What Makes the Holidays Worth It ...

This year my four siblings and I gathered our kids, dogs, spouses and suitcases as we headed for Tuscaloosa, AL. to spend time with my mom. What a blessing it is to have my brother, sisters, and mom in my life. So, here's the clan ...

That's me in the upper left, my sister Diane from the Bay Area of California, and my brother Ed, who resides here in Nashville. I think he's standing on a box. I don't remember being that much shorter than him.

Anyway, the bottom row includes my sister Carol, from Cincinnati, on the left; my mom seated in the chair; and my sister Kathy, also from Tuscaloosa, on the right.

And I love the picture of my mom and me. I think it captures a bit of the essence of what makes her so special.

Many of you have heard the hair-raising tale of her tumble down the stairs in the dark, hitting the concrete below and breaking her arm in multiple places. But, to look at her now you'd never know. She cooked, she cleaned, she played, she laughed, and she was happy the whole time.

Even though I've never lived in that house or taken up residence in Alabama, it was good to be home.