Endings - and new beginnings too!

Hannah and Rhoda flew back to Philly today - Harry and I dropped them off at LAX.  And I noted that I only flew with a small child once - when Harry and I brought Phoebe with us to LA in 1979 - when we were thinking about moving here.  Phoebe was 18 months old - and the plane was only half full so the stewardess suggested I let her run about in the back of the plane - and we were talking about a 2 1/2 hour flight!!  There are some things about children that I have just not experienced like my kids have!!

Hannah had Rhoda in a front pack, she had a backpack and a bag, and she was wheeling a bag that had Rhoda's car seat on top of it.  Wish I'd thought to bring a camera to take a photo - Hannah seemed fine with all of it too!  That just hasn't been in my list of life experiences!!  I try to get by with as little as possible whenever I approach an airport!

So I guess the holidays are really over now!  Everyone is gone, and I'm tackling the laundry.  (Of course, with as many people as we have had over the last 17 days, laundry has been a daily experience!)  I'm folding up the pack 'n play, stashing all the quilts and pillows, dismantling the hook on chair we use instead of a highchair, moving furniture back to its room of residence,  looking for the little odds and ends that will require a few packages to send back, and once again finding that there is always some Christmas item that escapes me - after Harry has put all the Christmas boxes in the rafters of the garage!

I feel melancholy - I always do - and even though my chore list is a mile long, I'm blogging instead of tackling it!!

I signed up to sub and that's supposed to start this week.  I need to go out to the Valley and take my mom to a doctor appointment.  I need to finish my Christmas cards.  I need to write my thank you notes.  And I'm still trying to bring order to the thousands of photos that have collected on my computer!!

Besides, we are going to DC in February for Theo's baptism.  Ara is turning 18 this month. Harry and Dawn are taking Eve to competition in Ft. Worth and we are tending the other kids. We have the Boston Marathon in April.  Eliza's baby is due in May.  And I have some plans hatching in my mind too!

There are things coming up. It won't be quiet for long!!