Home for the Holidays

What a great weekend we had!  Janet and I drove to Iowa, to spend the Christmas holidays with our families. I got to spend 3 or 4 wonderful days with my kids--nothing can make the holidays better than that!  At the same time, Janet got to spend time with her family as well, including spending a couple of days with her grandson, Tyler.  We stayed at her daughter's house and had a great, great time!  Thanks, Dana!

My daughter Emily had just returned from New Zealand, where she is determined to return as soon as possible.  I enjoyed hearing some of her stories, and loved the pictures.  Mostly, though, I enjoyed hugging my daughter again!!

With my oldest son at work for the early part of each day, I got to spend some extra time with my youngest, Zach.  He's the one of my children I have spent the least amount of time with in his life.  Since he is now a sophomore at the University of Iowa, my time with him, as with my other children, gets shorter and shorter as he ages and goes about his life.

Finally, I got to spend some quality time with my oldest, Josh.  I've spent the most time with him, since he used to live with us and work with me in the summers and over holidays.  Now that he's a "grown up" and has a real job, the time with him is too short, as it is with all of my amazing children.

I watched them, and was so proud of their growth and maturity.  They are truly loving, caring children, and I couldn't be prouded of them!  Their mother has done a very nice job with them, in my absence as I have traveled around the country searching for the "dream".  I'm a very lucky man.

Finally, Janet and I got to spend time together, and time away from each other, as well.  Working together at the restaurant, and spending 24 hours a day with each other, has got to explain why she is developing that twitch.  I have the most amazing wife, and sometimes forget to tell her how much I love her.

There are many, many much more successful people in the world than I will ever be.   With the blessings that are my wife and children, I wouldn't change places with any of them!