San Luis Obispo

I've been pining for our annual trip to the Plaza to see the lights and the hustle and bustle and whatever wonderful surprise awaits us. One year there was a bagpipe ensemble playing despite the snow flurries right out on a busy corner. We were eating breakfast one morning and we all listed the things we wished we could spend the day doing. I said, of course, I wanted to go to the Crown Center, have lunch at Fritz's where you order your food on a telephone and it's delivered by a train that runs on a track around the entire restaurant. Then we'd go spend some time walking around the Plaza until they lit it up. Kennedy wanted to go to Westroads Mall in Omaha, Micah wanted to go to Cabellas and ride the Ferris wheel, and Tre wanted to do something in New York. I can't remember what it was, I just know it was pretty outrageous.

Since we couldn't accomplish any of these tasks, we decided to go to San Luis Obispo for shopping and dinner. It's a nice city, a lot of interesting shops and little indoor/outdoor mini-malls, but it wasn't the Plaza, or Crown Center. We were approached a couple of times by a drunk homeless man that was taken by our family and must have thought that if he was really nice to us, we'd let him join. Unfortunately, homeless drunk men don't really set well with any of us and when Dale saw that he had made his way toward us while we were waiting on the bench, he quickly made the separation which set the record straight for the poor guy.

Kennedy and Jasmine won a drawing from their teacher that awarded them free appetizers from California Pizza Kitchen, so that's where we ate dinner. I am always especially sensitive toward other diners in places like this because we are immediately tagged and stared at being such a large family. People assume we will cause a ruckus. I was relieved to be seated by a friendly host who said that he was the oldest of six children and welcomed us warmly. Our waitress was really sweet too, which made the whole experience a positive one. It's frustrating to go out when we can't eat for under $40 anywhere except fast food, and the wait staff treats us like a burden even before they have a chance to see that our children will exhibit good manners, generally, and behave themselves. We've left more than one establishment because of rudeness like this. Such are the burdens of the full quiver.

One the way home the sun was setting just as we turned out of the mountains along the shoreline and it looked just like the post cards: a pink and blue and purple sky just falling behind the silhouette of the palm trees alone the water. It was magnificent.

On the way home, Micah said, "Mom, why does that girl say that it's not Christmas if the snow don't fall? It's still Christmas." I said, "It doesn't feel like Christmas for some people if it's not snowing." All the kids said, "It does feel like Christmas, though." I'd like to think that our little traditions and celebrations are making it feel like Christmas. It helps that our family is coming in TWO MORE DAYS!!! And there are tons of presents already under the tree, and we've hung lots of paper chains and snowflakes, and while Mawmaw's here, we'll string popcorn and decorate sugar cookies. I love Christmas time. I keep thinking about how we spend all this energy on the weeks before the day, all in anticipation of the celebration of Jesus's birth. It's so cool that the most amazing season of the year is centered around His arrival; all of this anticipation is because of Him. What amazing gifts He gives.