Happy New Year!!

New Year's Eve was low-key but VERY enjoyable, and was made so by a few beloved people who were ready and willing to switch gears.

You see, our hope had been to drive from our VA Beach visit w/the Blackmans to NC to visit Aunt Betty and Uncle Steve--who are very special to me & with whom quality time is just too scarce. (Betty & Steve are parents of Cousin Patrick, whose wife, Alyson, writes the House of Kee blog, FYI.) We also hoped to get a glimpse of cousin Ryan, since it's not often he's on this side of the Atlantic, with his life in Europe with Youth With A Mission. (We'd seen him over the summer, too, which was a real treat, but to see him TWICE in ONE year--wow.) As we drove from VA Beach, we were on the phone with Aunt Betty, who said she wasn't feeling well. By the time we arrived, she was in full-blown stomach flu mode (I'm not sure "full blown" is a good term to precede the words "stomach flu," but it's kind of morbidly funny, so I'll leave it), and Alan and I checked into the local hotel where we'd planned to spend that first night anyway. (With shaking heads we recall our ND visit when WE were plagued with the stomach flu!)

We found the local Burlington City Park, which was great fun for girls who'd been cooped up in the car for three and a half hours, ordered Chinese for dinner, and put together a little "get well" baggie for the sick couple (Uncle Steve wasn't feeling so great, either, although that may be typical of people living in close quarters with someone who's "full blown.") I also had the great pleasure of delivering their get-well package and decided to carol at their door--all by myself. Just goes to show what a total dork I really am, for I enjoyed every phrase of it, and it was nice to see them briefly after all the anticipation.

The next morning, Aunt Betty felt well enough (and was nice enough!) to put together a little picnic of coffee and Christmas cookies, and she, Uncle Steve, and Ryan all met us at the Burlington City Park to visit for a couple of hours. It was windy but not bitter, and the coffee warmed us as we fellowshipped. It was our hope to avoid being full blown ourselves (especially with a six hour drive home ahead of us), so the miniature visit (I think Aunt Barbara called it a "trip-ette") challenged all of us to be thankful for what we had (and didn't have) and to revel in one another's company--a rare treat for all of us. It was really great of them, so soon after being under the weather, to go OUT in the weather to share some time with us, and we felt honored and blessed. I regret that we didn't take pictures, but again, I was doing Amy's thing--LIVING life instead of photographing it.

We waved goodbye and headed home, where, at the last minute, Kate and Jay were available to come over, play games, eat Christmas leftovers, and toast each other as we watched the ball drop on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. It really was a HAPPY new year, thanks to all our family who were willing to roll with the full blown punches.