Sometimes amidst the hustle and bustle of going here and there, it’s easy to get caught up in the stress of traffic and lose sight of where it is you’re going and why.
It was “my family’s turn” for Thanksgiving this year. So, Tuesday night, we packed up the car, Kylie and our dog Teddy. We prefer to travel by cover of darkness. Kylie sleeps most of the way, and traffic is usually light. Well, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving is the new Wednesday for travel. Lots of travelers, even after midnight, turning our usual 4 hour trip into a tiring 5 ½ hours. But we were glad the following morning when we woke up and had a day of rest and just visiting with family and friends.
Thanksgiving morning, my husband and I took Kylie to church. Kylie was so well-behaved and enjoyed the singing. It was in that moment that I looked at my family and thought “This is what I’m thankful for.” After church, we all filled up 3 cars of people and drove over to Grandma’s house. Another car ride, but we didn’t mind so much. We were focused on the fun of being together.
Friday was back in the car to go back to my parents’ house. My sister Carin, her husband and their 2 month old baby came over. It was a bit surreal to see my younger sister with a baby, but it was awesome. Everyone wanted to hold the baby, especially me. And Kylie even got to hold him! Precious moments.
Saturday we celebrated my father’s 60th birthday. I thought, “What better way to celebrate than to have all your kids home, enjoying each others’ company… laughter in every room.”
Saturday night we traveled back to our own home, eager to sleep in our own beds, once again sharing the road with many, many other weary travelers. And we found ourselves once again thinking “Ugh. Never again are we traveling for a holiday.”
But now, comfortably back home, looking through the pictures from the weekend, I’m reminded of why every year we do “go home” for one holiday or another. Because the memories and time with family are worth it.
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