have been Hanna’s table setting. We arrived early to secure the table. Then one by one, Tim, Deb and Joshua arrived, and we ordered drinks. What sweet Mary Lou did not know is that her parents had flown Hanna back from Florida. When she quietly entered this small and cozy restaurant and approached our table, I thought Mary Lou’s heart would stop. What an awesome surprise!

But that was not all. We had quietly invited about forty family members and close friends to come to Tim’s house at 4pm on Saturday the 16th, two days after her actual birthday. A great niece from Santa Barbara came the farthest. Others came from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, and my sweet daughter Allie flew in from Dallas the day of the party. I am usually not good at keeping secrets or surprises. And Mary Lou is a need-to-know girl who quickly picks up on any hint of something afoot. But thanks be to God, it worked! We drove into the driveway at the appointed hour. The only cars in the driveway were family cars. We carried our two apple pies into the side door that enters the kitchen for what was advertised as a family barbecue. All is quiet. Then we turned left to enter the living room and surprise! It was awesome.  Everywhere we turned we encountered another family member or friend from out of town. The only other time I had seen such a surprise was Betty’s 50th birthday. After a few minutes of circulating, I made a few remarks and then sang an acapella version of Frank Sinatra’s “The Second Time Around.” Somehow, I remembered all the words and held back tears of joy. Anyway, this was the highlight of our year. And Joshua made us a video of the event. A real keepsake.

Back to our happenings in 2023. We reconnected with Judy Hess, who formerly was Betty’s sister-in-law in Florida. What a blessing! She grew up with Betty and knew her many years before I came into the picture. We were, until Covid popped up, flying down to Clearwater in early January to spend five days with Judy and her dear friend and former daughter in law, Theresa. We look forward to rescheduling that trip for a healthier time.

Mary Lou and I recently established an endowed nursing scholarship at Baylor, the Betty Hess Bristol Endowed Scholarship in Nursing, which will grant assistance to nursing students who are involved in missions.

We spent a day and night at Virginia Beach, staying at the Marriott Resort that was built next door to our former condo. Another trip to Williamsburg to spend a few days with our dear friends, Diane, Paul, and Samantha Roberts. Diane was the best friend of Mary Lou’s niece Maureen, who passed earlier this year. Mary Lou and Diane have done a great deal of work with Maureen’s estate.

I have made a couple of visits to Arlington to visit son Matt and family and watch grandson Matt V play awesome basketball. He is a force. It is always a blessing when the three Matts get together.

I took a train to DC to attend a luncheon for retired Air Force Judge Advocates. It has been almost 34 years since I retired, and I only knew a handful of the folks in the crowd.

Our children and grandchildren are doing very well. Matt IV is now a GS-15 at the Department of Veterans Affairs. His wife Katja is financial officer for a German company’s Washington DC office. Allison is a Vice President with The Harris Poll and has clients all over the world. Husband Lee works with his mother Martha to run a small business that has steadily grown into a multimillion-dollar enterprise.

Two granddaughters, Alexis (at Pensacola Christian College) and Isabelle (at Clemson) are following the path of their “Grams” in nursing school, and one, Annabelle, is a freshman at Liberty who may be a future lawyer. Matt V is co-captain of his high school basketball team and was recently accepted at Clemson, Penn State and Virginia Tech. Noah is in his junior year in high school in a rural school district In Texas and is a great soccer player. Mary Lou’s son Tim, who is like a second son to me, manages half a dozen high end markets for a Greek family restaurant enterprise in Richmond. His wife Debra teaches theater arts and communications at a high school on a nearby county, directs productions for local theater groups and performs in local plays as well. Both Joshua and Hanna have graduated from college and are staying busy, finding their way in this crazy world.

I continue to serve as a mediator in family law cases with my spiritual daughter, Erica Baez. I work two days a week and really enjoy helping couples both young and old. Not sure how much longer my brain will sustain this ministry but am happy to serve. Mary Lou volunteers three days a week at a thrift store operated by Crater Hospice, where all funds go to provide supplemental services for patients in their hospice care. I serve with other veterans in conducting honor ceremonies for veterans in hospice care.

I think this is enough for now. We are slowing down, keeping life as simple as possible and trying to live purposefully for the benefit of others. I am so blessed to have Mary Lou as my partner for this leg of the journey. Love from Bristol’s in Richmond.

We hope you enjoyed a blessing filled Christmas and a prosperous and healthy New Year.