Ah, the best laid plans and all that.

The plan WAS that Amy and Rachel would fly in today around lunchtime, that tomorrow we’d open presents, and we’d have until the 4th of January to enjoy their company.

Sadly, the reality is that Amy wound up in hospital yesterday due to shortness of breath brought about by blood clots in her lungs. Ow! So no trip to Ohio for the girls. Alas!

Despite this setback, however, we have MANY pluses. The biggest & best being that Amy is now out of the hospital – YAY! – and recovering from her ordeal. She’s on blood thinner and will be playing the part of pin cushion for the next week or so as they do followup tests daily. But she’s home and that’s important thing.

Another plus, Rachel was able to exchange their plane tickets for a voucher. They hope to use them in March to come to Ohio for our cousin’s wedding. Hooray!

More on the positive: The folks and I packed up a goodie package of cookies & candies & Chex Mix etc and mailed that off to the girls. Then we packed up two boxes full of their pressies and sent them along via UPS. Hopefully cookies arrive Saturday & pressies on Tuesday. Mum forgot the stockings, so tomorrow she mails them out too. (Yay for priority mail!)

Once all pressies have arrived (they’ll be sending ours along, too), we’ll do a Skype Christmas. It’s not as good as having them with us in person, but it’ll be a great way to do this from a distance. (elsaf & judiang and I did this on Boxing Day to open our gifts “together.”) It’s pretty neat living in the 21st Century!

So, for the first time in my life, we’ll be opening Christmas presents after my birthday. A bit odd, but I can live with it. I mean, come on, presents! Family! Presents!

Missing you, Amy & Rachel! Get well quickly Amy! Looking forward to Skype Christmas!