ho ho ho

I was sitting (no, standing) on the bus on my way to school, listening to my iPod, which I had put on shuffle. What comes on but Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas album. I quickly pressed skip but the sound of the little kids singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing stuck in my head and all day kept thinking about Christmas at home with my family. The days leading up to the big day, when all we do is sit by the fire and drink coffee and hot chocolate. It makes me so sad to think that we will not be at home for Christmas.

I can't help but think of, however, our first Christmas in Charlotte. I thought it would suck so much because we were not at what I thought was my home, in South Bend. It was wonderful, actually, and I remember feeling totally at home. It was not sleeping in my own bed, though, that made it home and it was not the fact that we had to wait forever at the top of the stairs while Mom and Dad "get stuff ready" downstairs and it was not the fact that my sister busted into my room at 6 am to wake me up. It was the fact that I was with my family that made it special.

This entire time I have been whining and loathing in self-pity at the fact that I won't be at my house for Christmas. I have been thinking that it will be sad and different, but in reality I think it might be the best. This will have been the longest I have seen my family, and seeing them Christmas eve eve might be the sweetest gift I ever could have asked for. Really, I am coming home for Christmas in a way. 

Sorry for being so mushy. Just having one of those days. I have also been getting sick lately and I stupidly ran outside when it was like -489 degrees outside, so I am probably worse now than I was yesterday. Must buck up though because we are going to Dublin this weekend!!