It's Christmas 2019 and all is well. There were lovely services at Aims Church. Families gathered.
Following is a memory written by Linda, along with a photo of their gathering!

Larry and I were reminiscing about Christmas the other day.  Did we have a tree in the middle of the living room?  Yes, we did!  We started looking through the old photo albums and checked out the trees we have had in our home.  The year the twins were born, 1978, the tree was in the middle of the living room!  We have had some great trees.  The last two years our grandson has chopped down the trees from the property.   

We had all 3 sons (and families) home this holiday and got a great picture!  That hasn’t happened for some years.  I decided to ask for some of their memories.  Sam remembers having to push his grandparents car back up the hill when they decided to drive down our driveway in the snow.  He said we didn’t quite make it to the top.  Peter remembers going to the church for one Baker Christmas and all the games were spread out at tables to play.  Rob - couldn’t remember, but since I requested us playing the famous “Michigan Rummy” card game

- I think he remembered he didn’t like it! That was my Christmas wish this year!

  Happy New Year to all.

Catherine's Memories of D Day And a Happy Family Event

D Day brings back many memories as we observe the 75th year since it occurred.

As is always the case, there are many events on any given day and one of ours was when Jim and Ardie got married. It has always been easy to remember their anniversary date.

The D Day event was a carefully kept secret so when it was finally announced that it had happened came as a surprise. Life was going on. As a family we were most concerned about Ardie getting to Norfolk where Jim was stationed so they could get married prior to his going out to sea and into battle...which turned out to be Okinawa. She was a determined young woman who insisted she could make it on the train there even though doing so had definite risks. Trains were giving troops being moved and military persons priority so a civilian could be let off anywhere to await the next train if need be.

She did make it and they were married in Norfolk on that day. Of course, communication was not that great then either and we had no phone and if we had the cost was outrageous. I do believe we heard by mail which meant several days out.

Hearing about the invasion and then finding out that they had married the same day made it doubly memorable. For them it was a happy day while for so many others it was most horrible. Gratitude for what had been accomplished and horror and pain for the so many. We all grieved but not like those directly hit by the horrors of the event. We always connected the two events so no problem remembering their anniversary.

Those two events impressed me with the fact that joy and sorrow are events happening at the same time daily and we need to be aware of that and act accordingly. Weep with those that weep and rejoice with those rejoicing and sometimes it has to be at the same time.

Those that were alive and personally remember those days are getting less and less but hopefully the sacrifices given on that day will never be forgotten. Jim and Ardie had sixty three years together too.