Christmas 2006 Memories

Is it time for the mystery van?

I said I would never drive a minivan. Maybe it is because every time I pass a grey GMC safari minivan I have flashbacks of driving the family van to my upper-middle class high school, having no choice but to park it in the oh-so-safely designed, absolutely no obscure or obstructed places to park, parking lot. But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. After all, the van was an upgrade from the Ford Tempo sky blue mini station wagon, complete with tweed permanently reclining driver's seat and the horn that was activated by pushing on the end of the turn signal wand thingy. With the thrifty living Philip and I now subscribe to, I thank God for such an experience in humility when I was a selfish self-centered teenager with no sense of how hard my parents worked to even provide me with the van (which incidentally, held all eight kids in the neighborhood for the middle school carpool each afternoon). Yeah - I was cool like that.

Why the childhood reflection? Philip and I have waited until the last minute and are now realizing how impossible it will be to load the two of us, our 26 pound son (with the all important DVD player and Sesame Street DVDs), luggage for a week, and bounty of presents for the Moss family, all into our humble Mazda 626. Can we bungee the dog to the roof? Our hope is that the purchase of a roof cargo bag will balance the load. If you are headed down Hwy 45 in north Alabama or I-40 somewhere between Jackson, TN and exit 66 and see luggage on the ground (or poor Riley the dog), please deliver to Brownsville, TN.

In other words, I am coming full circle in the not too distant future to again driving a minivan...and welcoming such an opportunity. Perhaps this time we can spring for the sexy Honda Oddysey instead of the GMC van from my high school days that looked a lot like this:

Update on NeeNee Porter

NeeNee Porter is resting after surgery at the hospital. The doctors said the surgery was successful and now they are working to get her appetite back up and to be sure that her other kidney takes fully over for what two kidneys once did. She should be home by Friday!

NeeNee's surgery today

Today NeeNee Porter will have surgery to remove her right kidney. Last week we found out through a CT scan that she had a cancerous mass there. The doctors are all saying that once this surgery is completed, there will be no need for any further treatement (no chemotherapy, radiation, etc). We are all praying that will, indeed, be the case. Please join us in prayer today for her health and that she and my father will be encouraged.

Over the river and through the woods, to great-grandparents houses we go

We just returned from a wonderful weekend visit with Little Philip's great grandparents on Renie's side. His little second cousin, Kaylie, was there with her mom, Ruthie, and together, they created most of the entertainment for the weekend. After arriving late Friday night, we visited with the great grandparents Wettermark in Mobile for lunch. When Renie was a little girl, there was one dresser drawer in the living room she was allowed to open. In it were toys and Mardi Gras beads and treasure, and it never failed that she would find something new to play with everytime. This time it was Little Philip's turn and he went straight for the plastic alligator and a pair of maracas to shake around the house. Then he turned to playing the piano before lunch.

When nap time arrived, we headed back "over the bay" to Memaw and Papa Julian's house to visit with cousins and holiday shop downtown Fairhope. Saturday night we enjoyed a family birthday dinner of Memaw's fabulous spaghetti and NeeNee Porter's famous carrot cake. We wound up the night by throwing Kaylie and Little Philip in the tub together and Kaylie was an abolute riot! She threw herself on her belly and flailed about, kicking her legs and arms, creating what can only be called a baby jacuzzi tub. The adults were rolling on the floor she was so funny! Little Philip tolerated it but enjoyed the shampoo mohawk and bath toys, along with the waves and bubbles donated by his cousin's excitement. Aunt Ruthie, Danielle and Brad, and Dominique were also there for our visit and we loved catching up with everyone and look forward to another visit very soon!