Christmas in California

 We went to California for Christmas!!  I have never missed a Christmas in Moultrie, a Christmas with my parents. I have never missed the Christmas Eve party that my Hendrick side of the family holds every year since possibly the 50's. Which also means I have never traveled on Christmas, much less FLY.

So this was an exciting, yet emotional, decision to make.  And even though I was thrilled of the possibility to spend Christmas with my children and grandchildren, I still choked up every time I had to tell my Moultrie family members that I would miss this year.  We didn't make the final decision until Thanksgiving. So we had to put things in fast motion.  And believe it or not, the Hendrick family Christmas Eve party didn't even happen (I could say that it was because they said if Hayes isn't going to be here - then poo, we ain't having the party 😂 - but - I really know that it was for concerns of our loved ones and the danged COVID that just won't go away).  We did all decide to get together Thanksgiving (the Clements Clan), I think everyone was sick of tired of this virus controlling everything.  We had cancelled all family gatherings all year, and we had enough.  Even though Anna Ashley and Betsy both had contracted covid the first of November, they were over it by thanksgiving, so we were thankful they could join us.  We had 34 at lunch! It was wonderful and so normal!! (minus the temperature taking when you first arrived - ha) AND good news is NO ONE got sick - thank you Jesus for protecting us!! But numbers did spike in our county after Thanksgiving, so they decided not to press our luck at Christmas Eve. So it was a very different Christmas for everyone in the family.

Once again while flying we had to wear our mask the entire time in the plane and in the airport. Luckily it doesn't bother me to wear mine! The airport was a tad busier than in Sept, but not near a normal day and surely not the normal crazy holiday crowds you see on the news!! Also, on the plane train - this is where I noticed the lack of crowds the most- normally they are packed! In Sept, there maybe 6-10 people in your "car"!! This time maybe 10-15 people. That is crazy!!  The planes still had all middle seats empty, I like that!  It gives you spread out room.  So no drama at all - thank goodness. Now I only have to wait until my 10 day "quarantine" window is up, come on Jan 7th!

We had such a good time!!! We didn't go anywhere, just stayed at Luke and Hannah's house and played with the babies!!! It was the BEST!!!  Oh, we had one little bit of true California adventure!

We got to Cali on Wednesday, 23rd, around lunch time.  Spent a lovely afternoon catching up with everyone, making our cooking plans for Christmas Eve, and what to prep for Christmas lunch.  We all go bed, Tim and I are staying in the Living Room.  At 2:00 am in the morning, we are woken by a beating on the door and a man yelling something!!!! What the HECK!!! I jump up (thinking we are getting robbed/raided and they are after our Christmas gifts - not thinking we are on a Closed Military base! Then I think, are we in trouble for the way we are parked?? why at 2:00 am are they getting on to us) They continue to beat on the door 3 times and yell something. So Tim gets to the door, and it is an Emergency Mandatory Evacuation for a fire that was nearby!!!! Bless it! EVERYONE jumped into action. It was quiet impressive.  Luke and Hannah seemed to have a plan for such, very little talking, no drama, no freak out, everyone went to work. Luckily our bags and Parker and Kendall's bags were still packed so they were easy to throw in the cars.  I played with the kids while the adults packed things up.  We left within 30-45 min and headed to the parking lot that was instructed to us. You could see the fire pretty good from the parking lot and we stayed there for about an hour when we decided we needed to get a hotel room before they were all taken.  We got to the hotel around 5:30 am, and thank goodness, able to go back to sleep, even for just 2-3 hours.  We had 2 rooms, L,H&M and their 2 large dogs in one, the rest of us in the other, nice thing was they were side by side!! So we spent all Christmas Eve in the hotel room, me in my pajamas!! playing with babies!! it was great! Parker, Kendall, Luke and Eva did venture out and walked to the bay and saw all kind of pretty things and found a place that would be open Christmas morning for breakfast, if we needed it.  We got the word about 6:00 pm that we were allowed to go back home!!  I had to put it in high gear when we got back, about 8:00 pm, and wrap all my gifts! When I ordered the gifts I had them shipped there and had planned on wrapping along the day Christmas Eve. To me the whole "adventure" was a wonderful time to sit and spend quality time with my grandkids without distraction. The fire name was the Creek Fire, started in Fallbrook, a neighboring town. It started about 11:30 pm, Wednesday, Dec 23rd. It burned about 4,200 acres, they evacuated about 7,000 families.

Well, the picture doesn't do it justice, but our view from the parking lot

A little photo shoot while everyone packs up to evacuate!

Hotel Fun

The bible was a big hit!!

She's telling him, "This is the greatest book ever written!"

And now I'm going to tell you the Christmas Story!

Luke and Eva playing

Parker and Micah

Micah watching Eva's Christmas dog dance

Pure Sweetness

She was worn out before we even made it home

M E R R Y  C H R I S T M A S !

Eva is such a hoot!! This is a santa beard upside down!

Watching football! Micah already loves it

So much fun!!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! 

I pray that everyone can take some good out of 2020.  I know that I can! I have many things to be thankful for and I don't won't any of it to go unnoticed. Thank you, Lord, for a year to slow down... to appreciate all things... for reflection... for prayer, and I pray for healing for all those that are hurting due to loss of loved ones.

Praying for a good and healthy 2021 for everyone!