Merry Christmas to the friends of Julie/Julia/Gram/Mrs. McCord.  I had thoughts of getting Christmas cards sent to some of her regulars, but I haven’t even worked on mine yet.  Hence, this group note. 

Those of you who knew Mom will not be surprised to learn that among the items I brought back to Colorado were partial boxes of Christmas cards.  On the backs of the boxes, Mom listed to whom she had given that particular card by year.  So, from one of the boxes, I know that John got the card in 2021, Liz in 2022, and so on.  Couldn’t send the same card two years in a row, now could she!

The group photo was taken last Christmas.  Mom was in Colorado Springs for several weeks and it was a special time with newborn Victoria, both kids, and their significant others here.  For some reason, I agreed to play my cello in the string orchestra at our long-time church, which because of its multiple services on Christmas Eve day, meant I was there a good chunk of the day, playing four different services.  One great love Mom and I shared was music, and 1st Pres does it right.

Eric ended up bringing Mom to church, as Mark was busy helping usher a couple of services.    Because they got there early for the third service, I went out and sat in the pew with them.  I introduced Mom to friends sitting around her and somehow the conversation turned to two of them also growing up in Nebraska.  Names were exchanged and Mom asked whether they were related to Beth Miller Harrod, Mom’s former piano teacher, then employer.  Yes, they were!  Mom knew the husband’s parents from her time as secretary for Beth's Rocky Ridge Music Center in Estes Park, a summers-long camp for aspiring musicians.  It was there, at a weeklong course for younger students at the end of the summer, that at age 10, I first heard someone play a cello, at which point I told Mom, “I want to play that!”  What a wonderful connection made over conversation in the pews.

The 4-generation photo from Mom to great-granddaughter was taken when Mom and Lance came out this past April, her last trip to Colorado.  And, as you can see from the photo at the piano, she believed in fostering that love of music from a young age!  As we go through this first Christmas without her, music will make me think of her and wish that I could still share a particularly beautiful piece.  Here's hoping that Christmas music this year will make you think of her, too.

Thank you, again, for the tremendous outpouring of love and support you provided to Mom and family this past summer.  It was a special time for Mom, and I came away with such appreciation for all of you, too.  Merry Christmas to you and yours.  Carla