Arkansas Christmas wrap-up

Wow, I don't know where to start or finish about our trip to Arkansas! My sister blogged a nice entry about some of our antics, including our trip with three crazy teenage girls to see Twilight and the ensuing NYE Vampire Fashion Show and Bowles Family Rave. There was so much going on we didn't get many group shots, which is too bad. From now on I'm going to make sure we take the time to gather everyone together for a group photo. But we got some great candids, in part because my niece Chloe is a talented photographer--seriously. Someone get that girl a digital SLR! One way to sum the trip up is that the night before our scheduled flight home my heart just hurt at the thought of leaving, so at the last minute I changed my flight, and Anneke and I stayed an extra couple of days where we had some unhurried time with Darlin, Granddaddy, Auntie Emily, Chloe, Sidney, Juliette, and Mamo.

Here are the granddaughters!

Here is my cousin from Minden, Louisiana at my cousin Lisa's house in Sarepta, Louisiana. The Bowles side of the family is loud and raucous and fun!

Here's baby Vaughn right in the middle. He is truly, truly the sweetest baby I have ever met. My parents' back yard is one of my favorite places in the world.

Here we are in Texarkana, Texas. You wouldn't believe the sunsets my aunt and uncle are treated to every evening. We got to see the Texarkana family twice--it was so nice to spend time with them and everyone.

The Longest Night

What a banner evening: the Winter Solstice, the first night of Hannukah, and meanwhile (for we Christians) Advent marches on....

Advent is the season of preparation for observing Jesus's birth--at least I think that's the theological definition. Last year Advent had special meaning for me because I was preparing for the birth of my own child. And this Advent season she's here. This year I joined my church choir in rehearsals for our Lessons and Carols Service (it got snowed out). As usual, we worked on a number of lullabies. It's not hard for lullabies to tear at the proverbial heartstrings, but this year they have new meaning for me. I know what's in a lullaby, and it's not all sweetness and light. It's also fierce and tender, passionate and pleading (for the baby to go to sleep!), sad and fearful (that my baby will grow up and away, that hard things will happen to her). In short, this year I have a whole new perspective on the Nativity--that of a mother. No matter what you believe about Jesus, at one point he was just a baby, and his mother had no idea what he was headed for. This Advent season has reminded me of the opportunity I have every day to be present with Anneke and soak up our time together.

And, this afternoon, right before it got dark I was skiing around our neighborhood in the snow when I met on of my neighbors who said he wished he was out skiing, but was recovering from knee surgery. We got to talking and realized we lived down the street from one another. He said he and his son were stranded in town because of flight cancellations, and that his wife and his son's mother died the day after Christmas last year. All of his son's Christmas presents are back East, so he was walking to the store to scramble for something for his son to open on Christmas morning. He told me this in a sad-but-what-can-you-do way--it was hard not to be cheerful in the winter wonderland that was our neighborhood today, and he didn't seem like the kind of guy to unload on random strangers skiing down the sidewalk. We said our goodbyes, and then he started jogging way, stopping to scoop up a snowball and throw it at someone down the block.

This evening we listened to the Paul Winter Solstice concert on OPB--definitely a highlight of the season. I lit a bunch of candles for people I know--including my neighbor--whose holiday season is not all sweetness and light this year. And this year that list is longer than in past years. Not sure what the point of this post is, except that, for me, things are darker and richer this year. I'm so glad for family and community amidst the darkness in life, and more aware than ever of just how important they are.

Another Snow Day

Once again we torture our baby by making her come out to play with us in the snow.

(New Video!)

Snow Day!

Not quite ready for snow angels

Hounded by the paparazzi

Must...get...to...swings!

Chapped baby!

Sunday morning we woke to a winter wonderland! A blustery, blizzardy winter wonderland, but that didn't stop us from taking Anneke out for her first snow. Usually I love to get out the cross country skis and cruise around the neighborhood, but it was too nasty and icy for that. At one point I was ready to go inside, and I think Anneke was, too, but Dave looked so sad and said, "but it's my only snow day!" So we braved the weather for a bit longer. Anneke's lucky to have such a playful dad! The next day we took her out again for a walk to the grocery store, and look what happened to her poor little face! My sister said to use Eucerin on her chapped little cheeks--she's a pro at this since she lives in the midwest.

Christmas trees!

A couple of weeks ago we joined Dave's side of the family and their old friends, the Johnsons, at the Christmas tree farm! When Dave was growing up his family and the Johnsons celebrated Christmas together since their own extended families were back in the U.K. Meeting up with them to cut Christmas trees is an annual tradition, one I was invited to join when Dave and I first started dating. We all head over to Cornelius Pass Roadhouse afterwards for lunch. Notice Anneke and her cousin. I fear this is just the beginning of a bunch of shenanigans.

Now I know how Joan of Arc felt.

Ha ha! (Incidentally, technical difficulties prevent me from posting the Christmas tree photos--more on that later). Emily, this is especially pertinent to your life with a very dramatic four-year-old.

I can't tell you how many times The Smiths helped me through particularly absurd days in social services.

Santa

Tick off another "must do" for Anneke's first year.

Special thanks goes to Mary who pointed out not only that the Macy's line for Santa is very short during the weekdays, but that the crying baby with Santa pictures are often more interesting than the posed ones that we so often try for.

We were able to have two photo sessions in order to get this picture, and of all of the pics where our little girl was bawling her head off, we chose this one for the wonderful look of displeasure she gave the camera. Zoom in to see it better.