Time Out from Blogging for Family Visiting!

What a busy week! We left Monday morning to visit family in Wheeling. What a whirlwind! We stayed with my husband's brother and his wife and visited there Monday evening. (My sister-in-law and I got creamed at euchre by our gloating husbands.) We saw the lovely Christmas decorations at Ogleby Park's lodge on Tuesday midday. The ballroom was set up like a wedding reception for an employee luncheon, a practice they repeat every month!

We went out to dinner that evening with our hosts and another brother and his wife. The next morning we visited with a third brother and his wife for breakfast. Wednesday afternoon found us heading to Steubenville to see two granddaughters (and our granddaughter's new husband), to visit the Nutcracker village, and take them all out to dinner at a Theo Yianni's.

Wednesday night we stayed at a lovely, newly remodeled Comfort Inn near the restaurant in Weirton. The young adults came back with us to the hotel and enjoyed browsing through a photo album I brought and some delicious apple turnovers from the bakery in Steubenville. We headed home early Thursday morning across the snowy mountains with a stop in Frederick, MD to see my sister. Finally, at 4:30 we opened our own door, unloaded the car, went out to say hello to our chickens, and proceeded to crash. 

Larry is starting a cold. Traveling is hard on old bodies. So we are dosing up on vitamins C and D and zinc. With no plans for any other traveling over the holidays we are hunkered down and pulling out the decorations to enjoy dressing up the house to welcome Jesus, listening to Advent hymns, lighting the wreath, and continuing to pray the St. Andrew novena. 

Our only regret this week was that we didn't have time to see all Larry's Wheeling/Ohio relatives. The family Christmas party is on Saturday, but we have a commitment and like to be home for Sunday Mass. We avoid being away on weekends if possible and I always remember my mom's admonition that fish and visitors smell after three days. So we try not to overstay our welcome whenever we visit family and friends.

Growing up I always said to the kids, "East, west -- home's best." I echoed our daughter's two-year-old comment upon returning from a trip. She ran into her room and climbed into her bed with a sigh. "I love my bed!" she said. I repeated the same thing last night (so did my husband) and I think we both had the best sleep of the week. This morning I'm ready for anything! Or at least the laundry.

I'm not fond of winter, but I love the holiday season of family, friends, and feasting. The feasting, except for few special religious days like the "Feast" of the Immaculate Conception, will wait until the Christmas season, but the lights will grow gradually the next few weeks as a reminder that, "The people in darkness have seen a great light." 

All you dear ones who read my blog (yes, rohrbach, including you) will be in my daily Advent prayers. I appreciate your kind words and even the unkind words, which I often don't post but see as invitations to patience and charity. May we all grow in virtue as we use this Advent season to make reparation for our sins and prepare our souls as a warm and fitting throne for the little Savior King. 

Lord Jesus, King of the universe, have mercy on us and make our hearts like unto Thine!