Well, well, well. Do I have some stories to tell about Christmas 2005! It was a wild and crazy time. :) Actually, it WILL go down for the record books. Here's how it went...

Thursday, December 22nd...

I left Tulsa and rolled into KC around 3:30 PM, met up with my friend, Mike, and spent the afternoon with him (and a couple of friends who dropped in and out). Then, that evening we met up with a group of his friends for dinner and drinks at the Country Club Plaza. The food and company was all excellent (as to be expected). Mike was kind enough to give me a cheese serving tray for Christmas... most people have to be getting married to get such a gift! (Btw... Mike's in a great deal of trouble, too, because we had agreed NOT to get each other gifts... so I thought. Actually... that probably just means that I'M the one in trouble!!!)

I arrived home at my parents somewhere after midnight. Mom & Dad were in bed, but I let them know I was home.

Friday, December 23rd...

I got up somewhere around 8:30 AM and was informed by my Mom that if I wanted to go shopping with her and my sister (I did), I needed to be ready by 9 AM. So, I hurried and got ready and spent the vast majority of the day shopping. I bought very little, because I already had my Christmas shopping done (save the gift for Mike!). But, I had a very enjoyable day with Mom, Chelle and baby Natalie. (Yes, I got to tend to the baby!)

We arrived home fairly late in the afternoon and made preparations to head to Michelle & John's house for the evening's festivities. (The entire family was to congregate there for "Christmas dinner," spending the night and then opening gifts the next morning.) Said festivities took place and we eventually all settled in for the night. I slept in a twin bed in the spare bedroom with my niece, Erin, on a pallet on the floor.

Christmas Eve - Saturday, December 24th...

Baby Natalie started fussing about 5:45 AM, at which time Erin decided to crawl in bed with me. I was feeling a bit funny... sort of nauseous. I laid there a few moments but then got up to check on Chelle and the baby. I saw with her in the living room as she fed the baby. My nausea continued until the point I broke my fifteen year non-vomitting streak. I spent some quality time hugging the toilet that day. In fact, we had to open Christmas presents in between hugging sessions. So, the day was passed by 1) hugging said toilet, 2) sleeping, 3) opening gifts and 4) lamenting the fact I couldn't share in the holiday treats being enjoyed by my family.

That night, circa 8:30 or 9 PM, we made the decision to try and make the treck back to my parents' house. (I could continue my recovery from a full-sized bed that way.) I was feeling much improved and had even attempted some crackers and 7-UP... even a bit of chicken noodle soup. My Mom was kind enough to drive me. Half way through the 15-minute drive, I asked her to stop the car. I started thinking the trip wasn't a very good idea. Not only had the vibrations made me a bit queasy, but I was getting very light-headed. Mom pulled the car over, I fumbled around to get the door opened and I imagined piling out of the car and laying spread-eagle on the cold ground, in the cold night air. Instead, I laid out across the seat... and leaned back onto my Mom's shoulder. She later said I was sweating profusely. I'm not sure I really remembered everything that happened there, other than I leaned out of the car to cool down in the night air. I guess it's what I needed, because I was eventually recovered enough to finish the trip.

Christmas Day - Sunday, December 25th...

First of all, I should back up and explain that my parents had both had this strange "stomach virus" earlier in the week before I came home. So, there were certainly questions as to the contagiousness of the illness. I opted not to go to church, but since I felt better, I got ready to go over to my Aunt's house for the "big family" Christmas get-together. Our family convened after church at Mom & Dad's and we debated as to sanity of attending the big group function given our history of and potential future illness. We finally called and gave them a warning, but our presence was nevertheless requested. So, we all piled into two cars and headed for my Aunt Linda's house. By "all," I mean all of us except for my brother-in-law, John. He was already feeling a big uneasy, so he headed home. Good for him he did... he did a fair amount of toilet-hugging at home. My sister was not as fortunate. She did her toilet-hugging at my Aunt Linda's house. I figured we'd be the first of the family to leave, but we actually ended up being the last of the crew to leave. We toted my sister home, and she nearly made it; however, instead of running into the house to do her duty, she ran to the back of the driveway and delivered the last of her Christmas lunch.

At that point, we had two down - Chelle at Mom & Dad's house and John at his. Since we wanted to be one big happy, puking family. Dad went to fetch John so we could tend to them and the baby (who fortunately did not get sick) all in one location.

From Linda's house, David, Sarah and Erin all headed back to their house to meet Sarah's sister, Desiree. She arrived in town about 6 PM and had a plane flight early the next morning out of KCI. (They were making preparations to leave for the airport around 3:45 AM.) Mom assured them to call us if they were sick and needed any assistance with those plans.

Early, early Monday morning, December 26th...

Baby Natalie started fussing around about 2:45 AM. Since her crib was right next to my bed, I got up and tried to lull her back to sleep. No luck. Mom was sleeping on the couch (displaced by the sick couple), so I woke her to prepare a bottle (as I had been instructed before going to bed). Mom warmed up the bottle and was simultaneously startled by a ringing phone. Yup... you guessed it. David, Sarah and Erin were all sick. My Dad was shortly out of bed and out the door to go pick up Desiree and get her to the airport (afterwards returning to the other infected home to care for the suffering inhabitants). By that time, everyone was roused. Chelle, John, Mom, me and the baby all sat around the living room... agreeing it was an odd time for "family time." But, it was a rather humorous time marveling at the turn of events.

After catching a few more winks (until nearly 11 AM), we visited a bit more... talking of how memorable this Christmas would be, though maybe not for the reasons we had hoped. :)

I left for Tulsa a couple of short hours later.

What I learned...

If I'm going to be sick like that, I'd rather be sick around my family than anyone else. They love me and accept me... REGARDLESS. They even clean up after me (thanks, Chelle)! Though I'm sure we'd all have preferred NOT to be sick, it was neat that we could all take turns taking care of each other... moral support, making chicken noodle soup, holding someone's hair back, rides to the airport, etc. I have a very special family. And that was the best gift of all this Christmas!!