Merry Christmas

Before I forget, here is a link to some of our pictures from Curacao.  We took over 800 so this isn't nearly all of them - but we hope you enjoy!!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200137128737141.2196342.1418481843&type=1&l=f6925b31a1

Now, Merry christmas! I hope today finds everybody happy, safe & warm with their families.  We have had a fun day - the kids woke up early of course.  We opened our stockings, then had breakfast.  Then we got dressed & opened our gifts under the tree.  Its a ritual - this is how we do Christmas here every year.  Doesn't change.  There's a lot of comfort in that. After we opened all the present here we took a little trip down to my office where EB's present from Mimi & Papa was waiting - she got a razor pocket mod scooter.  She's pretty psyched about that.  Eri got a battery operated 4-wheeler for her birthday yesterday so they are both motorized now!  Woohoo.  Maybe I can have them ride to school (just kidding).

Vacation was so good for us - for us a family to be togtether exploring, adventuring, laughing, learning.  One night Emilia said to me how much she enjoys our family vacations when we can spend time all 4 of us together, experiencing new things and learning new cultures.  They love how we don't sit around, how we are always on the move, exploring, doing things.  We started a new thing this trip where we took iphone pictures of poorly attired tourists, which we call P.A.P.A.Y.A. (People Attired Poorly Anywhere You Are).  We had a lot of fun with that - there were some cruise ships docked in Willemstad so there was plenty of material to work with!

For me personally, it was incredibly therapeutic.  First it was rewarding and encouraging to be able to do whatever I wanted to do without any real physical limitations.  Sure the extra weight sucks & the fat foot still slows me down, but generally speaking, I was pretty much myself.  Mentally it was a huge benefit for me to be somewhere with people who don't look at me & think of cancer or think of me & cancer in the same breath.  I'm not sure how much people I know do that but I feel like its a constant thing.  I will not be defined by cancer.  It was merely a little detour in my life, a learning & growing experience.  It is not me.

So we returned mentally refreshed but not physically rested.  We got up early every morning except 2 & we were on the go constantly.  But we like it that way.  We will enjoy the rest of this week mostly off from work & be ready by next week to start a brand new year!  I don't think any Musgroves will miss 2012.  We are ready for the new year!!