Best Gift

My army son sent me some Smoky Mountain Applepie Moonshine from Tennessee, "Tennessee's First Legal Moonshine".  My lady bought me a camera so I can take pictures of her. 

I got a sweet Louisville slugger bbcor 2012 warrior 32/29 metal bat.

Got my best present last week.  My 2016 suffered a dislocated shoulder (non-throwing) playing football this October.  He worked very hard on his rehab and recently had an MRI.  Last Friday we went to see his Dr. (an MLB team doctor and shoulder specialist) and he commented that his MRI was "spectacularly unremarkable" and that he was free to compete in contact sports and won't need surgery (which would have shut him down for 5 months).  This came from a doctor who likes to cut and was looking for any evidence of damage that he could fix - found none.  So now 2016 needs to be very aggressive with rehab (RC exercises - i.e. throwers 10) and hopefully his risk of reoccurrence will only be slightly elevated. Christmas morning was spent doing band exercises and various BOSU ball exercises. 

I had both of my kids at home, which was my gift.

We attended an early church service as a family. Then, under my roof, we unwrapped presents which weren't especially noteworthy. Later in the afternoon, we ate a wonderful dinner my lovely wife prepared. We'll be eating leftovers for the next week.

All in all it was a great day.

Enjoy them while you still have them.

Like JMoff, the best gift I "received" was my entire family with the Mrs and I for Christmas Eve service - 27 year old daughter with my 5 year old grand-daughter, 26 year old daughter (graduated from ODU this year), 19 year old son (home from a D2 JUCO where he is playing baseball) and my 16 year old daughter.

I'm especially thankful for my oldest being with us as she spun on black ice and flipped her car a few weeks ago as she was returning from visiting her brother.  She also developed a blood clot (hospitalized for 2 days) and is now on blood thinners.  She and my grand daughter literally walked away from the car after it flipped.  Not to mention grand baby #2 is on the way.

This applies to both of us:

2 days ago...Christmas Eve morning 9am.  My son got an email from a D1 coach asking my son to call him....12+ years of hard work, being happy with each other, being mad at each other, etc, etc, etc....all finally seemed worth it....

As corny as it sounds....having everybody home for XMas is the best present.  My oldest son didn't make it home for Thanksgiving (8 hour drive) due to weather.  We hadn't seen him (other than Skype) since mid-August.  Typically we visit him in the Fall, but it didn't happen this year.  He's too busy, and we couldn't get away.   It has been great to have everyone home for the Holidays.  Time is marching on way too quickly. 

My youngest got a new Nokona mitt for Xmas.   It has been great to hear the pop of a baseball on a new leather mitt as well  My oldest and youngest have started throwing.  I just love that sound. 

I have to share one of the best gag gifts.  Background: there is a pretty heated rivalry between Virginias and West Virginians in my part of the country.  I got a very good friend of mine from the  Mountaineer state a tee shirt that has a picture of West Virginia with the words "Now with Skools" on it.  It's pretty freaking funny. 

Got to throw BP for the first time in 6 months. 

.....Still waiting for the Ibuprofen to kick in. 

+1  Same here.

Older son heads back later today.  Last year, 4 weeks for Christmas break was way too long.  This year, 6 days isn't enough.  

Just seeing my kids and hanging out is enough. I had only seen them for two days at Thanksgiving since August. There's also a new addition to the family. A very active black Lab.