El Paso

As most of you know, we ventured back to El Paso on January 5th for David's back surgery. He is recovering nicely - still having some pain, but he says it is a different pain than what he was having prior to surgery. He'll be home for the next 5 weeks, and then should begin the clearing process after his convalescent leave.

The kids snuggling with their daddy after he got home from the hospital.

While in El Paso, we stayed with some very good family friends, in a house that I have stayed in many times over the 30 years we have known each other. It made it a lot easier on us being in a place that feels like home to us. We went the day before David's surgery so the kids could get reacquainted with "Nana" and "Grandaddy" since they would be staying with them while I was up at the hospital with David. We had originally planned to leave Grace behind with a friend so she wouldn't miss any school, but David decided that he wanted her to come with us. It turned out to be a good idea, because I don't think she really grasped how long we were going to be gone, and I don't know how Tristan would have done without his sister for 5 days.

Playing soccer with "Nana" and "Grandaddy" in the backyard

David up and about just 3 days after surgery

Mommy trying to teach Grace and Tristan how to hula hoop - what a hoot!

Now he shakes his hips at home and says "This is how you hula hoop."