I was feeling guilt for posting this picture earlier today with no accompanying text, so here’s a quick post from a little bit frazzled and trunky Angie:
We’re all very, very cold in this picture. If you look carefully, you might see shadows of coats flying midair; we had just torn them off so we wouldn’t look puffy. This is the photo of Dale and Lorraine Ross and their posterity gathered for the occasion of their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
We then moved to Rebecca’s home where we tried to eat 50 pounds of roast beef. We failed, but we’ll keep at it until it’s gone.
We’re home. It feels like Christmas all over again as we unpack well-thought gifts and generous donations for our warmth in mind. Texas and Arizona have poorly tempered us for cold weather. Thermostats were pushed to their limits; every hat and scarf available was shared in pity and kindness.
There was rain, snow, slush, a melted cargo carrier, drenched gifts and subsequent re-wrapping (dismay!), timely mugs of hot cocoa, a Christmas pageant, a ski resort, laser tag, sledding, more timely mugs of hot cocoa, a movie, frozen freeways, many doggies under one roof (sorry), a trip INSIDE the Missionary Training Center for church, and a lot of food.
Name a food. (Did you do it?) I’m pretty sure I ate whatever it was that you said at some time on this trip.
Now name another food… BINGO! I’m telling you. We were served one of everything and two of anything else.
It was a long time to be away, but already my memories of time with family are growing hazy and golden-hued. Eventually, even the dog will develop a halo in the halls of memory. Here’s hoping it’s the same for everyone else, too, when you think about us. We know two weeks was a long time to entertain us.
We’re unpacking and taking down Christmas decorations at the same time. Now and then I sit down and watch Richard’s movie about his parents and then I page through a book of paintings. I lack focus, but focus will eventually return and the memories will get pushed aside. Until then, I’m just enjoying it. I think you know what I mean.
Happy New Year!