Random Randomness On Coming Home and Skillets

*  I'm sitting in my house.  Take a moment and breathe deep with me.  I'd been away from my own bed for 8 days, and it was past time for me to snuggle down deep in my flannel sheets and cuddle up with my pillows.  I am so grateful for time with family and would have taken another few days of soaking up the goodness of my mama's house, but couches and guest rooms and air mattresses just don't cut it when it comes to bedding down at night. 

*  As excited as I was about seeing my own bed and crawling in it for the night....what I do dread about coming home after the long Christmas haul is being faced with all the unpacking.  Suitcases are bad enough, but when 4 huge tubs full of toys and games and candy and random gifts are added to the project, it just makes me head spin.  I cannot tell you how grateful I am that I took the time before we left to purge the boys' rooms...it has made this putting away process a bazillion times easier.

*  Speaking of putting stuff away, I was sorting through a huge sack of candy that we had accumulated at Kirk's mom's house.  And as I was putting it out into the candy dish, I noticed that several pieces had little tiny gnaw marks.  Like those belonging to a rodent.  I have decided that my parents' pet mice in the garage must have had themselves a bit of a Kit Kat feast.  Jim-Dad, You have mice.  Just to let ya know.

*  Kirk and I celebrated our 12th anniversary on Sunday.  And we spent it with my family.  Just as we have all of our 11 other anniversaries.  He definitely married my family when he married me.  Lucky guy. 

*  I think my family was slightly shocked at our gift exchanging practices for our anniversary.  He didn't get a card from me, because I couldn't find one.  And though I did get a card, it was the same card that he's given me in the past.  And while we're being real, there are 2 blank anniversary cards sitting in my desk here at home from 2 anniversaries ago when we both forgot to fill out our cards.  You can feel the romance seeping, can't you?  We also shared the same gift bag....he unwrapped my gift then took the gift bag out to his truck to wrap my present in it.  We just chalk it up to great minds thinking alike. :)

*  Sweet husband did buy me a couple of super nice gifts for our 12th.  He bought me Adobe Photoshop, which I have to say is the most difficult computer program known to man.  But I'm so so thankful for it, even though it is going to take me until 2057 to learn how to use it.  AND...I got a skillet.  YES.  Another one.  Because ONE for Christmas was just not enough. 

*  I've heard lots of folks talking about taking down Christmas.  I just can't bring myself to do it.  I am sitting in my living room with only the lights of the tree twinkling and am just as happy today as I was before Christmas.  So, I'll leave mine up awhile longer. 

*  Coming home after a long visit is always so sweet.  To be surrounded by your own things and doing things your own way is a precious thing that we take for granted, but there is also something so sour about it.  Especially if you are blessed with amazing family like we are.  And coming home means getting back to things that aren't as fun as being lazy in your mama's house.  Like work.  And school.  And cleaning.  And bills.  But I'm so very grateful for a precious holiday season with our families.