All I Want for Hanukkah is for Time to Slow Down and to be a Better Judge of Character -- is that so much to ask? :)

So, knowing that the X gets the kids for much of the winter break, including Christmas, I went online and found cheap tickets to take the kids to San Antonio. I don't think the kids had been there since 2007, but that might not be right. Maybe that's just the last time they had been to Abilene. In any case, it was wonderful to spend time with so much family and a few friends too!

We spent the first half of our trip with Bubbe and Grandpa and the second half with Ryan and Vicki and even worked in a trip to Abilene! Thanksgiving was bountiful -- with food, family, and friends, the way it oughta be! The kids had a fabulous time playing with their many cousins and climbing trees and hunting for bones at Ryan and Vicki's place. My brother Ryan moved into a place on two and a half acres, and it has a ton of deer bones scattered about, so the kids enthusiastically brought them one by one to the porch until they had amassed a collection of about 53 bones.

One night, while my friend Jennifer and I were sitting chatting on Ryan's couch (and the kids were sound asleep), a beautiful wooden, African-looking statue jumped off the mantel (I do not joke!), bounced off the tile, and landed upright on the bottom of the fireplace. Jen and I looked at each other and busted out laughing. We developed theories about the place being haunted and sufficiently freaked one another out. Of course the next day when we talked to Ryan and Vicki about it, they managed to freak me out right back. Vicki let me know that the statue is actually supposed to be a fertility god, and it must've been jumping out at me saying, "heyyy, it's about time to have that third baby!" When the joke's turned back on you, it's not nearly as funny. haha!

I certainly had fun pretending though -- holding my baby nephews Alden and Oren and niece Rena. It has been a long time, but boy do babies smell good. I don't want a third husband (thanks, but no thanks!) but one more baby could be a nice surprise. Why not? ;) Maybe I'll ask some of my guy friends if anyone wants to volunteer for the job. haha!

Seriously though, every time I'm home, it gets tougher to leave. I had a fantastic time catching up with each of my brothers and sisters and friends that I managed to see. The only thing I wish I had was more time to spend with each of them and time to visit with those I didn't get a chance to see at all.

The thing the last year is teaching me is that I am a terrible, and I mean truly terrible, judge of character. It's amazing how clearly you see things when you look back. For the future, I'd like to concentrate on spending time and energy on the people I love the most, Gabe and Sofia, my family, and my friends who have always treated me like family.