safe travels.

This was the best image I could find to depict our two-hour drive to Maine:

{Image via weheartit}

Ok, we may not be cool enough to drive an original English Mini and I may have wrapped the presents in kraft paper, not pretty pink...but in a few short hours, we'll be headed for "Vacationland". 

This is my fourth Christmas with {cv}'s family--and this year, more than ever, I'm missing the quiet of Christmases past in Indiana. We spent Christmas together before were were married because we were long-distance and have actually only spent two of our six Christmases apart. 

Don't get me wrong: I adore his crazy Christmas Eve gathering--where my husband's Italian throng gathers to bring in Christmas. He is one of twelve grandkids, so it manages to trump the fact that I'm an only child with a much smaller family gathering.

I fell in love with their family Christmas when I first came in 2007, before we were engaged. I felt this strange feeling, that if for some reason we didn't end up as husband and wife, my future Christmases would never really live up to what I saw that year. Truth be told, I love that so much family comes to be together in one place to celebrate.

It was never easy to be away from my family at the holidays...and it hasn't gotten any easier. I don't think it ever will. I know my mother probably thinks that I'm fine without the cozy Christmases of years past, but that's definitely not the case.  

I miss the late night Christmas Eve church services. I miss sitting by the tree with my dad, just watching the lights. I miss singing Christmas songs at the piano with my mother. I even miss my old cat, Whitty, who chewed on ribbon and thus barred pretty bows from our house. I generally just miss home.

I wish I could say that we could slip away for a Midwestern Christmas some day soon, but it's tough for {cv} to break tradition...and I understand that. Over the past ten years, my family hasn't celebrated with much tradition...we go to Kansas City one year, Nashville the next, and generally, the shuffling is tough. Where we spend Christmas is a perennially tough debate, which I know will not get easier until we're settled somewhere, have kids, and want to spend Christmas at home {wherever that ends up being}.

I'm feeling more at home in New England, but the truth is that it never really will be home. My "home" is now with Chris, but my heart will always have a place in the quiet, snowy cornfields of Indiana.

 

The good news is that we'll be joining my parents on December 29th in {what I hope is} sunny Hilton Head, South Carolina. Until then, I'll savor our New England Christmas--our first as Mr. and Mrs. :) I'll enjoy the time with his family and seeing our 18-month-old nephew enchanted with presents. I love his family--and I am so lucky they have embraced me as one of their own.

So, Merry Christmas to all of you! Safe travels to all of you departing for home--or wherever "home" is this year. I'm going to take my first little blog vacation, but I promise more soon. Each of you have been such a gift to me over the past couple of months, so thank you!  

Never forget your childhood image of Christmas. And, most importantly, never ever forget the reason why we celebrate...

Until the 26th! xoxo {av}