Christmas for us this year was celebrated (unfortunately) at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore where Catherine spent much of December after major back surgery. Fascinating trivia I learned while making the trek to Baltimore every day:
     Johns Hopkins Latin motto is Veritas vos liberabit, which translates as 'The truth shall make you free.' I guess they never heard the 'Nearly Inspired Version' which contains the additional scribal gloss that 'First, it will make you miserable.' 
     The campus is 140 acres. No wonder my dogs were barking every day by the time I got to her room!
     Its 'Johns' and not 'John' after his great grandmother, Margaret Johns. 
     They're pushing to be a 'green' campus, pursuing LEED certification. I feel closer to Al Gore ("The Goracle") just being part of it  : -)


We have been moving to a simpler celebration of Christmas over the last several years, so even though we were at the hospital, there were meaningful gifts which didn't require hauling "loot" across the 140 acre campus. Our son gave a donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation which had a lot of meaning for us since Catherine survived the Big C in 2000. Our daughter and son-in-law gave a unique gift, a donation to Bead for Life, which not only benefits women living with AIDs (primarily in northern Uganda) but also provides a beautiful necklace made of beads of recycled paper - this one was for eyeglasses which Catherine is always looking for when there's something to read.


In past years when we were just beginning this tradition we discovered the abundance of initiatives that World Vision offers. You can take part in educational initiatives, clean water projects, and a host of other worthwhile efforts. We also have taken real delight in donations to the Wounded Warrior Project and Fisher House, both of which benefit military families.


The possibilities continue to amaze me. It makes Christmas, even in the hospital, a real celebration of the best gift ever.