Christmas in Alabama...day 9, the Journey Home

I would like to start my final posting by wishing all of you a Happy New Year...

Saturday December 28  

Getting up at 6:00am was almost like getting back into our normal routine. But today, I didn't spring out of bed, like I normally do. Instead I crawled out of bed, feeling tired; congested, coughing. A few days ago Kristin was feeling a cold come on. Her throat hurt and she was coughing a lot and was generally feeling crummy. A day later she was feeling much better, but Kerry was now experiencing the same symptoms that Kristin had the day before. I tried to keep my distance, but since Kerry is what completes me, avoiding her was impossible. So I wasn't surprised when, the following day, I started feeling as Kerry and Kristin did. What is it with me and vacations? I seem to always catch a cold (or whatever is going around) when travelling. As we left for the airport, it seems like  Nick and the boys were spared. Karis had a runny nose.

 

Once we reached the Birmingham airport, a 90 minute drive from NIck's house, we breezed through security...actually Kerry breezed through. Somehow she got a TSA Security priority rating and didn't have to show her small 3oz fluid containers in a baggy. Nor did she have to remove her shoes. Instead they just walked her through the X-ray and that was it. By time I got through security I saw her waiting for me on the other side. "Hang on," I pleaded while putting myself back together.

 

Our Dallas flight was bumpy for the first half. Then the pilot found some quiet air and it was smooth flying during the rest of the way in. It was a tiny plane with one seat on one side and two on the other. We slept most of the way. Dallas to Phoenix was on one of those 737's with video. We watched Despicable Me 2. Funny!

 

Our vacation (Christmas in Alabama) ended with a nice drive to Tucson from Phoenix. Other than having the entire east bound highway 10 closed, and being forced to detour over 30 miles through a reservation up by Casa Grande, the trip was uneventful. There must have been a wicked car accident...we never did get to see what happened. Once we finally arrived back in Tucson we made a quick stop for groceries before picking up Rosie We have some good friends who doggy-sit when we travel and when they are travelling we do the same for their dog Pepper. It is good to be back at home.

It is amazing to me that one moment we are sitting in our child's home, on the other side of the country and in a blink of an eye, we are back home, in our bed, under our roof, reflecting on the dream that was our vacation, our Christmas in Alabama. What a small, small world.

Kerry and I closed the year reflecting on where we are, where we've been and where we are going in the future. This year was an amazing journey that took us across Northern Italy, visiting San Diego to bury Kerry's mom and dad, wandering the Pacific Northwest and now, Christmas in Alabama. Kerry even did a couple of solo trips, one to Alabama and another to visit her sister in Central Mexico. We watched our church grow and we got to be a part of that. What a blessing. We even bought a home in a small town called Jacksonville, Oregon (population 2800 / now 2802).  Finally we placed our Tucson house on the market. God will sell it, in His time. We are starting the New Year with an adventure, one that we never saw coming, our relocation to a place where there are actual 4 seasons, where gardens can grow, and water is plentiful.

                                                    Arizona traded in for Oregon

Of course, there will be challenges along the way, obstacles that will dot our path, but we have a resolve to continue on, and that is just what we will do.

May your 2014 be as exciting and adventurous as ours and may each step along your path be Spiritually Blessed. May your health be solid and your wisdom deep and most of all, may your family complete you as ours does for Kerry and me.

The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.

RICHARD BACH, Illusions

Christmas in Alabama...day 8

 

Friday December 27 

Well today was one busy day, in a lazy sort of way.  Nick had to work today, so we didn't get to see him until supper time. Kerry and I actually slept in until 8am, hours after our usual wake up time of 5:30am. Slumbering was good ... Real good!

Once we made it down stairs, we enjoyed an easy breakfast (cereal with banana) followed by the first cup of Java for the day. After cleaning up our breakfast dishes Kerry and I headed outside to tackle that shed one last time. Our goal...finish the job!  It was a little tricky getting the last few dozen screw holes to line up, but with a little patience and a lot of prayer, the last screw and bolt were in place. The shed was almost done. All we needed to do now was lay out the floor sub support and cut the plywood flooring. I noticed my nose was a little runny while working and hopefully it was due to the cold weather and not a cold bug.

By 1pm we cut the last piece of flooring and fit it into place. "It Was Finished, Done, Complete, Finito."

