Home for Christmas!

I made it... And, now I'm home for Christmas!

Home to enjoy my mother's lovely garden...

Mom and dad have made the most of their postage-stamp lot!

When we bought our homes new, there was nothing in

these back yards, which were originally strawberry fields!

I'll never forget renting a jack-hammer so that Army dad could

install piers to set a redwood deck into the rock hard ground at our

house, which is still just around the corner from mom and dad's. Of

course, that's a problem we didn't encounter in North Carolina!

There's a routine when I come home... Hot Bavarian-style pretzels

from Whole Foods in Monterey and straight to the Carmel Mission!

Unfortunately, smoke from the Pfeiffer Big Sur fire obstructed our view!

Still, an obstructed view of Carmel beach is still the most beautiful view I know!

There is peace for me here...

And, it just gets better right around the corner at the Mission!

As soon as I see it I know I'm really home!

And, there it is - the beautiful Carmel Mission!

I have run out of holy water since I was

last home so dad got me a quick refill!

Of course, I had to stop in for a look where

Ranger and his brother were baptized. I've never told

anyone this but you see that heavy, hinged wood cover over

the baptismal font? Well, it came down during the baptism of

the child before us. It was a horrible scene, as I'm sure you can

imagine. It's impossible to recall Ranger's baptism without still

feeling sorry for that poor baby and his parents or remembering

how insistent my father was about holding it up during our turn!

It's Advent season at the Mission!

Of course, no visit is complete without

candle lighting and a tour of the gardens!

Candles in remembrance. Candles in thanksgiving. Candles in hopes of...

What a beautifully perfect place!

Purple bougainvillea!

Inside, is this memorial to Father Junipero Serra

who is buried at the front of the alter inside the basilica

After our visit to the Mission, mom and I popped

into my favorite antique mall on Cannery Row!

Where I seemed to find a plateau in every booth! You

may remember how much trouble I had finding one to

bring home to mom for Christmas last weekend in Atlanta!

Not only did I find the perfect plateau for mom, I found this

one I liked too! I'm a sucker for vintage dental office equipment!

Plateaus, plateaus, everywhere plateaus!

Getting it out of the antique mall without mom noticing was

impossible so when she busted me I didn't try to hide it!

She loves it!

After the antique mall, mom and I went home for dinner with

dad and then popped back out again to attend the reconciliation

mass at San Carlos, which I still consider my home parish

It was beautiful. And, it was quite a happy surprise to see

Father Patrick, the priest that baptized our Ranger 25 years ago!

This morning we stopped back at the Mission for a quiet prayer

at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. I love this little chapel...

Mostly because it's part of the mission and mostly because it's where we

renewed our vows to be married in the Catholic church on our sixth wedding

anniversary, which was also the same day our youngest son was baptized!

It's incredibly warm and comforting!

While I sat here, I received an e-mail from a dear friend

requesting a prayer... So I lit the tallest candle there on

the left and immediately sent this photo to comfort her!

There are no coincidences... I was meant to be here this morning!

After lunch we drove over to San Juan Bautista for a

stroll through the Saint Francis Retreat gardens...

Then it was on to Mission San Juan Bautista for more holy water!

It was a beautiful day!

Father Serra's here too...

My first stop inside was to the gift shop for candles!

One for my friend and one for our family...

My faith says we're all in good hands!

Now that our tour of my home parish and the Missions

is complete, I feel firmly planted at home for Christmas!

Thanks be to God!