A Post for my Family

 The Brown Family, Christmas 2012

At Christmastime our family was together again for the first time in ten years! Of course, in that time so many things have changed. Children have been married and divorced and remarried. Ten years ago we only had one grandchild. Now we have five. In the past ten years my youngest son, Alex, has joined the army and served in both the Iraq War and the war in Afghanistan. We are so grateful to have him home safely with us! In the past ten years Gus and I have moved five times. We have so many Christmas photos from so many different houses! For us, it’s all about being together!

 Kathie, Gus and grand-daughter Natalie!

 

 Natalie is not sure she likes the snakes at the Sonoran Desert Museum!

On one of the days when the kids were here we took them to the Sonoran Desert Museum. Melissa carried her niece, Natalie around so Natalie’s parents, Alex and Diane could relax and enjoy the sights.

 Alex and Gus on a bench 12-28-12

 Picture Rocks at sunset on 12-28-12

After the museum we left in separate cars and I took Chris and Melissa to see Picture Rocks in Saguaro National Park’s Tucson Mountain district. I had never been to this location before and did not even know these existed! Chris and Melissa had read about them and wanted to see them for themselves. It was only a short drive from the Sonoran Desert Museum to Saguaro National Park.

 Alex, Chris, G, and Gus 12-30-12

My kids arrived and left in waves. Renee and Randy were here first and left on the 28th. Alex and Diane arrived on Christmas eve, and left on the 30th; Chris and Melissa arrived on Christmas Day and stayed until January 8th. Each “hello” was wonderful, and each good-bye a bit hard. But you can see the happiness on our faces from all being together!

 Me and my three sons! (from left to right, youngest to oldest)

 

 Gus and I with our boys. We were only missing Renee!

 

 Kathie with daughter-in-laws Diane and Melissa

 

A hug and a prayer for my son Alex as I wondered if he would be sent off to war again. We need to bring all of our soldiers home. In mid February our fears were heightened when were heard that Alex had been issued all new gear and that his unit was being prepared to be deployed again, but then I received the best birthday present of all when he called me on February 22nd to tell me he would not being going! Gus and I were at the Phoenix Art Museum at the time and it was all I could do to refrain from doing cartwheels across the floor! I can tell you that in my heart I WAS doing cartwheels!

 Little Natalie all set for the long drive home!

 Melissa, Chris, and G watch as their brother and his family drive away.

 Uncle Chris helps Xavier to fly 1-5-13

 

Now that they are all gone, it seems as if it were all a lovely dream.

 

Notes from my nest: If you are wondering where I  have been, well, I have been busy birding and spending time with my husband. On Saturday a blogging friend, Cynthia came to Tucson and went birding with Chris and I, then on Sunday Gus and I took a drive through the countryside since it was such a nice day.  I spent all day yesterday cleaning house so that I could spend the next three days blogging. It’s not that I don’t have blogposts to write, it’s that I have so little time. I find myself constantly torn between going out to bird, or staying home to blog. I must confess that the lure of the outdoors often wins, and Chris Rohrer keeps me out chasing birds! On the weekends and in the evenings I like to spend time with my husband, which only leaves weekdays for cleaning house, errands and birding and blogging. Putting together a blogpost is not hard for me, it is the processing of photos that takes the most time and I still haven’t caught up with all of those! Until I can find a way to keep this all in balance, you will probably find my blogging to be sporadic at best. Let me reassure you all that I love reading your comments and telling stories and writing poems. One of these days I hope to get back to painting, which I have not done in a very long time! I hope to get a bird post up tomorrow, and look for my post on Birding is Fun on March 7th!

Update: I worked on my Birding is Fun post all afternoon and in my relief and excitement I forgot to schedule the post! When I clicked on the button to publish it, it published today! Just click on the link to see it!

Here There be Sea Dragons