Safe in Kentucky and almost frozen

When I left Hotlanta it was 45 and sunny. I was curious what the drop in temperature would be so I made sure to note the crisp feeling as I left Peach state wearing a T-shirt and flip-flops comfortably. Much to my liking we stopped only once on the 400 mile trip. (Since Sue and I have been dating it has been a humorous aspiration of mine to make a 400 mile trip, all of our family lives roughly 400 miles from Atlanta, MS, KY, FL (and FL is more like 350 with no good way to get there) without stopping once. Yesterday was our personal best and I hold out a glimmer of hope that we might actually make it within the next year or so without having to stop at all.)

At our one stop in TN I pulled out a jacket so I could pump the gas into the car without any discomfort. I noted the temperature had dropped to 30. Not too bad I thought to myself and figured the worst of the cold swing was over. As we hit the KY state line I began to worry a little, 25. I can count on my fingers the amount of times I have been in weather that is in the teens and all of a sudden it was becoming a pretty real reality that I might be spending Christmas in this type of weather. But this good ol' MS boy was panicking just yet. When we arrived at the Fraley household it was a bitter 15. 15!!! Oh boy am I in for it.

When I woke this morning it was coldest temperature my body had ever encountered, -11! Who lives like this? I have decided that I will be sitting in front of the television at a warm and cosy 75 watching football and sipping on sweet tea for most of my Christmas break. There is no way I am going to be out there in the elements freezing my extremities off. My body is use to 150 with humidity, not negative anything. I can actually feel the cold creeping in from the door which is a good 6 feet away from me. It is clawing its way past all the wonderfully heated air in the house and trying to suffocate the pleasantness right out of the house. It is unbelievable actually!

Well enough about the temperature, everything else is going wonderfully! I am truly blessed with my In laws. They have embraced me as a son and I will never be able to tell an In law joke with any integrity because they are the exact opposite of all of the stereotypes. Dinner last night was loads of fun with great food, wonderful stories and a whimpering Derby who wanted to be out of his crate and stealing food off of peoples plates so badly. It was a great start to the Christmas break. I hope everyone else has the opportunity that I am having this morning to relax, enjoy the many many blessings we have been given and be grateful for family and friends. I love Christmas so much. I love slowing down, listening to Christmas music, eating special meals, and most of all thinking about God and the mystery of his son being born. If nothing else I hope you stop and do that this Christmas.

I am going to put on some socks now because the cold that is clawing at the door seems to have won the victory over the good heat and laid claim to my toes as one of the prizes. Merry Merry Christmas!