Slowing things down

Christmas is over. New Year’s is past. All associated travel is done and everyone is in their respective home from the holidays. Things have slowed down to the point where I almost feel the need to stir up some unnecessary activity just so we do not get let down too hard. That may be the busiest holiday season I have ever been through. I know it was rough on Cori and Nate. He drove nineteen hours straight each way.


Fortunately we have all adopted the practice of paying cash for Christmas – presents, travel, entertaining, etc. – so there are no lingering debts to settle over the course of the year. There are enough financial strains in this life without adding that to them.

Victoria has discovered Mardel’s. It is a Christian book store in Amarillo. They sell some books at a substantial discount if you are willing to wait for the sales. After the Christmas rush, they are having some good sales and Victoria loves to read. I think she and Mama were up very late last night reading. I woke up at midnight and Mama was not in bed. Last I saw she and Victoria were snuggled up with a book.

I know Rosie, our mini dachshund, loves it. It is about the only time a lap is available for more than the length of a TV episode. When I interrupted Mama’s reading to kiss her goodnight it disturbed the dog on her lap. Rosie grumbles and groans when she is disturbed in that way. Today could turn out to be another long day for Mama. I’m told she did the same thing on Saturday night while I was traveling with the boys.

Seth has moved his stuff over to the spare bedroom at Grandma and Grandpa’s house but I imagine he will be spending most of his time at our house; besides, I am not sure Grandma and Grandpa can afford to feed him. He enjoys having a room for his own. The trundle was not working out well for him and Chase is not much fun to share a room with. Seth is pretty neat. Chase, not so much.

Wedding plans are being discussed every day. For some strange reason it seems to be Maggie’s major focus. Work is a worthwhile distraction. Not necessarily a pleasant one, but a distraction none the less and the first day for each of the girls was uneventful. Some things are better at this location. Some things are not. Victoria did say that they looked in six different lockers before they found one clean enough to assign to her. Even then she had to wipe it down thoroughly before putting her things in it. (It’s a woman thing.)

Even our conversations are returning to the normal grind of grocery needs and scheduling the use of cars so everyone gets where they need to go.

Life is good.

God is good.