So we drove over two excruciating hours one way to get to my mom’s house and share what was supposed to be a family Christmas get together. Not all of my family was there, but it was still a delightful time with lots of yummy food and a loving, entertaining, albeit small, group. My son was supposed to ride with us and he actually made the effort and came over before we left, but I had to send him back home… he woke up with pinkeye. 😮 My oldest decided to boycott the event because she isn’t speaking to me and wasn’t mature enough to bring her mini horde, which included my baby grandson, to what could possibly be the last family reunion that will include my mom. 😣 Some of the extended family were invited, but they couldn’t come for various reasons, but that’s okay, we had a great time anyway. It was my mom and her husband, myself and my better half, my baby-girl and her man and the three beautiful kids that call her Momma. I always stress the fact that I’m an event hating introvert, but every time I come together with these people, after accomplishing that very dreaded trip or whatever, I’m always so very glad that I’m in the middle of it. I love all of these people and they bring such joy to my heart, you wouldn’t recognize the bright beaming smile coming from my usually smirking frowny face. I talk, I laugh, I walk around and touch and hug and kiss and joke and giggle. The happiness I feel inside is alive and all encompassing, it makes me forget all of the petty annoyances, the daily grind, the anger that I usually carry around like a hated treasure that I can’t discard. I feel young again and excited, I have wisdom to contribute, I have new innovations to learn about, it’s a perfect melting pot of age, experience and opinions, but regardless of the differences, all of these things are shared with love and true hopes of making someone’s life better. I love my family and I don’t really realize how very much that I miss them, how very much they truly mean to me until I see those beautiful faces and my heart says that once again I’m home. ❤