A Day of Family and Fresh Air

Grandma and Poppy drove from Kentucky on Wednesday evening, eager to hug and love on their grand kids.  The kids were very excited, too.  Grandma and Poppy always bring excitement to our usualness.  They even came with presents for birthdays and just because.  We took them to Oklahoma Joe's for our favorite BBQ.  The line was stretched out side the door with crowds of family in town and  people picking up smoked turkeys for their feasts the next day.  The restaurant is happy and the BBQ is always perfect. I always order the Z Man.  I can't change this usualness.  We even had a couple of cold beers.  Then, back to the house to open gifts and settle in to watch Disneyland videos and retell stories from our pictures.

Thanksgiving morning we woke up and drove to Andover to see Grandpa Marvin and Grandma Betty and a few aunts, uncles and cousins.  The weather was incredible and the sunshine was warm.  We got to spend the whole afternoon in the country finding bird nests and making fairy houses.  Marvin and Betty were doing well and we are so thankful for this.  We cherish every year we get to spend together.

Grandpa Marvin's windmill.  He is a tinkering fellow...and Derek has his genes for this.  I find it to be both a blessing and a curse.

Greta and Jack squint by Marvin's tractor.

This is a picture of a fairy house builder who has a tummy full of pie and hands full of pine cones.

And, as always, I reflect on this day and the Christmas season that follows so quickly behind.  We drove home from Andover that night and pulled quietly into the garage, and quietly carried heavy sleepy children upstairs to their beds.  We quietly slipped shoes off and tucked covers around little bottoms.  The drive home was dark through the Flint Hills and then I could see a country house now and then with bright Christmas lights up.  When I was a little girl I loved to ride in the car at night and press my cheek against the cold glass window and watch the stars as we drove. I also loved it when my dad would carry my sleeping body inside.  And, now the story continues.  I wonder if my dad knew I was a little bit awake every time.  As the story goes, I am sure he did!