California Christmas and RV Travels

Busy, busy day as we prepare to take our RV to California to spend Christmas with kids and grandkids. We are so excited to sweep out the cobwebs that have settled in the Prairie Princess since we used it last Spring and fill it with Christmas gifts. There will need to be some clever organizing since some gifts will be dropped off in Arizona and some will make the entire trip to the coast. It will also be tricky to tuck everything away so there is room for us to sleep and relax on our road trip. We are picking Lissa, our 15 year old grandgirl, up in Flagstaff. She definitely does not take after us in packing light. So there will need to be three times the room for her stuff than ours. What a fun adventure to travel once again with her.

This will only be the second Christmas we have had with Tanner in ten years. His addictions have kept him away from family and friends for far too long. We rejoice in his sobriety and presence in our celebrations and lives. Wrapping our son in a hug is something we will never take for granted. What a gift to just be in his presence.

We are staying at the Embassy Suites in Arcadia we stayed at last March with Mom. It was a happy time for her to see Tanner and Bethany and for him to give me my first tattoo. Maybe Ron will be brave enough to get one this trip. This time will be bittersweet with Mom celebrating in Heaven instead of in the hot tub enjoying laughter and bubbles with us. We will be surrounded by memories of our time with her and treasure the moments we have with family this Christmas.

Life is full of moving together and letting go. It is for us to cherish each time spent together and reflect on the good times that we shared in the past. Knowing Mom is up there with my dad, my son and her parents makes me a little jealous. But she did promise to hug them for me so I will be comforted by the knowledge that Mom always keeps her word.

In Him,
Joyful
12-18-19