there and back again, again

I'm finally posting some pictures and glimpses from Christmas at home. I had a wonderful time, the highlight of which was of course seeing my adorable niece. From visiting family to Mac County to the beach, it was a perfect holiday.

-Watching Natalie play with a ribbon on one of her Christmas presents. We all abandoned our stashes and watched her with delight as she opened her first Christmas present: a teddy bear all the way from Belfast from her Aunt Weeza (the name is sadly sticking). :)

-Going to visit my cousins in Brady and enjoying ranch life--complete with copious amounts of food, antique shopping, sunny days and glorious sunsets and Christmas cheer all around.

-Sunlight streaming through holes in the clouds, shining hopeful rays down while two horses grazed placidly beneath it all, like it was an ordinary, everyday occurence.

-Going to Mac County, our family land, to rest and appreciate nature in all its beauty, away from running water and electricity and back to life in its simplist form.

-More South Texas sunsets.

-Camp potatoes fried with onions on a gas stove. These are a tradition at Mac and are so delicious (especially with venison steak, pinto beans and cream gravy). I later found a cast iron skillet similar to this one for $3 at an antique store and have brought it with me back to Belfast.

-Sitting in a rocking chair, enjoying the breeze and reading.

-Can you read this? It says a bit over 80 degrees...in January.

-Being served breakfast in bed on my birthday on the "you are special today" plate that we always reserve for birthday celebrations.

-A huge festive wreath made out of Christmas ornaments.

-Going to Rockport for my birthday and enjoying delicious bacon-wrapped grilled shrimp and leisurely shopping the beach town.

-Shopping a great antique shop in Rockport full of lovely shabby chic, colorful things. Most everything I saw was really my style and I loved it. I left with an adorable turquoise jewel-toned wine glass, perfect for a sip of pinot or a tealight candle.

-Watching a cold front blow in over the gulf. The temperature dropped 20 degrees as soon as it hit.

-Having a farewell meal at the Hobbit Cafe in Houston, the place where I've celebrated so many milestones in the path to ordination and joureys ended and new ones beginning. The highlight had to be Ash sitting down while clutching Natalie tightly, only to find that her chair had been accidentally pushed in. Even as she hit the floor, she looked around in bewilderment, as we all erupted into tear-filled laughter. Momma and baby were fine--and we were all amused. I kept picturing the event on my flight back to Belfast and laughing bizarrely to myself. It was a perfect send off.

-Seeing Ireland again and feeling peace, joy and awe at being here again. I spent the bus ride from Dublin staring out the window as trees alight by a golden sunset whizzed by, thinking that I live in a magical (hobbitish, even?) place.