Saturday, January 21, 2006
DECEMBER....2002
December was a little wilder this year than most. George and I had been urging Jennifer and Marc to come for Christmas and when they said they could…….we decided to make it a big surprise for Becky. Keeping a secret in this family is like trying to tie a sledge hammer to a butterfly……it just never works out. However!! George and I were determined for once in her life she was going to be surprised.
Rocky and I were both working and like everyone else the shopping, gift buying, and cards were worked in with everything else going on. It was a panic operation with getting the baking and candy-making done to have on hand by the time everyone arrived. John and Barb weren‘t able to come which would have made our surprise complete.
The big day came for Jennifer and Marc’s flight and suddenly blizzard conditions hit the Midwest. It was pandemonium as airports delayed and/or shut down completely. The kids had been back and forth over the eastern states several times before they were landed in Kansas City. They rented a car and planned to drive down….we kept current with their situation as they called on their cell-phone every couple of hours to let us know how they were doing. The roads were hazardous to say the least.
We normally open our gifts on Christmas Eve and make an evening of it. Becky was here with George, Rocky and me. We ate supper and I dragged out the KP as long as I could. George kept going to the garage to call the kids to see where they were……..Becky was getting more impatient all the time about opening the gifts. The evening drug on and finally Becky blurted out….. “I think something is going on! Is someone coming? You’re all acting a little strange…..why does George keep going to the garage?”
At first it was easy to pass it off but by 9:00 P.M. I knew I had to come up with something!! Finally I had a good idea!! I tried to sound as disappointed as I could and said, “Well, we didn’t want to tell you, but John and Barb are coming. We were hoping to surprise you but you are so hard to fool!! They are in the ‘Hardy Hills’ area coming through Arkansas and have had bad roads so they didn’t get here as early as we’d hoped.” She studied my face for deception and seemed to be fairly pacified. That lasted for a while……..
Finally, car lights shown in our window as their car pulled into the driveway. We got up and George turned the porch light on……. “Becky said….it doesn’t look like John and Barb’s car….who is that? Is it Marc and Jennifer?” I said, “Heaven’s no……you don’t think they’d make a trip back this time of year do you?” But by that time, they were out of the car and we all came swarming out of the house like bees to grab them up and hug them…..laughing and everyone talking at once. Becky swore up and down she had it figured out but we still think she was surprised.
After our celebration and Christmas was past we had to take Becky to the hospital in Springfield for foot surgery. It was Outpatient surgery so she was released by 2:00pm and we got her in the van and to our favorite restaurant for lunch. There she was, struggling along with crutches in that busy place while we dragged her to our table……..we were in one corner where we could spread out and enjoy the time together with good food.
The next day George stayed with Becky while we drove Jennifer and Marc to the airport in Springfield. We left around 5:30a.m. as their flight was for 7:15a.m. In just a few minutes they were airborne and we were on our way home. We kept Becky at our place so she could convalesce. George returned to Shawnee after the holidays and we settled in for the winter to come. We discovered a broken faucet in the bathroom that flooded into the hallway requiring wet carpet to be removed for the necessary repairs….which didn’t happen until after the new year.
All in all, the year ended well. We were blessed with good health, family times, and employment. Our kids were all working and doing well. We had full tummy’s and food in the pantry so we were amply provided for and happy. This, our second Christmas together, turned out to be pretty eventful……and quite memorable.
Until the next time,
Essentially Esther
Rocky and I were both working and like everyone else the shopping, gift buying, and cards were worked in with everything else going on. It was a panic operation with getting the baking and candy-making done to have on hand by the time everyone arrived. John and Barb weren‘t able to come which would have made our surprise complete.
The big day came for Jennifer and Marc’s flight and suddenly blizzard conditions hit the Midwest. It was pandemonium as airports delayed and/or shut down completely. The kids had been back and forth over the eastern states several times before they were landed in Kansas City. They rented a car and planned to drive down….we kept current with their situation as they called on their cell-phone every couple of hours to let us know how they were doing. The roads were hazardous to say the least.
We normally open our gifts on Christmas Eve and make an evening of it. Becky was here with George, Rocky and me. We ate supper and I dragged out the KP as long as I could. George kept going to the garage to call the kids to see where they were……..Becky was getting more impatient all the time about opening the gifts. The evening drug on and finally Becky blurted out….. “I think something is going on! Is someone coming? You’re all acting a little strange…..why does George keep going to the garage?”
At first it was easy to pass it off but by 9:00 P.M. I knew I had to come up with something!! Finally I had a good idea!! I tried to sound as disappointed as I could and said, “Well, we didn’t want to tell you, but John and Barb are coming. We were hoping to surprise you but you are so hard to fool!! They are in the ‘Hardy Hills’ area coming through Arkansas and have had bad roads so they didn’t get here as early as we’d hoped.” She studied my face for deception and seemed to be fairly pacified. That lasted for a while……..
Finally, car lights shown in our window as their car pulled into the driveway. We got up and George turned the porch light on……. “Becky said….it doesn’t look like John and Barb’s car….who is that? Is it Marc and Jennifer?” I said, “Heaven’s no……you don’t think they’d make a trip back this time of year do you?” But by that time, they were out of the car and we all came swarming out of the house like bees to grab them up and hug them…..laughing and everyone talking at once. Becky swore up and down she had it figured out but we still think she was surprised.
After our celebration and Christmas was past we had to take Becky to the hospital in Springfield for foot surgery. It was Outpatient surgery so she was released by 2:00pm and we got her in the van and to our favorite restaurant for lunch. There she was, struggling along with crutches in that busy place while we dragged her to our table……..we were in one corner where we could spread out and enjoy the time together with good food.
The next day George stayed with Becky while we drove Jennifer and Marc to the airport in Springfield. We left around 5:30a.m. as their flight was for 7:15a.m. In just a few minutes they were airborne and we were on our way home. We kept Becky at our place so she could convalesce. George returned to Shawnee after the holidays and we settled in for the winter to come. We discovered a broken faucet in the bathroom that flooded into the hallway requiring wet carpet to be removed for the necessary repairs….which didn’t happen until after the new year.
All in all, the year ended well. We were blessed with good health, family times, and employment. Our kids were all working and doing well. We had full tummy’s and food in the pantry so we were amply provided for and happy. This, our second Christmas together, turned out to be pretty eventful……and quite memorable.
Until the next time,
Essentially Esther
