December Markers

December is a month of many markers in the lives of those we love. We grow up looking forward to the arrival of Santa Claus as well as being able to see the beautiful decorations around town. Some of us enjoy December birthdays. My birthday is early in December so it is a good way to begin the celebrations. I officially met Paul in December when I was a teenager.

My friend Joan gave me a surprise sixteenth birthday party. This was my first birthday party other than family celebrations. It may have been a day or two before my birthday. We all went to the Village Theater to see a movie as part of the evening's events. After leaving the theater Joan saw her good friend George walking with a friend. She asked him to come to the party with us and he said he would if he could bring his friend. George introduced Paul to us and that is our official meeting, the day of my sixteenth birthday party.

Actually George is Paul's cousin by marriage as his late mother was married to Paul's late uncle. We are still good friends with George even though he lives in Seattle. He gets down once a year to see family and friends. We will see him next week. He would have come by today but we didn't want to share our colds. He is going to take us to see another cousin later next week.

Paul's mother also had a December birthday, the first day of winter. She also drew her final breath on her 60th birthday. Paul's mother was the best grandmother ever to our children. Nothing against my mother as she loved being a grandmother too. My mom was the lady with the paint overalls on and climbing a ladder to take care of business. Paul's mother was the grandma with apron on and a full cookie jar. They were both tops in what they could do. I need to find the Neil Morgan column that mentions my mother.

My brother-in-law, Sam Hamilton, also had a December birthday. His birthday was on the 13th. My sister Betty married Sam when my children were little. They are both gone now, but we have special memories of them over the years. Sam was in the Navy when he married my sister. They spent enough time in our area for our children to enjoy each other's company. They spent one year in Hawaii where their youngest son was born. They moved to Billings, Montana when Sam got out of the Navy. They came to San Diego on vacations and to help us when Mom died. We had vacations in Montana and went to Yellowstone with them. Mom and Frank used to go to Montana on annual vacations. Betty and Sam are survived by Gary, Elizabeth, Matthew and Mark. They also had four much loved grandchildren.

We also had a dear neighbor, Mary, that had a birthday on December 13th. She was 90 years old and is now in Heaven. Her son has been our neighbor since the seventies and continues to be a good neighbor.

I have other good friends with December birthdays. Betty Clark's birthday is on the third. Unless I am wrong and it is the first. It is right next to my birthday. One time I had a friend with my December second birthday. And an ex brother-in-law has the same birthday as me. He is one year older though. He is Arthur and Debra's father. (my nephew and niece)

In 1960 when our son Bill was an infant we lost my Grandma McDonaugh on December 26th. We lived just one block from her on F Avenue. It was so nice to have my grandma nearby along with one aunt and an uncle. My parents also lived on the same block so I was used to a lot of family nearby. Paul's family was all in town too. The day of my grandmother's funeral was the last time I saw some of my relatives as they mainly came to Coronado to see Grandma. Dad was the youngest son in a large family.

Two years later on December 26th our youngest son Griff was born. We had spent part of Christmas at my parents' new home in what is now Otay Mesa (West). They were in the first houses built in this area in the early sixties. We enjoyed the day with the children at my parents', and then at home in Coronado I tucked the children into their beds and then decided it was time to go to Mercy Hospital. I called Paul's father to take me as we had no car. We had to go on the ferry in the middle of the night to get to San Diego. When we were on the ferry I said to Pop that I wasn't real sure if I was in labor. He said,"You better be." It was not the most convenient time to be unsure. Good thing that I really was in labor and not having a false alarm. Our new baby boy was born the morning of December 26th. He was named Griffith Hughes Marvin after Paul's late grandfather Griffith Hughes Jones.

Enough of my December musings. Time to do my Christmas cards or December 25th will come and go without sending many greetings. "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11

Next Monday on December 13th we are anticipating the birth of another baby boy. Jacob will be born to our granddaughter Rebecca Jean and Jason Van Maanen.

Image credits:AlicePopkorn; Foxtongue; *L*u*z*A*