Holiday Madness

Kerry and I have survived our first busy-as-all-get-out Christmas. We have been married for two Christmas seasons, but last year the inlaw-outlaw business wasn't a factor as my family was out of town. This year, however, Christmas was spread out quite vastly. This is how it broke down:

Christmas Eve:
11:00 a.m: Drive from Little Rock to Possum Grape for a party at Aunt Judy's with my extended family.

3:00 p.m: Drive from Possum Grape to Jacksonville for a celebration with her extended family at Mimi's (her Grandmother).

7:00 p.m: Attend a one-hour candle-light Christmas service (bleh!) in Jacksonville.

8:00 p.m: Continue the celebration with Kerry's extended family.

10:00 p.m: Drive to Kerry's parents' home to spend the night with her family.

Christmas Day:
6:00 a.m: Wake up to open presents with her family.

9:00 a.m: Drive back to Possum Grape to open presents with my family.

3:00 p.m: Drive back to Jacksonville to wrap things up with her family and pick up our loot.

4:00 p.m: I drive alone back to Possum Grape to pick up the cell-phone I left behind.

5:00 p.m: I arrive back in Jacksonville to have dinner with her family.

7:00p.m: We drive back to Little Rock to meet our friend Brandon as he arrives from Florida via Fayetteville at 8:00 p.m.

The day after Christmas, a) I had to work one of the busiest and most understaffed days of my life and b) James arrived from Japan to stay with us intil Janury 2nd. On Saturday, Kerry went to Booneville to celebrate with the extended family on her mother's side of the tree. The evening, she will go back to celebrate with her family and some close friends. So Kerry's is lasting longer than mine, but it has still been a run-arounder for all.

The loot was good, the food was grand, and it is nice to see everyone. Belated merry Christmas, and happy New Year.