Like many, many other people around the United States, the past few days have consisted of lots of traveling and eating turkey with family. We started by going to Fort Wayne and celebrating two Thanksgivings - one with Jackie's mom's extended family, then another one just with Jackie's immediate family, including her grandfather. Following that, we headed up to Lansing and had a small Thanksgiving meal with my parents. Both my parents were feeling a bit under the weather, catching a cold bug that has hit my sister's family for over a month. Because of that, my sister's family stayed home trying to get better and avoid exposure to more stuff, and our stay with my parents was a little shorter than usual. Despite its unorthodox, at least for us, manner, it was still good to have the dinner with family and reflect on gratitude.
After getting back last night, we started our now annual post Thanksgiving tradition, Christmas decorating. This is to say that I generally stay out of the way while Jackie spends hours upon hours thinking and planning and turning the inside of our house to a warm Christmas glow. Such decorating continued today with us decorating our family Christmas tree together and having our own little Thanksgiving dinner with all the leftover turkey and dressing and such we received from family.
After the whirlwind, and despite the looming hectic work week, I sit here tonight in a very calm and peaceful mood. Our house glows with the lights and warmth of our decorations, which reflect the amount of care and passion Jackie puts into it, and makes the house feel like a sanctuary of love. Truly. As I write and sip on my Bailey's, I reflect on all that I have to be grateful for, and foremost of that is my family - not just Jackie and Ellie, but my parents and my sister's family, as well as Jackie's family in Fort Wayne. Each year, we get to spend time with people we love, and those who love us. Its a nice reminder that whatever may happen, and despite what geographical distances may be, we have people with us on this up and down journey of life.
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