Return to the Ham

A few days after Christmas we took a trip to Birmingham. Sort of like a late Christmas present to ourselves.

It was one of those trips that just couldn't have gone better.

We went to the sealing of the Watson family, the primary purpose for the trip. It was one of my sweetest temple experiences to date. Nancy looked absolutely radiant. The spirit was so strong-in that moment it seems like you will never be able to lose focus on the importance in always putting the spiritual needs of your family before anything & everything else. And to be there with people we have grown to love & appreciate so much from the Hoover ward. It felt like being there with family.

We stayed with the Jensens and enjoyed Amanda's gourmet cooking and constant perfect playmates for our kids.

I went to Costco and when I heard the voice of my favorite sample giver saying "would you like to take some home with you today? They're VERY good!", I knew I was really home.

Amanda, Stephanie and I went to the mall, sans kids. Not even a baby. Just three girls going wild on the town baby. Or buying clothes for our kids and then hurrying back to nurse the babies. Same diff.

Got to hang with the Hodgsons and snuggle our new babies together.

We rang in the new year at the Jensens with Annie, Darryl, & Madison McDaniel playing games way past any hour that a nursing mother should recreationally see. Worth it. I miss my Annie in my life, gotta soak her up whenever I can.

Sunday we had lunch with the Denkers and we tried to store up some of Jamie's sugary sweetness to transport back to P-city, because heaven knows our branch could use a little of that.

We had lunch at Wayne & Sundee's, where we left our kids with Vanessa while we were at the sealing. It was basically like eating at a Mexican restaurant minus the bill and the questionable beef. Anabelle & Wayne struck up their old love for each other, and I was sad to leave them when the time came.

We snuck in a session with dear, sweet Marilyn. It was good to hear her laugh again.

Going to the Hoover ward on Sunday was fabulous. Being in any functioning ward would have been a relief but visiting with old friends is the best. Anabelle was running all over the place, calling people by name, hugging, tackling, high-fiving. At one point I overheard her little voice saying, "Yeah! For real! He was out there just chewing on a leather back turtle!"...I turned around to see a group of men from the elders quorum gathered around her. She was her old happy self, surrounded by people she loves and misses. Don't we all.

In my dream world, I would have our life in P-city, combined with our friends from the Ham. Can't I just have it all? No? Okay, then I shall be grateful for both, even if they can't co-exist.

Sweet home Alabama...