My wife and I have been together since we met at Aspenwood Apartments on 46th and Guadalupe while students at the great University. That was Summer of 1999. Our daughter joined us in 2002. My son was born in 2007.
Last year was our first Christmas apart as a family, my daughter had to work a shift for the holiday. That was certainly tough for us all.
Not this year!
We have both daughter and son home again and for that I am grateful.
I did have a rough night yesterday, quite a bit of emotion and sleeplessness. I am not close to my parents, or anyone really. My grandmother was my person. Thanksgiving and Christmas were her time to shine. Our large family gathered around her and she pulled out all the stops, every year. My grandfather's birthday was also the day after Christmas. Both were very devout Baptists with my Grandfather a noted scholar and professor in the New Testament. They lamented the movement of Southern Baptists away from the teachings of Jesus Christ and towards a focus on conformity, loyalty, and control. Yes, the current push for control of Universities has actually already played out in a somewhat similar structure at Seminary institutions 15 or so years ago. She has been gone for 9 years, and he four years. But, you know it just still feels overwhelming some years.
Still, I am grateful to have this time of year with family. Merry Christmas and happy holidays.