Happy New Year

My Christmas vacation was good--too long, but not long enough. I found myself crying as we pulled onto the freeway out of town. I miss the mid-West.

We arrived in town before my sister and her crew, and enjoyed a calm and relatively quiet Monday evening and Tuesday day. Once they arrived all heck broke loose--four little girls, aged just-turned-three to almost eight, were swept up in hugs and kisses and rough-housing for the next four days--not by us five, however. Our family, with two adult daughters and a just-turned thirteen and into video games son, is used to a quieter and more orderly existence. My brothers and youngest sister seemed to just have to rile up one of the four little ones. And those four had issues of their own added to the scenario.

However, it was good to see my dad. He's in declining health for various reasons, and I'll have to make sure I get to NE more often, just in case.

So all in all, a good time for most. I wish I could go back and maybe do a few things different during the visit, but there's always next time. And I'm thinking of having them all down here for Thanksgiving next year--