List? Check.

We're T minus 13 hours from departure and I'd like to think we're ready. Or at least really close. My past week has been consumed by lists; lists of things to do, lists of what to pack, lists of shopping to complete. Strangely I think most of the to-dos have been crossed off, but not without my kind husband talking me off a few ledges and taking primary Wyatt duty so I can accomplish said tasks this weekend. They ventured to church without me this morning and spent the afternoon together while I went to a baby shower and visited my convalescing friend, then Jeff had dinner going when I got home. My hero!

There is so much going on here - our Christmas party was last night, the holiday coffee is coming up, my friend is still ailing and needing meals, etc. - that it makes me realize there is no good time to leave because, while I am SO excited to see my real family, we're really lucky that everyone here feels like family. And I predict this Japanese family will have grown by at least three babies by the time we get back. Crazy.

And for your amusement, I'll now share my attempted Christmas card pictures. Let's just say that a baby who can almost sit up by himself is not a good candidate for photos on the beach. Wyatt has now fully encountered sand and I predict he'll be a real beach baby come April; he didn't seem to mind the taste of it at all, nor the texture of it in his ear, nose, drool and diaper. Maybe next year's Christmas card will feature the beach pic -this year's is on my list of things to do in Kansas :)