DePelchin Children's Center in Houston was first opened in 1890 by Kezia Payne DePelchin who was a 64 year old widow at the time, a teacher, nurse and social worker. She saw the need to help abandoned and unwanted children and opened a facility and herself began providing foster care. By the 1950's DePelchin Center was offering mental help services as well, and by the 1960's they were specializing in finding adoptive homes for children with mental and physical diseases. Over the past 124 years they have provided foster care and cared for many, many thousands.
I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Center this weekend during their holiday party and jumped (no pun) at the chance. I was assigned to the Bounce House which was exhausting but so much fun.
There were around 150 kids that came through in the 4 hours that I was there ranging in age from 18 months to 13 years. So many were wide-eyed at the idea of this fun house and couldn't wait to try it out. They loved the attention and kept asking me to watch them. I was impressed with how polite and thankful many of them were, and careful of the younger ones. Throughout the day they came back again and again, it was a blast.
At the end I got to sit and chat with Santa and the other volunteers. What a great day and thankful for the opportunity to spend time with these children.
The Shaw Christmas Party: Friends Bill and Joanne Shaw have been hosting a Christmas Party (among other parties) in Houston for as long as most people can remember. Lucky for me they live in the Montrose area these days which is quite nearby, so I've been able to attend for almost as many years as I've been living here. They live in a swanky apartment complex overlooking Herman Park, taking up 3/4ths of the 17th, or top floor. Their horseshoe view around the city of Houston is as amazing as the modern décor, artwork and furnishings in general. This is an elegant, hard working and inspirational couple in their early 80's that I've gotten to know through the insurance business. The food was over the top but my favorite was the white chocolate bread pudding, OMG good.
Then to top off this week I held a Holiday Open house of my very own - first time ever. Actually it was over 2 days; Friday after work for my colleagues before they headed home to the suburbs, and then again Saturday afternoon for neighbors and friends. I tried to keep it basic with primarily holiday cookies and punch and although a lot (way more than I'd bargained for in the day and a half I had to prep for it) of work it was fun to dress up the house and have company.
I've been enjoying some of the carols of the season, these are my favorites so far this year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ_MGWio-vc
http://faithtap.com/2167/home-free-angels-we-have-heard-on-high/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ_MGWio-vc
Tis the season!!
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