Yesterday was a fantastic day. Robert and Marlene, Jill's parents, spent the whole day with us along with Nicholas and Alexis. Nicholas has finished up his schooling in Biloxi with the Air Force but must spend a few more weeks there before coming back up to East Tennessee. Peter got a video game which practically cemented him to the screen for the remainder of the day, so we'd see him come up and grab some food, josh with us for a while, and then head back down for his next round of "testing out " the new gift. Jill and her mom kept the kitchen humming with tons of excellent footstuffs, while Robert did most of the gift assembly. I say most - and I meant a lion's share - because I was in a forced sedentary mode due to the remaining effects of the flu. Was it swine flu? No, I didn't have some of the violent symptoms that many people talked about, but it did last the entire week, fatiguing me with almost mono-like weariness. This morning is my first day without massive congestion, and I'm thankful for that.
Julianne spent the day playing with her new additions to her dollhouse while chattering to us about Santa being on the roof on Christmas Eve (it was Peter who climbed up on the roof with a handful of sleigh bells; this is a tradition at the Zockoll household, and it's a wonder nobody's fallen off the house yet.) We had an entertaining evening playing some board games which nearly broke down into non-rules anarchy - also a Zockoll tradition.
It was a very, very good day. We had a busy yet intimate household time of being together in laughter, banter, and consuming food by the platefuls. I do believe this was one of the most enjoyable Christmases I've had - not for the gifts or because there was a high-pitched mania (there wasn't) but because we honestly had a comforting time of fun and family.
P.S. And also because I got a very cool Koine Greek/English Lexicon. Yessssssss.
