Well that is what Christmas felt like this year. Today we are four days into 2008, 5 days post trip, and it all seems like a far and distant dream. It has been fun to re-cap!
According to my rear view mirror, we left our home at 72degrees F headed W for the airport anxiously awaiting our reunion with family. Things looked a little something like this:
We arrived in Detroit (pronounced Day-twah...that is French for Detroit) and quickly got comfortable in our 20-30degrees F. Things looked a little something like this:
"Oh, look!" they all said gleefully (and by "they" I lovingly mean all of "them" who still think winter should be spent boarded up indoors for 4 months with freezing cold temperatures, ice, and snow constantly hindering any possible enjoyment of the outdoors). "Baby Boudreaux will get to see his first white Christmas!" He sure did. And I must say, it was pretty fun. He wasn't much for wanting to walk around in it, but he like sledding off of Grandpa E's deck and knocking down the snowman. I think he was mad the snowman was wearing his new gloves...I am not sure.
I went out for a night away with my dear friend RAK out west. We had a lovely time shopping, eating, and chatting the night away. Mr. B enjoyed a boys night out at an NBA game with his Dad and brother. Here we are on our girl's/boy's nights out:
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were full of family, food, fun, laughs, gifts, and a little person running around with fuzzy yellow feet. He still wears them almost everyday.
My mom and dad treated us all to Lion King tickets. What a fabulous show! If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it! I also got to see my other Grandma, Aunt C, and Amy, my long lost cousin from Las Vegas. We had a hootin- holerin' time drinking wine and playing Balderdash with the family. After that night, I realized how much I love and miss Amy. She is one of the neatest people I know and I wish we lived closer. Sorry, no picture of her. (Somebody email me one so I can post!)I think my favorite day of the entire trip was the Friday before we left. We drove out to L-town to visit Mr. B's grandparents. They are the type that don't get out much. We spent the day talking, watching old family videos, eating good food, and watching Baby Boudreaux interact with his great grandparents. It is sad to me that most children don't have great grandparents. I was fortunate enough to have my Great Grandma until 2 years ago. There is something about the presence of Great Grandparents that overwhelms me. Maybe it is the years of experience they carry. Maybe it is that their time appears to be more limited than us younger folks and I want to take in every minute. I am not quite sure the exact reason and I suppose it doesn't matter. I love spending time with them.
It was humbling to me to sit back and realize that on this particular Friday, all at once, there were four generations of family in that house. The oldest generation was carrying more than 75 years of memories, some of which the younger generations will never know. The youngest generation is embarking on 75 years of memories, most of which the older generations will never know. The experienced generations are the ones able to fully enjoy the simplicity of that day because they have a true appreciation of how fast these moments come and go. All attention from the older three generations were focused on the youngest. All 15 months of him, the axis on which the world revolved for one memorable day. I smiled thinking that Baby Boudreaux may not remember how much fun he had that day playing with all of the beanie babies, listening to Great Grandpa do his Donald Duck voice, or playing with Great Grandma and the circus train. However, Mr. B and I remember and we will be sure to tell him. After all, perhaps 75 years from now, Baby Boudreaux will be a Great Grandfather one day. I like to picture him humbly looking down at room full of three younger generations of his family. We won't be there, but the generations of love and memories will be. Although they don't do justice (blame it on the photographer) here are some pictures of this memorable day:
All in all it was a lovely Christmas. I am loving and missing everyone more that ever, but glad to be home.
7 comments:
Sweet!
Also? I want some yellow fluffs like that.
Family is truly a remarkable thing, isn't it? I have a *very large* family on my mother's side (my great-grandmother was one of six sisters and the family grew exponentially from there). My father's side is very small (one sister with no kids). I treasure both sides. :)
Your photos are terrific, thank you for sharing them, and your holiday sounds like it was just wonderful.
So cute, your baby bundle up in Day-twah (where I hail).
The brickwork under the stroller looks exactly like the brick work at a park in my city (suburb slightly north of Detroit).
Were you near the oaks, perchance? I hope you bundled up. It's FREEZING here!
Lovely post! Family is soooo important, I love to see people who value and love their family...we only have so much time with them.
My son has those slippers that he wears at Montessori School. I don't think they are that yellow still!
I wish that I had gotten to know my great grandmother a little better. I do remember visiting her in the nursing home when we would visit with Mom. I fear that my kids won't get to know their great grandparents (because of distance among other reasons).
Oh, I don't think your memories of that vacation/trip are so very far removed after all. You're all over the important stuff.
And your little bubby is soooo cute!
That sounds like a wonderful trip. I love the photos too.
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