In the Midst...

Thank you for praying for my father-in-law.  He spent three days in the hospital and has been dismissed to a skilled care nursing facility.  His strength was reduced and he still has pneumonia.  Having some extra nursing care is certainly a good thing.  If you ask him, the physical, speech and occupational therapy he is getting is "for the birds".  He isn't as appreciative of the exercises but he is doing them. 

Kidlet Three's hockey team has placed first out of 12 teams for district games.  It has been such an exciting year.  In a tournament-style playoff, the teams play against each other, again, and the top two teams will move onto regionals.  They have won two of the last three games.  There is one more game left to be played and if they win...onto regionals they go.  If the lose, the hockey season is over.  So much is riding on that one game.  Next Sunday afternoon the future of this team will be decided!

So in the midst of all this, I've been cleaning.  Call it stress reduction or something.  The cleaning started in my china hutch.  It is a corner unit packed full of family treasures.

The china is a set my dad purchased in Japan in

the 1950's when he was in the Navy. 

I use these dishes for holidays.  The pattern

is simple and dainty.

The teapot, cups, saucers, cream and sugar bowl
are from my mom's side of the family. 
I don't use the tea set as they china is too delicate.

The angels are ceramics that my grandma made.

How in the world does dust get so thick inside of a china hutch?
Peeking through the doors into the hutch there seemed
to be a gray haze on my crystal.  It was dust! 

I took out all of the crystal and washed it up.

To let it dry completely I let each piece sit out for a day on my kitchen table.

I have started using the glasses and the water pitcher in my entertaining.

Too many of these pieces sit and pick up dust.  I've decided to start using them. 

In the midst of hospitalizations, hockey and hutches, God is good.  Grandpa is getting stronger, Kidlet Three is having some great life experiences and I'm getting some cleaning done.

What are you in the midst of?