Finally: Home after more than two weeks

I can't tell you how lovely it is to be sitting in my comfy chair in my very messy house this New Year's Eve. After more than 12 hours of traveling we finally made it home at about 8:30 this evening. I'm pooped. The boys did great and the air travel was about as pain free as air travel gets. I made it through two flights without being pooped on or puked on and, frankly, for a mom who travels frequently with young children in tow -- no puke/poop means a great flight.

Mike prayed that this would be the last time that we would have to fly home for Christmas. I tell you the truth, after seven years of flying home each Christmas, we're definitely ready to be close enough to drive.

I'm too tired to do much of anything tonight. Both of the boys are in bed and Mike just went to the convenience store down the street because the cupboards and the fridge are bare.

I don't think I can manage the emotional or physical energy to unpack anything tonight. Thankfully I have clean pjs in my dresser and my toothbrush/toothpaste are in the bathroom. No need to unpack anything tonight! It'll still be here in the morning.

The fact that it is New Year's Eve seems so minor to me tonight. I'm just so very thankful to be safely home, in my warm house, with my boys tucked into their beds. Tomorrow is the beginning of a new year and that is wonderful, but more important to me at this moment is that tomorrow I will wake up in my own bed. Aahhhhhh. I love my soft, comfortable, pillow-topped wonder of a bed. In fact, I think it's time for a quick shower to wash away the grime of travel and then I plan to sink into that heavenly softness.

I'm home!

Merry Christmas

Friends,

Tonight I post from San Saba, Texas ~ home to my mother- and father-in-law. My children are snuggly tucked into the hide-a-bed in the office. The stockings are hung, the prayers are said, the pajamas are on. And Zachary is still awake. . . just almost beside himself with anticipation. What an exciting time for children (and their parents). I love it. And I love Santa.

Our prayers tonight included Zach's request that Santa be kept safe while Alec's two cents were that we should have cupcakes for Jesus and tell Him happy birthday. They are so very precious, my children. I am so thankful for them. And I am thankful for you!

So from my family to yours, have a blessed Christmas. May God bless you and may Santa fill your stocking with things that will make you smile.

With love,
Andrea

Festive Function: "Forty Winks 'Til Christmas"

Last night Zach enjoyed the limelight in "Forty Winks 'Til Christmas," a musical play in which he commanded the role of the red Christmas gift under the tree. The funny thing is that I didn't realize, until we were actually there watching the festive function, that he would be front and center on the stage the entire time. There were about 120 kids involved: first and second graders. Zach was one of about eight that spent the entire time on the stage. He only had one short, little line to speak, but he spoke it well! He had a ball. And he was so very cute. He's the third one from the left in the clip below.

Zach, Easton, Luke (buddies from church and school). Aren't they so handsome?!

Forlorn, Futile, Fatal, Fruitless ~ not good F words

I am saddened today at the news that my father's best friend has died, quite tragically. Some of you know that my dad was an administrator in the Wynnewood school district for more than 25 years. Mr. Horton also worked for the school, as a favorite high school ag teacher. Good man. Kind, caring, father of three boys. His boys are all grown now, older than I am.



I don't have details, and frankly, they don't really matter in the larger sphere of this tragedy. I know that Mr. Horton had been struggling with the effects of diabetes for many years. He'd lost his eyesight and a limb. Other than that I do not know his personal circumstances. Unfortunately, I do know that he shot himself fatally last night. I don't know anything other than that and I'm just going to pray for his soul and for his family ~ his wife, Susie, and three boys Jon, Matt, & Pat. There are also a couple of granddaughters that are about my Zachary's age.



I also am praying fervently for my father. For the past six years or so, since my dad retired, he ate breakfast with Mr. Horton every Saturday morning. They gathered at a local truckstop and enjoyed biscuits and gravy along with each other's company. Dad lost another close friend a few years ago, Mr. Jackson. All three men worked together for Wynnewood Schools. My father is not a man who allows people to get too close to him; a friend is like family to him.



I'm saddened, but also feeling so helpless at the futility of this. Please be in prayer with me.

Figurative (rather than literal) friends

My children are very different. Temperment, activity level, senses of humor. . . all different. Zachary had an imaginary friend for about three years ~ ages 2 to about 5. His buddy was named Scrabby and he was a little brown dog with super human strength. Think Scrappy from those old Scooby-Doo movies and you'll have a great idea of what Zach's Scrabby was like. Scrabby went just about everywhere that we went and he was often in on conversations with Zachary. I never remember Scrabby doing anthing ugly. He was just a way for Zachary to keep himself entertained.

Alec also has an imaginary friend. Several times a day I find myself saying in a very stern voice, "Alec Michael! What is this?!" Usually something like syrup smeared all over the kitchen table provokes such a question. Invariably Alec's response will be, "I didn't do it, Mommy. My brudder (brother) Gaylor did it!" His answer is given with utmost sincerity, little shoulders shrugging and eyebrows raised in wonder. When I point to the syrup covering his hands, arms, shirt, etc. he smiles a bit devilishly before straightening his face and replying indignantly, "My brudder GAYLOR made me get all sticky!"

Apparently Gaylor is made of clouds and lives up in the sky. He also changes colors on a daily basis. Blue, purple, red. Last night he was orangish-yellowish with a kitty-cat tail when he was blamed for kicking the back of my seat in the car.

I believe I'll have mixed feelings when Gaylor grows up and moves back to his home in the sky. I miss Scrabby sometimes. He was such a big part of our daily lives for so long; it saddens me that Zachary has outgrown him. I'm not sure I'll really MISS Gaylor. Scrabby was sweet; Gaylor is more. . . sour. But Gaylor is what he is: a blueish, orangish, greenish little dude made of clouds with a propensity for orneriness. Oh dear, what will he do next?

This is me today. I'm grading papers. Wait, let's be more specific. I'm grading 51 research papers that are between 4 and 6 pages in length. Wait, let's be more specific than that. I'm grading 51 research papers by college students who are as emotionally DONE as they can possibly be with this academic quarter!







This is me today.

Actually that really isn't me. I'm not that thin and I don't have dark brown hair and I'm wearing a red shirt and khaki pants. . . but you get the idea.

I'm just taking a quick rant and rave break before getting back to work. I think my main problem is that I cannot seem to grade quickly. I've been working on this for the last three years and I'm still a slow poke. It's not that I read slowly, rather that I spend WAY too much time writing comments on the papers. I frustrate myself.

Anyway! What are you doing today? I hope it's more fun that 51 research papers!