4 February 2011

I am quickly discovering a bit of an obstacle with this blog.  You see, I spend a lot of my time with the same people doing approximately the same things.  Laura and I cook and eat and watch movies and play tennis and generally spend our time together.  Mae, Teddy, and I read and play trains and house and color and do puzzles and watch Arthur.  When I see other friends we generally go out to eat or grab a drink or ice cream.  I go to class and hang out on Creighton's campus.  I go see Jackie in the English Department or visit Gerry upstairs.  I get coffee with Brooke.  I read.  I write.  I research.  I go to mass.  I spend time with the fam.  I call friends who live far too far away or talk to my mom for hours on end.  I love all of these things and am thankful for all of them.  But, writing about them gets a bit tedious.  So, I'm throwing in a new element.  There are tangible things in my life I am grateful for.  There are also memories from long ago I'm thankful for.  So, I'm working some of those in.

So, this memory isn't from too long ago but it's not super recent either.  Christmas 2009.  We take a family Christmas picture every year.  The rule is that we take the picture before we get to eat or open presents.  This rule came out of many years of eating, opening presents, and then not wanting to take the picture (I think my mom and aunts were more opposed to the picture than the kids were).  Eventually my grandma decided that we would take the picture first.  If we put up a fuss, no dinner, no presents.  It's actually pretty simple.  This is probably the best family picture we have ever taken.  It's so good that no one knows what the serious one looks like.  This one is far superior.  Enjoy.  I certainly get a good laugh each time I look at it.

Merry Christmas!