Merry Christmas 2019

Foul weather prevented us from going to cut a tree this year, for the first time in a long time. But the kids put up the artificial tree and they did a great job decorating it, so it didn’t really matter that much. We also didn’t go to the symphony this year, which I now regret, so I’ll plan on going next year. But I have a couple of good things to celebrate this month. We closed on the O’Fallon house on Dec 10, and on Dec 13 I got notified that my mom was finally approved for Medicaid. That was a huge weight off my mind because I didn’t want to have to start spending the money from the house to pay for her care.

My dad is, of course, not at all happy with the outcome of the auction. The house sold for $50,000, which is $10,000 less than what he paid for it in 1993, not counting the probably $100,000 he put into it. But I’m not going to lose any sleep over his poor financial decisions. I have had six months to consider every poor choice that he has made in the last 30 years, and I have certainly learned a lesson from his mistakes.

But I can start 2020 with a clear conscience, knowing that both of my parents are now in a much better situation that is sustainable for a much longer period. We are better shape than we were when he called me that day in June asking for help. I have also spent a lot of time scanning photos and looking into our family history (I reactivated my Ancestry.com account), which has become my hobby now. This photo is from Christmas morning, wearing the pajamas that Dixie’s grandparents sent us. Don’t we look cute?