Christmas: Part One

We left for Arkansas about 1 am Saturday morning. Made it there uneventfully. It's so nice to start seeing familiar land. There's no familiar land here. It's all just familiar... interstate exits. I've shifted my weight and turned my head with some of those hills and windy roads so many times...

Brad and I also talked a lot on the way. We both felt like it was kinda weird because we hadn't really TALKED talked in a long time. We work together. We come home together. I've talked about all this before (still need to do the e-mailing thing). So anyway, it was so nice.

We got there about 8:30 or so. I was so excited to see everyone. Matthew had Christmas lights up outside, he did such a great job. Jon and his girlfriend Jaci came over that evening, and Josh brought his girlfriend Heather over too. That was my first time meeting her. We had sub sandwhiches and watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Jaci did some research and discovered that the "Good morning starshine, the earth says hello!" line is from a song in the musical, "Hair." She fits in so well with our family it isn't even funny. I wish she and Jon would go ahead and just get married. I could be so much more happier for them if they would. You wanna see someone jump on their bandwagon? I'd be jumping for joy if they got married!

Anyway, Jaci and Jon stayed the night. I felt bad because I didn't know she was going to be there, or I would have gotten her more presents. I was pleased with what I got her, and she liked it, but I felt bad as everyone else had present after present after present. I had extra stuff at HOME I could have given her, but did I bring it with me just in case? NO! Sigh. But at least she liked it and it was fun having her around. She taught me how to do the missing knit stitch I needed!

Everyone liked their presents, which was really important to me. I spent hours trying to get something they'd like. The older guys are the hardest. I got each a shirt from Old Navy, a knit cap from Gap, and a cd. I spent hours in Family Christian listening to music so I wouldn't get them something cheesy! Matthew and Bekah got new coats, new music, and shirts. Bekah got a Nifty Knitter to make a fuzzy red scarf with (trying to get her into all this cool womanly arts stuff). She had the yarn I gave her done in about 2 hrs, so I need to send her more! Isaiah got Wally McDoogle audio books, a radio control hummer, new shirts, and Minnesota Cuke dvd. Mama got Ashley Cleveland cd, fleece throw, and Bath & Body Works stuff. Daddy got new suspenders, jeans, shirt, Fernando Ortega. They got more stuff too but that's the highlights. They have had such a hard year and I wanted to make sure they had a good Christmas. Everyone was happy.

Except for Micah. He's almost 17, and so hard to shop for. He has this almost goth/skater boy thing going on. I think the cd (Thousand Foot Krutch) was the only thing he kinda liked. And I tried so hard! Oh well. I'm glad he can take the shirt and cap back at least.