Christmas Eve

Our day started out with Wanda and I working for a while on her quilt. She is coming along nicely but she is definitely not going to have it done tomorrow. It would be nice - but there are just too many demands on her time. Go figure - a mom of 12, a baby that's only 10 days old, and it's Christmas time!

Rich and I had a return to make at the Walmart in Dodgeville and so we headed back there this afternoon and also elected to pick up some of the last minute items needed for meals for the next day or two. Rich is finding it difficult to walk any distance due to the pain in his back. I wish that they had been able to do the complete ablation when he went in a couple of weeks ago, but it's coming up in a couple of weeks and I am hoping he'll find permanent relief - at least for the next 4-5 years. I bought some tylenol for him as Wanda had given him some last night and it seemed to help. It's funny to me - I find tylenol a worthless drug but he finds relief. I don't know why but it seems that there are people who do...just not me. He can't take ibuprofen because of the xarelto so I'm glad that the tylenol does the trick.

Rich spent part of the time I was running from Piggley Wiggley, to McDonalds, Quick Trip, and Millers to work out our car situation. He learned that the car won't be ready for us on Sunday. He called about making the rental we've been using a one way drop off in Tennessee but they wanted $360 to do that. He was able to get another vehicle for us to pick up at the airport and drop off in Tennessee for a $160. He thinks that's a better deal, and it probably is...at least there will be less driving.

When we returned, Hannah and Phil and kids were already here. We helped make the two types of shepherds pie that have become the tradition of Wanda and Robert's family. Evidently they had a family discussion a few years ago about what they wanted for a tradition on Christmas Eve and it was decided that it should be Shepherd Pie. A humble meal but special in meaning.

After dinner we gathered in the living room and watched the nativity video and a couple other videos, had Grandpa read Luke 2 and then opened Christmas pajamas. The kids are excited...that's an understatement! Mo had already determined they needed to go to bed at 6 pm so Santa could come earlier, lol. Phil and Hannah headed home with excited boys, the crew here were shuffled off to bed, Rachel made cookies for Santa, I made the blueberry French toast that Rich wanted, and finally the house slumbered in eager anticipation of Santa.