Christmas 2009
If I had to spend a Christmas without my best friend/husband/baby-daddy, I have to say that this Christmas was the best it could’ve been. After convincing my dad that driving 10 hrs with a baby is NOT fun, we all booked a flight for MI. I haven’t been “home” to Michigan in at least 4 years for Christmas, I had been last summer when I was pregnant for a family vacation and again before Gabbi’s birthday in August of this year, but the last Christmas in Mi was the Christmas after I met Bernard.
Growing up, we went to MI every other year. Christmas Eve is celebrated with my dad’s 6 brothers and sisters, parents, grandmother and aunts. Christmas day is celebrated with my mom’s 6 brothers and sisters, parents and my Auntie Maggie. I have some of the most wonderful memories of white, Michigan Christmases: driving home on Christmas Eve staring at the sky looking for Rudolph’s nose; writing a letter begging Santa to wake me up and take me on a sleigh ride just this once and promising not to tell anyone; sorting presents; sledding with everyone down HUGE powdered hills; waking up to Amy Grant’s Christmas album; and playing with all my cousins. I was so excited to be back in MI and let Gabbi experience some of this same excitement and magic that Christmases in MI hold in my heart.
This Christmas was so special, we were able to spend some quality time with several of my aunts and uncles as well as some crazy fun with the whole bunch. Gabbi was spoiled and she loved spending her afternoons and evenings at Ma and Poppop’s where we stayed during our trip. The night before we left, Ma pulled me aside, hugged me and said, “Thank you for coming up here. This Christmas was so special. I know you won’t be back for another because you have your own family now, but we’re so thankful to have spent this one with you.” Her comment made me sad and I wanted to deny what she said, but it’s true. There’s a lot of family now to please, but there’s a new family too that deserves its own traditions, celebrations and magical memories. That’s my family. My very own family and I cannot wait to see what next Christmas holds for us.
Growing up, we went to MI every other year. Christmas Eve is celebrated with my dad’s 6 brothers and sisters, parents, grandmother and aunts. Christmas day is celebrated with my mom’s 6 brothers and sisters, parents and my Auntie Maggie. I have some of the most wonderful memories of white, Michigan Christmases: driving home on Christmas Eve staring at the sky looking for Rudolph’s nose; writing a letter begging Santa to wake me up and take me on a sleigh ride just this once and promising not to tell anyone; sorting presents; sledding with everyone down HUGE powdered hills; waking up to Amy Grant’s Christmas album; and playing with all my cousins. I was so excited to be back in MI and let Gabbi experience some of this same excitement and magic that Christmases in MI hold in my heart.
This Christmas was so special, we were able to spend some quality time with several of my aunts and uncles as well as some crazy fun with the whole bunch. Gabbi was spoiled and she loved spending her afternoons and evenings at Ma and Poppop’s where we stayed during our trip. The night before we left, Ma pulled me aside, hugged me and said, “Thank you for coming up here. This Christmas was so special. I know you won’t be back for another because you have your own family now, but we’re so thankful to have spent this one with you.” Her comment made me sad and I wanted to deny what she said, but it’s true. There’s a lot of family now to please, but there’s a new family too that deserves its own traditions, celebrations and magical memories. That’s my family. My very own family and I cannot wait to see what next Christmas holds for us.
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