Life At The Circus

I LOVE hosting Christmas.  And I am so thankful that my extended family allows me that privilege.  I am thankful that they all have been willing and able to come year after year so we could share the day together. I don’t take it for granted.  I know my parents won’t always be able to travel.  I know my BIL and SIL can get stationed so far away that it just doesn’t make a trip to MD possible.  I know life situations can change in the blink of an eye. And so I am thankful for what we have.  I am thankful that my SIL, BIL, and two nephews came and spent 4 days and 3 nights with us.  I am thankful for the sounds of cousins chasing each other round the house, for cookie decorating, for legos and video games and trampoline time, for Apples to Apples and a giant puzzle.  I am thankful for the mess and the giggles and the time together.       I am thankful for our Christmas Eve candlelight service and the reminder that even though t...

About a month ago my youngest asked when we would see the Statue of Liberty again.  We visited it a few years ago on our way to our Boston Vacation, and it has been a highlight memory of our youngest child ever since.  He loves when we spot it on tv or in a picture somewhere.  I replied, “Probably the next time we go to New York City.”  To which he of course replied, “When can we go to New York City again?”  followed by, “Can we go tomorrow?”    The other kids all laughed and said no way, besides Daddy is away on business travel, we can’t go without him.   He then wanted to know if we could go the day after Daddy got back.  I said, “Let’s ask Dad.”    So, we did on our next phone call with Scott.  Scott paused a minute and said, “ Welll…. maybe let me check my schedule.”  He was getting back the week before Thanksgiving and already planning to take a light week of work, maybe we could pull of his request and...