We LOVED Christmas with
our families! Oh, how we loved the holidays. Bennett, Tiffany, Sam,
Elise, and Parker Bennett (SUCH a great middle name!) arrived the last
day of the kids' school semester, so it was the perfect way to begin the
holidays. SUCH well-adjusted, happy, loving kids, and what is up with Parker Bennett
never crying? Where does one even GET one of those kinds of infants?
(Not that my kids weren't perfect, of course, because they were. So
maybe it's genetic?) GREAT conversations (we could stay up until the wee early morning hours of the night talking with B&T), great play times - Michael was in lego-heaven with Sam as a playmate, while Elise and Elizabeth disappeared to play secret games in E's room. I love
anyone who loves Fisher Price (thank you, Elise, and later, Kate). We
were sad when they left four days later, but we knew we'd see them on
Christmas, so we held our tears in check.
Steven's family came over
in two waves on Saturday the 22nd. Lots of food, gifts, memories,
desserts. No girlfriends this time, just the family members. I really love it that Matthew is a student at GC and we have plenty of people to talk about! Cozy and
sweet. Plus the guys got to catch up with some crucial (really?)
football games.
Christmas Day was at
Mom's. SO familiar to be in that house on Christmas with the
decorations and the gifts and the huge meal and fancy desserts and the Boggle victories. Nick could
not be more likeable. I cannot imagine anyone NOT liking him. Ever.
And he fixed a photo of mine within minutes, and I am all about
efficiency, so I greatly admired him for that as well. The long walk
with just the girls was superb, even if we did run into Jim Tom.
Then glamorous Mary, yes-I'll-fix-your-computer-yet-again-without-complaining Mark,
and their precious children Aaron and Kate visited us for several days. It snowed, and according
to Aaron, nothing has ever tasted so good! Kate bravely sled down one of the hills behind our house by herself, and Aaron went down the huge hill on the golf course slope by himself. The beloved Sprague-Rose family
graciously drove to Lexington to watch two of Michael's basketball games
- he never has anyone cheering him on besides his adoring parents, so I
am sure he will remember that day for a long, long time. It was good
for EJM to be at the games as well, so others realize Michael's not an
only child. She definitely got a lot of texting and game-playing with
Aaron done while seated in the stands.
I could write about all
the specific events and experiences and activities, but I'll let the
photos speak for themselves. I was struck by the genuine joy and
unadulterated laughter I kept feeling and witnessing during the
holidays. And I will never foget how loving Sam, Elise, Kate, and Aaron
were to Zoe and Niki. Zoe and Niki are surely missing them so very much
each day, wondering when their happy, playful, laughing buddies will
come back and pet, feed, tickle, and entertain them again.
There is nothing like family.
