Anne's Christmas Poem 2009
It wouldn't be Christmas without Christ, our treasure
And family and friends we love beyond measure.
With Christmas approaching and much celebration
Our lives fill with joy and accumulation,
Old and new grandchildren, family events,
Chickens and trucks and construction hints
But our greatest collection that we've expressed
Is friends like you by whom we've been blessed.
Where do we begin?--the grandchildren, of course.
Jack's 18 months and has ridden a horse.
His bedroom, thanks to Miranda and Drew,
Is in a new house; there was plenty to do.
Ashlynn Serenity born in September
Is John and Cara's new family member.
Her features are perfect; she sleeps on cue.
Now John and Cara have plenty to do.
Miranda and Cara are teachers and tutors.
John's at Mathematica fixing computers.
When offered the job, John sure wasn't hesitant.
Drew works for a bank: he's now a vice-president.
Martin guest preached at various churches
While Assembly of God did pastoral searches
With communion at the Lutheran, first in the state
And now at the Methodist I joined of late.
Martin had a feature in a bee publication
And I'm proprietor of the chicken operation.
From our older five hens we get five eggs a day.
Now the fifteen Chanticleer started to lay.
We were delighted to see an egg hatch
And the mother hen raise the chick from scratch.
At three weeks old it jumped on the rafter
But we kept the cats in so they weren't running after.
Our 35th anniversary news
We acknowledged with a two- hour cruise
And a four-wheel drive truck, red and brand new
With a backseat cab so the dogs can ride, too.
Our family events were for members we lost
But they still were reunions despite the cost
Of my sister's two brothers-in-law Westfall
At our cemetery which is not far at all.
Our kids saw their cousins and new babies, too.
We felt we belonged to the Westfall crew
And we saw my sister; our family is small
Till related by marriage by marriage-- Westfall.
Then four months later we made the long trip
When my last living uncle died—for our kinship.
Each branch represented at the Sanford home base
Brought a sense of belonging by heritage and place.
My cousins shared memories, the gift of a story
And Pennsylvania blue-stone cut from their quarry.
We loaded our truck up Michigan-bound
To visit my college roommate I'd found.
So what home construction you wonder might be?
A new window box for the Christmas tree.
New kitchen cabinets, counter and tile
And with drywall it's looking more like my style.
In our truck and trailer we brought home wood.
Three loads was more than we thought we could.
Three pieces of walnut weighed a ton
But the rest we loaded by hand for fun.
That's life on the farm just moving along
Enjoying our grandchildren where we belong,
Living the dream and working the plan
To share in the blessings and do what we can.
Our wishes as we approach 2010
Is to know where we're going and know where we've been.
May your Christmas be joyful with meaning and light.
“Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.”
Love & God Bless,
Martin & Anne Gutzmer
