The Happiest Holiday

As I have mentioned before, this Christmas was my first away from my family. On top of that, I was meeting my BF's family for the first time.

And now it is Christmas afternoon, and I have to say that things couldn't have gone better.

I will admit that last night and parts of this morning were hard, as I really missed my family and the traditions we have been working to establish. But they were great and called me after their mass last night, and passed the phone around the dinner table to let everyone say "Hi!" My sister told me that things didn't feel the same without me at the head of the table. Cheese and I had just come out of a movie and were driving home, and I had to look out the window to stop myself from crying. Those were the first tears. I wasn't sad, I just missed them.

As for my own Christmas here in Kansas, it was different,but the same. Let me explain.

Cheese and I woke up earlier than our recent 10AM alarm (for the last two mornings), laced up our shoes, and hit the road - me for a 2 hour run, he for a 4.5 mile run.

Now that's true beauty. First thing in the AM.

We hung together for the first loop, then I stopped to pee and for water at his house and headed back out. About a mile later, Cheese pulls up next to me on his bike - still in his running clothes and what appeared to be freezing his ass off (in addition to the cold, it was windy, which made it difficult for me, and likely miserable for him). But he hung with me for a full hour, in the cold and wind, just pedaling next to me, and even almost taking a header off his bike in the ice.

Seriously. Who does that?

For the last half mile, I listened to my IM song (City of Blinding Lights by U2) and ripped it out. My knees were literally breaking and my back was spasming, but I sprinted whatever I had left back to the house. As Cheese brought his bike in, I walked it out, stopping briefly to catch my breathe, watch the steam rise from my jacket, look up to the bright blue sky, and just let myself be overwhelmed by my life at the moment.

This was the second cry.

But a good one.

Then we showered, waited for his niece and nephew, and refueled. And I have to say that, upon their arrival, things were a lot less hectic than I anticipated.

Me and Farley. Looks like I found the sweet spot.

For me, my gifts were great, but the best thing I unwrapped was a framed picture of me and Cheese under the Wrigley sign on our first date, with the dollar I won from him that night and the ticket stub.

I cried. It was beautiful.

That was the third cry.

Also a good one.

The video and photo to this moment are priceless - I'll post them when I can.

He also got me a watch that, when I unwrapped it, his neice screamed out, "I bet it's a ring!"

It wasn't, but we all got a good laugh.

Then I proceeded to eat my face off at dinner, helping myself to two full plates of food and a serving of every dessert - and I went back for seconds on the apple pie.

Hmmmm...pie....I wonder if it's still out.....

I talked to my family several times today, and though I missed them, I felt really at home here.

The night was rounded out by a game of Hanna Montana with the niece, some Webkinz, and a game of Shout with the whole family. Another trip to the leftovers food table was also thrown in there, as well as a quick change from my jeans to stretchy pants.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Mine was emotional, but in that good way.

I continue to be grateful.