A Family Holiday In Hillsboro, Texas

Our Texas Christmas season typically starts with group events in our clubhouse at the North Texas Airstream Community (NTAC) where our home is located along with our Airstream travel trailer. The Annual Lady's Tea to which outside citizens from the community are invited kicks off the season's events. Hill College located within a mile of NTAC offers several free Christmas concerts. We also celebrate with a big Christmas dinner and our annual business meeting. Jim Hadaway, former International President of the Wally Byam International Caravan Club (WBCCI) was re-elected President. The current President of WBCCI as well as the First Vice President also reside at NTAC. Living here is like attending an ongoing rally of 100 rigs that never stops. We enjoy and appreciate our neighbors, our home, and our little town of 8700. One mile away is our church, Central Baptist; we were treated to a nostalgic and uplifting holiday program, "Home For Christmas" led by our new music director.

Three of our children and five grandchildren were with us at various times during the holidays. Our oldest daughter, Robin and son, Samuel arrived in time for Christmas. Alejandro was with his ailing father in Colombia. Our only downer on Christmas Day was when 10 year old Samuel lost control of his Razor scooter coming down a hill in our park and fell onto the concrete terraport, breaking his left arm. We made our first trip to our local hospital, and the ER staff did a great job treating the wounded scooter rider. Samuel's spirits were undampened. The next day he and his mom made the three hour drive to the Texas Hill Country to see his other cousins.

After Christmas, Robin and Samuel, our son, Mark, Christal, and Ethan, age 6, along with our middle child, Stephanie, Steven and their three children, Jack, 14, Lucie, 12, and Lincoln, 10, arrived. Our big holiday dinner and gift exchange was held at our home on New Years Eve when we finally got everyone together at one time. New Year's Day was a wonderful time of recreation, table games, fun and fellowship, and video games. Little Ethan, with his Tennessee drawl, held his own with the bigger kids. Jerry loved the day because our Texas contractor son-in-law, Steven, completed some much-needed closet door repairs. Gloria kept snacks and meals readily available. Goodbyes are always difficult when we live so far apart. We missed Courtney's family from Guatemala and Andrea's family from Salem, MA.