Ellie & Reni go to work with PaPa...& more Ohio pics

Our last full day in Ohio found us visiting Dad Waggoner's workplace over lunch. First we stopped at his hospice office where we met or were reacquainted with a lot of nice folks (sorry no pics here). Reni did a great job warming up to everyone and showed off his walking skills. Ellie was excited to find they were having a potluck lunch and she happily accepted some proffered brownies . From the office, we drove down the street to the hospital and met the staff on the hospice floor. Above you see Ellie quite interested in looking at muscles and bones. She's always asking what's under her skin so this was a handy way to show her.

At the end of the wing there is a nice lounge, kitchen, and play area for the families of patients. Ellie and Reni were both fascinated with the fish aquarium, specifically the bubble-eyed goldfish.

Reni did a great job with this animal puzzle. Below you can see he and his daddy giving their fiercest "roars" ;-)

Later that day, Stephen, Rachel, and their five arrived for a quick stopover from Virginia. Elisha and Joshua have birthdays at the end of December and in early January, respectively, so Mom had a cake and gifts for them.




Later that evening, the kids opened their stockings and gifts from Nonna and PaPa. Below they opened a letter telling them about some gifts waiting back at their home in Illinois!


I think that wraps up the Christmas pics! Whew! But check back again soon... I have 2 more blog posts! I know -- given my track record I should really stretch them out a bit more but I feel compelled to keep content (relatively) fresh. ;-)