Merry Christmas

December 25, 2007

We realized that this is the first Christmas we have spent at home in a long time. Last year we were in Zimbabwe with Anna at a place called Jingle Bells Lodge. It was sparse and a little sad because we were all apart from anything that resembled home. The year before that we were on the beach in Senegal. It was a beautiful lodge with a tremendous dinner and a skinny little Santa handing out presents. Three years ago we were at my brother’s in Texas. That was great because we were surrounded by family.

The one thing they were all missing was home; each time we were traveling. This made presents limited and traditions guided by somebody else. Today we were in our house! We had a Christmas tree and lights and a big turkey for dinner. It was made doubly special by the fact that my mom, my sister, and my sister in law were here to help celebrate.

My sister and her spouse brought down a bicycle I had purchased over the internet. We stayed up last night and put it together. I got it to replace the cheap piece of shit I had bought for Z’s fifth birthday. The birthday bike looked great in the store, but when I got it home, the troubles began; the rims weren’t straight, the bolts weren’t tight, and the bearings fell apart the first time he rode it. I quit trying to fix it after a month and put it in the back room. This new bike is much better (although it too was made in China). It even has coaster brakes instead of hand brakes. This rocks as most kids his age don’t have the motor skills to work a hand brake. He had a ball riding it in the park.

We put the little guy to bed around ten and then set to work. Unfortunately, we had no idea that the real festivities were just beginning. The Venezolanos sure love their fireworks! Holy cow, there were booms and crashes and flashes and bangs until midnight and then the real show happened. We felt like the building might crash down around us. We finally stumbled off to bed, only to be awakened around two by an M80 that had been lit off somewhere next to my head. Every car alarm in a three block radius erupted, waking up every dog in the city. I thought I would never get back to sleep. It’s a good thing I knew it was fireworks…

The funny part is that everyone woke up before Zachary! We laid in bed and waited for him to get up and see his stuff. He sure was excited. It wasn’t just the bicycle, it was also that little plastic Matchbox toy I bought him yesterday on a whim. It’s funny, isn’t it? You put a ton of thought into something, making plans way ahead of time, and it’s some coincidental doohickey that they really end up liking. Oh well, so it goes.

Before Christmas we all spent some time at a couple of posadas near Valencia. It was great. We drove less than two hours and arrived in the foothills, surrounded by forest. We were treated like royalty while we ate tremendous meals and stared at beautiful birds. We even got to see a sloth! We watched him eat while he hung upside down in a tree. It was very comfortable and very relaxing. Now we know where there are some great spots just minutes from our door. I think we’ll be taking advantage of them in the future.

I’m still getting over the death of Reg. I just can’t believe the guy is dead. I stopped crying a week or so ago, but it still pains me to think that I will never see him again. I got in touch with his fiancé, a woman I have never met. I sent her a little note and she responded to say that they expected his body to arrive on the day he was slated to come home; December 22. Merry Christmas… It sure makes me appreciate having my family here with me now. Never take life for granted!

Anyway, it’s Christmas and I am wandering off into sad territory… we are making plans to go to the beach before everyone leaves this Sunday. Once they are gone, Carrie, Z, and I have one week together before school starts again. We’re not sure what we’ll do, but I’m sure it will be a new experience. It will be good to have some alone time before I have to go back to work.

MJR