Time flies, fun or not

Let's start with the non fun part where I left off.

DP's father was getting into kidney failure (showed from blood tests) on a Wednesday so we knew the end was near. Friday morning the phone rang and we were all travelling to FIL. DP was by car, he was in time, just like his mother, brother and SIL. I got the call later, and had to go by train and i was an hour late. It was sad, we were all sad and all together. A few days of activity to make arrangements. People insisted on Suzy being there as she was FILs favourite. It is not easy taking a 3 year old to a funeral. It was hard to be a mother, a partner, a stepmother, an aunt and a daughter all at once. So sometimes I let go and was just me. sad for me and FIL. I liked him, even if I never knew him in good health. I did let Suzy roll over the floor for a bit when she couldn't / wouldn't sit still anymore. Then I found myself holding youngest stepson (because DP was holding his mother) and realised I never hold them. It is OK both ways I suppose.
After the funeral - lunch on the 22nd of december we took MIL home with us for Christmas. On second Christmas day we had a big lunch with BIL and family and they took MIL home again.

Just in time to free up the guest room for my brother coming over with his boys for the last few days of the year. Such fun. We even arranged for a private boat tour to pick us up from home and do a round of the Light Festival. They also were excited to visit the new jaguar enclosure in the Zoo and spent so many hours there I had to take Suzy home earlier. They left on the 30th while I was with C8 in a small party to pick out her wedding dress for september.
31st HB came over to celebrate another year coming to an end. (third party in guest room. He even brought his own bedlinnen to help save us from mount laundry)

December 2016 was full of highs and lows, packed so full we didn't know what hit us.