A Christmas Loop

The Christmas Season actually started with a visit before Christmas that did not include Christmas. Sara came to the states from Mexico and stayed four days. She was a Bridesmaid in the wedding of her friend, Heather, and then she was gone. She stayed very busy while here BUT her presence as a great blessing. One of those blessings was the fact that Daivd and Shelley brought the boys up from College Station and we had an early turkey and a specific gift exchange - only presents to and from Sara were opened. It was fun and happy and too short and will be a lasting memory.


The "loop" referred to in the title is the trip we made in order to have Christmas. This was a year when David and Shelley were with us for Christmas. Last year it was David's parents. It's a fair enough arrangement. The problem this year was we couldn't figure where "with us" was going to be. So, it ended up being a loop of travel. We went first to Fairfield to see Marilyn's mom over night. Then we went to College Station and stayed 'til Christmas Day - which was on SUNDAY!! Then, on Christmas day we went to ORN to be with my mom and family - David and Shelley and the boys joined us there. After an overnight, we went back to College Station. We had Marilyn's mom with us because she had been with Marilyn's brother and his family in ORN for Christmas. Another overnight in College Station and we took Marilyn's mom home to Fairfield and drove back to Fort Worth. It really wasn't as bad as it sounds. None of the trips were all that long and we got to visit with and see lots of family and friends. We had some good quality time with our kids and grandkids. David and I got in a good bike ride and a couple of runs. And, there were lots of other fun events, which I'll speak of as we go.

I think our Christmas Loop is going to be blogged on several other family Blogs, so my post is going to be a bit more random. We've got a few pics. I'm going to record with a few things that I thought were cool. That doesn't mean that other things that happened weren't cool. It's just that I'm going to post these few on the blog.

I won't go into detail nor offer any explanation. Those who understand this will understand. The rest can just wonder. We asked Sara if Chema speaks English. She paused and thought for a moment and then said, "I think so. Yeah, I'm sure he does?"

Have you ever ridden through an open pasture on the tailgate of a Dodge Ram pick-up truck dropping feed off the back with 50 head of cattle chasing you and a 90 year-old woman driving? Well, I have! It's FUN!

Marilyn and I love our iPod Shuffle. It soothed and entertained us all the way around the Christmas Loop. I think it had about seven hours worth of music on it. All good stuff. We are not jealous of Shelley's new iPod Nano that her extravagant husband gave her for Christmas. We're just happy for her.

Becky Cox (the lesser) You-da-man!! What was it? More than 25 people in your house for Christmas dinner. Amazing! It was fun to visit with your dad and see so many relatives from your side of the fam. Great food and great memories.

David and I have lost count of our joint construction and remodeling projects. This one involved ripping out two old sets of sliding doors - arrhh arrhh arrhh - and installing new sliding doors. Oh, this is something neither of us had ever done before - no problem!! Just give us time, Samuel as a helper, and food and we'll get it done - eventually.


Jogging on campus at Texas A&M with my son-in-law and grandson (on his bike) - what a memory!! Right down the middle of the Quad pointing out the dorms I lived in. Does it get any better than that?

Well, I guess there can be competition. How about flying a kite on a windy day with both grandsons? How about enema roasted chickens? How about Christmas morning super-hero PJs? Or try this one - a homemade CD from your daughter (with song title selection help from your other daughter and your wife) entitled "Songs that make me think of you."

I know others will blog this Christmas because it has already happened. My mother now has (and is doing a great job of keeping it up-to-date) her own blog. She also has DSL and is starting to do her banking online. I won't reveal her age here (check her blog for that) but I will point out that such electronic activity is not normally associated with the generation born in the '20s.

Russell, Michael and Philip - all there at the same time. It was really good to spend time with Mark and his boys. Wish Carla could have been there, too. It's good to have a brother. It's good to see brothers be brothers.

We visited Andy and Stephanie's apartment in College Station. We met Beans the dog. Jeremiah loved him - was kissed by him and kissed him back.

While setting pieces of the small Nativity in place, Samuel was naming each piece. There was a cow and a donkey and a "seep." He's been having some trouble with the "sh" sound, so it was a "seep." His dad began very gently to help him repeat the word correctly - "SHeep." Then his mom began to offer her help as well. Then Nana helped with a "sha sha sha." Samuel sat quietly listening apparently appreciating the help. Then he said, rather shyly, "I think I'll just call it a lamb."

One of the fun things about being with Becky Cox (the greater) and her family is the sense of enjoying each other while being responsible citizens in the community. The ever present background static of James' Fire Chief's radio goes unnoticed by everyone - everyone, that is, but James. Somehow he is in tune to it enough to know when that "ksksksksksksk" actually refers it his fire station or district.

Eggnog on Christmas evening at Larry and Ann's place with our mothers and grandsons - does that sound like fun or what?! Dancing with Larry and Jeremiah to a selection from the famous CD album "Songs that make me think of you." Lots of laughing and conversations about other memories while in the midst of making more.

It was a great Christmas Loop. We were never all together at the same time or in the same place, but hey! What a blessing! We had opportunity to love and be loved. We spoke of our Savior and remembered His birth on the earth. We, from the Fall-of-life generation, remembered our memories from the past and created for the Spring-of-life generation some memories for the future. These are the things that make us live longer than we live because those we love will have us alive in their hearts long after we're gone. How's that for reflective and philosophical? God is good - that's a fact.

Six Complete Orbits

I'm not going to post very many details of the event because I'm going to leave that to Samuel's parents. I'm sure they'll do an exemplerary job of describing the Balloon Birthday Party - Samuel's celebration of having come to this point in the earth's orbit for the sixth time. I'll just say that we had a good time. It was fun to see Samuel's friends and to see him interact so maturely with them. He has a very strong sense of fair play and a great desire to see everyone included. At my age, in spite of my relative fitness, I still wonder at the energy level of these small people. The thing that amazes me is the idea that most of the food they consume has to be being used to grow their bodies. They are all "growin' like weeds." Yet, though the calories they consume are going for bodily growth, they still have endless amounts of energy - more than is actually good for their own safety. Go figger!!

Another blessing of these occasions is the rarer-than-formerly-true opportunity to visit with the other Parks - Jerry, Ann and Kristi. When David and Shelley lived here, in Fort Worth, and were visited by the Parks it often resulted in our getting to see them as well. But now the Parks can visit them in College Station and we don't get to see them. So the occasion has to be big enough to get us all at David and Shelley's at the same time in order for us to see them. And this being such a big enough occasion - the completion of six orbits, we got to see them. A recent example of another such big event is Grand Parents Day at Samuel's school.

We all pitched in on the party decorating. Then, after the party was over and the kids retrieved by their parents, Samuel opened his presents from we family members. Then we all went out to eat together. It's fun to be related to people you like.