A Driving Tale on Christmas Day

Our Christmas Day
A Timeline

I'm no writer, but
I am a woman of details
that I quickly forget if I don't write them down.

For Example:

Husband: Remember when we did this & that?

Me: Really? I don't remember that!

Husband: Do you remember when this & that happened?

Me: Nope.

We had a splendid day on Christmas with extended family. Below is an outline of our activities.

9:50 a.m. -- Drive 45 miles northwest to Dad & Mom's home. Running late (should have left at 9:00 a.m.), so call only to find out that:

Older Sister

• Older Sister overslept too, except she has a 150 mile drive (3 hours).
• Younger Sister & Brother-in-Law are tired from a long weekend of Christmas activities and will arrive late. (They live a couple miles from Dad & Mom's.)

Dad with Nephew & Son





10:40 a.m. -- Arrive at Dad & Mom's home and are first ones there.

• Figure out with family that we can all go to Uncle & Aunt's home for Christmas dinner and come back to Dad & Mom's home to exchange gifts.
• Have nice morning eating cinnamon rolls with Dad, Mom, little brother, and kids.
• It starts snowing.
• Cosette naps.
• Brother-in-Law arrives with Nephew to deliver gift from everyone to Dad & Mom (a grill).
• Nephew & Son each open one gift--dinosaurs.

12:50 p.m. --Drive 60 miles northeast to Uncle & Aunt's home through snow on country roads.

• Daughter is awake and screams with hunger during last 20 minutes of drive.
• Oops! Forgot to bring any food along for Daughter. She gets appetizers and table food and is satisfied.
• Arrive last even though we left first. Parents & Younger Sister have SUV & truck.
• Have wonderful time visiting with Uncle T, Aunt G, Uncle J, Uncle L, Grandma, and Cousins M, S, & T.
• Older Sister arrives in time for delicious dinner of turkey breast, ham, corn, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, snicker salad, and more.
• Grandma opens her gifts along with a few for the kids. Everyone else draws various $10 gift cards that they contributed.

6:00 p.m. -- Drive 60 miles southwest to Dad & Mom's home through more snow.

• Son & Daughter fall asleep in the car.
• Arrive first and wait only about 5 minutes for Dad or Mom to arrive with a key to the house.
• Open gifts from under the tree. Son & Nephew really enjoy this part.
• Eat pie.
• Enjoy visiting with family.

Younger Sister with Niece

9 something p.m. -- Drive 45 miles southeast toward home in snow. See lots of cars in ditches and slide around a bit a few times while zooming along the freeway.

• Son & Daughter slept.
  
• (I don't mind sliding a bit when stopping or spinning tires when accelerating. But I do mind general loss of control when simply driving straight forward.)
• Made it home safely.
• Went to bed.

Next day:

• Finish Christmas advent story since day before was busy.

Praising God for sending the Christ for the first advent as we eagerly anticipate his second advent.