That's right...no photos yet. My camera cord to charge my new camera is in the only closet that is PACKED with boxes from floor to ceiling! So, I used Rachel's camera during the holidays. However, since its a Canon, my laptop refused to upload the photos and so I will wait until she can get me a copy of them. Of course, this is delayed because after they had left for the airport on Saturday, they discovered that the camera bag (with Rachel's keys in it) was left behind. We had to wait until Monday to ship it to her. UPS said it would be about a week before they get it through the sleet and snow to New Hampshire. As soon as I have photos, I will post some!
It was a busy but wonderful month. December 11th, Glo, Mary Beth and I hosted a bridesmaid luncheon for Sarah Buckingham at my home. It gave me a due date to get the unpacking finished (well, almost finished...remember the closet mentioned earlier!). It was fun decorating the house and getting everything ready for the luncheon. We had a great time and everything went smoothly. On Saturday, we attended the wedding. It was so pretty in the church while it was all decorated for Christmas. Going back to Goddard after leaving there years ago brought back a lot of memories for sure.
Steve and I were later getting our shopping done this year more than ever before. But, somehow we got it done and wrapped! He gets as excited (or at least almost) as I do getting ready for Christmas.
The house is beginning to feel more like our home now. Getting all of our old decorations out that we've had for years made it feel like ours. Of course, we had to add a few new things too!
Rachel and Chris arrived on Monday night before Christmas. Very soon it felt like they were with us all the time. We all went to eat in Fayetteville at Noodles and then went down to the square to walk around to see the lights. It was chilly but fun!
The boys (Steve, Greg, Jon and Chris) left early Wednesday morning for a fishing trip to Beaver Lake. Steve had planned it way back as part of our Christmas gift to them. He was so excited, planning it and all...making sure they all had warm clothing for the day. The girls and I went shopping in Rogers for last minute Christmas gifts. As it turned out, the guys should have gone shopping with us! The fish were all in hiding because I don't think they even got very many bites and definitely didn't get any fish! I think they had a good time anyway.
That night, Kyle and Hayley arrived with their new baby Stella to spend the night. We ate, laughed and played with the baby until late. How special this Christmas is for them!! I remember the first Christmases with my babies and what a wonderful feeling that is.
Christmas Eve brought a challenge as Mary Beth and Jon travelled to our house from Fort Smith. They started coming up the hill into ParkRidge and couldn't make it for the ice!! Everyone went down there to help them, but nothing was happening until a kind neighbor stopped and pulled them with his truck up the hill. Everyone came in and warmed up as we shared funny stories and Kyle told stories about parenthood.
Christmas Day was busy, opening gifts and seeing the love and thought that went into each one of them. We got busy cooking the lunch and as I was trying to bake the sweet potatoes in the microwave, I discovered it wasn't cooking. Then we started to smell burning plastic and saw smoke coming out of the top!! Since then we have found out it has died and will have to be replaced. Sigh. Just what we wanted to do this time of year!! I guess its just a good thing it happened while we were home. But then again, it wouldn't be running if we weren't at home...well, you get the picture!
We all stayed up until about 2am playing Apples to Apples and Catch Phrase, discovering that we are all pretty competitive and like to win. It just got funnier as the night went on!
Saturday came and we got the news that two former Southside students (brother and a sister) had died in a car accident in Kansas while travelling home for Christmas. I had both of them in Partners Club--great kids with so much hope ahead of them. It saddened me so to try to even imagine that level of grief. I hugged my kids a bit longer, a bit closer and even though it was difficult to say goodbye this time....at least it's not forever.
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