Christmas Blessings

As you saw on my previous post about The Sickness, trips away from home don't always go smoothly. However, there were many fantastic things about this holiday season, so I'd like to recount my Christmas Blessings now that we are safely back at home.

• Aside from the delays going to Iowa, our flights were nearly perfect.
• The weather was great for all the driving we had to do on our various day trips.
• Colin did most of the driving, giving me time to rest and relax.
• Colin was also fairly relaxed, a marked change from his usual travel anxiety he develops the closer he gets to an airport.
• Mom and Dad are very hospitable and accommodating, making our lives easier once we arrive at their house.
• Katie and Natalie had a fabulous time playing with their grandparents and experiencing the snow.
• We were able to spend time with many friends and relatives that we don't see very often.
• Katie and Natalie got to play with all the aforementioned friends and relatives they don't see very often, helping them to know that they are real, fantastic people, not just kids we see in pictures.
• We ate a lot of wonderful meals, many home-cooked, and some in restaurants that we can only visit in the Midwest. What a treat!
• My cousin Grant (age 13) made possibly the best Jell-O dish I have ever had.
• We met 3 new babies: our nephew Ian (2 weeks), our friend Jennifer's son Lincoln (2 months), and my cousin TJ's son Asher (3 months). They are all so precious!!!
• We indulged in lots of homemade candies -- thank you Pam, Betty, and Grandma Wanda!
• We received many nice and thoughtful gifts.
• We were able to give many nice and thoughtful gifts that people enjoyed.

I'm sure there are many, many more things I haven't thought of, but really, we had a great trip! We had a day trip to Minnesota to visit my Dad's side of the family, time to build a snowman, a trip to Mom's side of the family, time spent with my good friends from home, time out shopping, and a trip to the Sioux City Art Center and Palmer Candy Shoppe. Add in some time to relax around the house, and it was a very full vacation.

And now we're back, and 2009 begins. Happy New Year!!!