Angela is smart and beautiful and at the moment, is courageously pursuing a dream in her life that is 180 degrees opposite what she's been doing, professionally. I'm so impressed with her bravery and resolve and as her Godmother, would like to take partial credit. (Although it's completely unjustified.)
We had a wonderful time on this trip. It was everything that the week after Christmas should be; it was quiet and fun, filled with late evenings spent with family and friends, and mornings where we slept in until 8:30 (which by our standards, is nearly noon).
All of us had a wonderful time, everywhere we went.
We are so appreciative of my sister, Beth, and her family's hospitality to invite us to stay at their home - in the midst of a kitchen remodel. And even though we displaced them from their very own beds, and one of our children left the upstairs sink running when they washed their hands after waking up to use the toilet in the middle of the night (YAY they remembered to 1) wake up and 2) wash their hands! BOO they forgot to turn it off!), and the bathroom flooded and dripped through the ceiling to the kitchen and then, basement, they've told us that we're welcome to come stay again at any time because they're clearly crazy.
(On the upside, they hadn't yet installed the new ceiling or drywall in the kitchen. On the downside, my children flooded the bathroom at around 2 AM and although neither nor Charlie heard them, Beth and Michael were up from 3 AM until 5 AM drying their house, before having to get up and start their work days at 6 AM.)
William said that the highlight of his time in Massachusetts was visiting with his cousins Michael, William, Wally and Wyatt. Carolyn said that they highlight of her trip, was visiting Aunt Janet in the country and seeing the sheep, rabbit, and little shop. Henry's highlight was inner tubing and sledding with his big cousins. Meanwhile, Elizabeth said that the highlight of her trip was playing BINGO with my father and the other residents at the nursing home on Friday night.
She said that she loved how they smiled so warmly when they looked at her, and how they were so happy when she would point out plays on their cards that they had missed the caller announce.
Most of all, she loved winning three of the four games played, and giving her gold tokens to Grampy so he could buy something for himself (and his friends) at the little store on the grounds.
I adore her heart.
