I arrived in Honolulu, exited the plane and walked up the off-ramp into the terminal, grinning like an idiot the whole time. I was focused, determined not to miss sight of my lovely wife and kids, as I had when I came home for R&R during the last deployment. I entered the terminal and scanned the room quickly … then I scanned again more slowly … then I converted my grin to a chagrin, and sighed. She must be stuck in traffic, I thought.
I stood around the seating area for a bit, looked up and down the terminal, and finally walked downstairs to the baggage claim area. Maybe she just didn’t have the paperwork she needed to meet me at the gate, I assured myself. She’s probably waiting for me at the bottom of the escalator! Hmph. Nope. Oh well, she’ll be here soon.
So I paced through the baggage claim area for a bit, waiting on (you guessed it) my baggage, all the while peeking outside the doors to see if I could catch Tracy circling around the pick-up area. As it was, my single piece of luggage was the absolute last thing to emerge from the claim belt, so I spent quite a bit of time pacing and peeking. Curious, then, that I managed to miss Tracy driving by a total of six times before she saw me and my bag emerge. Even then, it took a long double-take (thanks, deaf right ear) before I realized someone was shouting my name.
Had I bothered to spend the $5.95 for internet access in Los Angeles, I would have read the email Tracy sent me explaining the kids weren’t feeling well, they weren’t going to be getting all dressed up, and could you please meet us on the curb outside baggage claim because we’re not going to be able to meet you at the gate, please?
Tracy looked beautiful in a pink, flowered sun dress, and I tossed my bag in the bed of the truck and hugged and kissed her tight.
Now what happened next nearly made me drop dead (it wasn’t her birthday, it was mine, instead!). After we loosed our grip from each other I opened the truck door to say hello to little River. She cried. I nearly died. It took most of the trip home for her to figure out who I was and realized she didn’t need to cry when I looked at her. That was hard for me. Seriously.
Raden, on the other hand, was ecstatic to see me, and that softened the blow a bit. He spent most of the trip home telling me about what he’d been up to the last few days, and reminding me that tomorrow was Christmas! (We delayed Christmas a bit so we could justify a whole week of gift-opening parties between Christmas, New Year’s and three birthdays).
We arrived home, unloaded the car, and Tracy put the kids to bed while I washed off a week’s worth of travel in the shower.
After … some other things, Tracy and I stayed up late wrapping the last of the Christmas presents. Tomorrow’s fake Christmas!
On Christmas morning before opening any presents, I (of course) requested a picture. River patiently folded her hands while Raden checked to make sure he still had a belly button.
Before we continue documenting the festivities, check out the Christmas tree star and the tiny cobwebs that have formed between the points. Oh, how I’ve missed you, my sweet 50mm f/1.8.
On to the stockings!
The kids tore at their wrapping paper both individually and as a team. When united by a common goal, they do, indeed, make quite a team. This year’s theme was apparently Super Awesome Things and People That Are Super Awesome. (Basically anything or anyone that could be used to rescue someone: helicopters, fire trucks, super heroes, wooden fruit.)
As far as my gifts for Tracy, it should be known I have historically been known as a giver of crappy gifts. Whether crappy by design or simply by lack of want by the other party, I tend to fail at gift giving. (If you doubt these claims, I have a once-used Foreman grill, and seldom-used juicer and a few never-used Liberator shapes that beg to differ.)
This year was something altogether different. Rather than rely on items I assumed to have value as useful appliances, I swung to the other side and grabbed some artsy accouterments for my hippie wife. In a word: Etsy. God bless you, Etsy.
The fauxhawk beanie and scarf didn’t receive quite as much acclaim as I’d hoped, but I think they’re 100% kickass. In addition to the fauxhawk, Tracy donned a pair of blue-jewel earrings, a small daisy ring, and a copper butterfly bracelet.
See? 100% awesome. I was told this Christmas was an epic success. (Let’s never speak of last Christmas again, OK?)
After we finished making a mess of the living room, it was time for breakfast. Everyone knows the traditional after-presents fake Christmas breakfast is a store-bought muffin with Oreos, and that’s just what we enjoyed.
The traditional breakfast pictures were taken with one of my gifts: a new Nikkor 55-200mm VR lens!
Not exactly the best picture to showcase the look and feel of the new lens, but I’m actually quite fond of taking pictures of me taking pictures of me.
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