Ah it’s great to be home (well, actually I’m still in Billings for the night – but our family is at least all back together).
There’s nothing like being greeted by 10 big hugs from excited kids, each carrying a flower stem. And I certainly missed all the silly little comments and jokes. Here’s a few highlights from tonight:
Josiah (wearing panda ears he received at a store today) insists on being called “Little Panda”. As we were headed to the hotel after dinner, he leans against John’s mom and with a sweet little voice and says, “Nana Panda, is it ok if I use your shoulder as a pillow?”
Florencia, commenting on John getting “so old” (he turned 39 today) said, “Even when dad gets to be 49 we’ll still call him Daddy, not Grandpa!”
I was also given a late Valentine’s Day present by the kids. It’s a chronological Bible which I’ve been wanting for awhile. But, it’ll be some time until I can enjoy it – several kids have already reserved first, second and third readings of it. The gift idea came from a discussion we had back in mid-January when we were talking about the order of the books in the OT not being chronological. I jokingly said, “If you want to get me a gift sometime, I’d love a chronological Bible!” So they not only remembered that, but convinced John to find the Christian bookstore here in Billings before picking me up at the airport.
And so, with everyone bedded down for the night in the hotel room, it’s time to sign off. The eleven days away for seminary classes and a speaking engagement were great, but there’s nothing like coming back home either!
