Gone Too Soon

It's hard to feel let down three days before Christmas and it's a good thing.  Because my visitors just left and I always feel a little sad when my visitors leave.  My family lives too far away and I see them in short spurts and I wish it wasn't that way.

Yesterday morning Enoch and Jennifer and their three darling children arrived. 

Emma introduced Savannah to all of her old ponies...which we have carefully saved just for such delightful little guests.

The boys built a "campfire" then had "roast chicken"--the Angry Bird.  They quickly moved away because they didn't want to have their picture taken (Mark hid under his blanket)...too bad, boys.   

We spent a lovely day trying to keep Mark, Isaiah and Luke and their dart guns contained, playing ponies with Savannah and Christmas shopping.  I enlisted the help of my own darling children to babysit, Enoch slept and Jennifer and I hit the town.  We were on the quest for the holy grail...the perfect gift for Savannah.  When we finally found it, choirs of angels were singing and we felt like we'd won a gold medal at the Olympics.  You can't beat finding perfect Christmas presents.

We had pizza and ice cream and happy cacophony last night.  I'm telling you, nieces and nephews are where it is at.

So are brothers.

And sisters in law.

I unfortunately didn't get a picture of Enoch and Jennifer.  I decided to snap a picture of their Christmas card so you could see what an attractive group they are:

If you live anywhere near me you knew they were here this morning. 

This is what they drove.

Enoch started it up early to get warm and it rumbled and shook and then he blasted his horn a few times for good measure when they pulled away.

That's my brother.

Shy and self-effacing.  Maybe he'll come out of his shell sometime.