As we sat down to a supper of spaghetti with zucchini I couldn't help reflect on the fact that this was the "Last Supper" for us in Alabama. Tomorrow morning Kerry and I leave the Deep South (Nick, Kristin, Jared, Landon and Kari's) and head back to the Ole Pueblo.

This was truly a Christmas to remember, one for the books, a gift to us from God and we are so pleased that we get to share it with you. We hope your Christmas was as merry as ours and may the New Year bring all of your dreams into reality.

 

The family is both the fundamental unit of society as well as the root of culture. It is a perpetual source of encouragement, advocacy, assurance, and emotional refueling that empowers a child to venture with confidence into the greater world and to become all that he (or she) can be.

MARIANNE E. NEIFERT, Dr. Mom's Parenting Guide

Christmas in Alabama...day 7

Thursday Dec 26

That's right, only 364 days until Christmas.  

Today is Boxing Day, a holiday celebrated in Commonwealth countries, like Canada. Apparently, in the old days, when a child got a new toy or pair of shoes, they would take the box their gift came in and fill it with old toys or shoes or whatever. Then they would leave the boxes by their front door where they would be collected and distributed to the poor and needy. Sharing with those less fortunate was the focus. It was a true Merry Christmas. Well, now-a-days Boxing Day has morphed into a holiday more geared around returning or exchanging gifts that you don't want or don't fit. Even though there is still a higher rate of generosity between the average person and those less fortunate during the holidays, the true meaning of Boxing Day has long since been lost. Sad!

Today we relaxed and savored the special moments; Jared watching over his little sister; Landon mimicking his older brother; Nicholas and Kristin multi tasking. It was a great way to start the day. By 10am the three of us were back at it...assembling the shed. Yes, this was day three and we finally got the roof up and sort of attached. Every time we start a new section, the list of hardware required was daunting (95 screws with washers or 156 bolts with washers and nuts, ect).  We stopped for a quick lunch before getting back to work. Our afternoon was all about the shed's roof.

The leftover food from yesterday made a great lunch and the ham bone morphed into an awesome ham and bean soup for supper. After eating dinner Kerry and I stayed with the kids while Nick and Kristin went out to feed a friends pet. They also took a little time for themselves...a mini dessert date I guess you can call it.

 

While Nick and Kristin were gone Grammy and I enjoyed working with Landon and Jared in putting together a Rice Krispies Treats Holiday Train kit. Nothing like a high dose of sugar before going to bed. Being a Grandparent is a wonderful thing.

 

Family is what grounds you...

ANGELINA JOLIE, interview, Jun. 13, 2001

Christmas in Alabama...day 6

 

Wednesday December 25

 

Merry Christmas everyone.

With our new pj's on we all eventually gathered by the tree. Today was like the Christmas days of my youth. There is a strange glow about, and I like it. Why can't we (humans) feel like this every day? This and many other realizations quickly float to the surface. What about those who don't have a family to share this day with? What about those who just experienced a loss? Will Christmas ever be the same? For me though, I quickly bounce back to this here-and-now. Grandkids are running wild with excitement. There are new traditions for Kerry and I to experience; the Alabama Malan Family Christmas tradition, and we, for the first time, will do this day their way.

After eating a hearty breakfast of bacon and monkey bread, with a tall side of orange juice we got down to business. By 11:00am, the tree was bare, as far as gifts go. We took our time opening one gift at a time, so the excitement of opening that gift could be appreciated and shared. Jared made an awesome Santa.

 

The ham was in the oven and Kristin kept busy with all of the other fixins. While Kristin was busy with preparing the holiday feast, Nick, Kerry and I went outside to continue with the shed construction. Previously we got as far as various beam and foundation assemblies. Then we reached a point where the instruction manual said, "STOP NOW." Apparently the remaining assembly would take SEVERAL hours and to avoid wind damage to incomplete walls, it was recommended that we wait until we had enough time to finish this section. We didn't have that much time...the sun was already setting.

 

 

 

Today we had several hours of sunshine to work so we continued where we left off...building (or should I say assembling) the walls. We worked nonstop, until the sun started dancing with the western horizon. All four walls were now up with supports in place. Tomorrow we tackle the roof.

For now, our goal is to spend the rest of Christmas day basking in the "Reason for the Season." After eating dinner, games were played, toys explored and  moments cherished. As you guessed, we closed this Christmas Day with our Sleepy Time herbal tea. We had a full day of beautiful moments, each one devoured. No nap time today ... Deep sleep tonight.

A family with an old person has a living treasure of gold.

CHINESE PROVERB