Christmas

Home is a good place to be. There's nothing like coming down that airport escalator, knowing your loved ones are waiting to embrace you at the bottom...especially when you're carrying your first-born baby boy in your arms. Lil' D-Mike showed off for his Grandma LoLo, Grandma Lou, Grandpa Fitz, and Uncle Jim immediately, with his good nature and the Irish jig he's perfected (no explanation possible, you gotta see it). We were impressed and relieved with the way he handled the travel- amidst all the delays, long flights, and airport madness. I'm not anxious to do it again, but he was incredible, a true traveler at heart!

I was afraid the two weeks in Orange County might pass too quickly, but it was the perfect amount of time: any longer and I would have become too comfortable (too adapted to the warm weather!); any shorter and I would have felt cheated of time and worn out from all the traveling. We were able to spend plenty of time at home with Lois and Jimmy, Denny's mom and brother, just relaxing and watching bowl games, as well as time to visit with my parents (they were finally able to spend some q.t. with their first grandson!), the beautiful Manthorne fam (holding Kelsi and watching Kai and Kaci laugh at the D-Man), our great friends Tim and Karen (and their cute new pup Dublin), and last but most definitely not least, the Dubranskys (my sis and her fam). Lily, my sister's 9 month old, is 4 months older than Dennis and we were fully entertained watching her and Dennis interact. I can't believe that Dennis will soon be crawling and standing up like Lily is- it is so fascinating to watch these babies learn!

We were also able to have time for a small concert, where Denny played some new songs and we talked about our Montreal experience thus far, as well as what we hoped for in the future. Organizing the event really helped us sort through all we had learned during this time and it was so great to be able to talk to people more in depth about our experiences. I had some awesome conversations after we shared, and felt so affirmed and reassured speaking with other people about the radical life Jesus calls us to and the way they are trying to do that in Orange County.

So, we are back in Montreal now, where it is 15 degrees and snowing! A slight change from California, but beautiful all the same... (most of the time, at least!) I miss everyone already, but just being home gave me the renewal I needed to last through the Canadian winter.