The Holiday's and Time Away

I'm excited about leaving tomorrow for Michigan and hope my trip is better than last years debacle. At least I got a couple vouchers out of it and was able to use the second one to pay for 3/4 of this years ticket.

I haven't seen my nephew's since July, my cousins since last Christmas, some college friends since January, and high school friends in years. It will be great to spend a little time with everyone, but there's never enough time to see as many people and do as much as I would like to. It's nice to get away from DC, to enjoy all the snow that Michigan has been getting, and having a white Christmas that I've grown up to know and love. I love where I grew up and I love going back home this time of year.

I've had the same traditions with my family since I was a kid, and we've continued them almost every year for 30 years. Even as my older sister married and had her two boys, they were included in on our traditions while trying to start some of their own. Even as my other sister and I moved away, we always make it back to Michigan for Christmas. It's hard to hold tight when we're all growing up.. have grown up.. and have our own families and relationships.

It will be especially tough spending the holiday away from my GF as she heads up to New Hampshire to spend time with her family. We will be gone the same amount of time, but we are at the point where we want to start traditions of our own. It will be difficult to let go of traditions that have been so ingrained in me for so many years, but I'm looking forward to starting new traditions this New Year and carrying them over for years to come. It could be spending every other year with each others family, staying in DC or wherever we live at the time, or going on a trip to someplace warm or someplace with snow. The possibilities are endless, but I know I want to be with her Christmas morning for years to come.

Happy Holiday's