Thresholds

If I didn't have 5 hours to kill on this flight back to Seattle, I probably wouldn't have time to write. Story of my life these days. But it's so worth it! These crazy past few weeks have led us to another Thanksgiving in New Hampshire. And boy, was it a good one!

Some of my favorite things about going home (other than seeing family for the first time) is rounding the corner to see my childhood house. It's a sight I felt comforted by back when I lived there, and possibly even more so now that I don't! The outline has changed. Dad has long since removed the old solar panels from the roof (no point when they don't work). Plus, there's the brand new addition and the beautiful back deck, complete I both a stone fireplace.

Mom and Dad have done some wonderful work on it. As much as I dislike change, these have been changes for the better. We still remember the way things were, and we can see them in home videos and photos. But these improvements make this house feel lived in! It's like they were always meant to be. My grandma and aunt seem settled into their apartment. Dad's basement room is the perfect hangout for the guys when the fire isn't warm enough for them to be out on the back deck. There's still some work to do, but it's looking good.

I've loved seeing the house change and grow, just as our family is changing and growing. Thanksgiving was a mighty celebration, full of gratitude that we could all be there together. My grandma (on Dad's side) suffered two strokes only a week or two ago, but she came and was able to stay quite awhile! And then there were the kiddos. Not one, not two, but FOUR babies were there (plus another on the way). Seeing the next generation play together, smile at each other, or just sit there looking adorable, was a really neat thing. It's like we've crossed a threshold, where the kids have become parents and the parents have become doting grandparents. Everyone seems to have stepped into their new roles joyfully (in spite of the challenges they bring--whether baby woes or "growing [older] pains"). I can't wait for future holidays, when the little ones are old enough to make up games with each other and become friends, as we cousins did. It's an exciting time!

And while we're not on the whole baby bandwagon yet, we're just as thrilled with how our extended family is changing. I LOVE LOVE LOVE being an aunt! And I'm pretty sure my nephew is one of the cutest babies I've ever seen. Rocking him to sleep, making him smile, and knowing that you're holding someone who shares your family's blood...I can't even find words for it! "It's AWESOME!" as my sworn brother would say. :-) Watching my cousins and siblings grow as parents has been awesome too. They give me hope, that I can do it too someday. That the sleepless nights and constantly changing plans are so worth it. And I'll admit, it melts my heart to see my husband as an uncle. His "dolphin squeak" had Benja giggling right from the start...and it didn't get old! (Don't you love how you can count on babies to laugh at all your antics? It's amazing what you find yourself doing for the sake of a baby's entertainment--like hopping up and down while puffing out your cheeks like a chubby bunny...not that I have personal experience...)

I summed up our vacation with the following Facebook status. I only got about three hours of sleep because of it, but when the muse strikes, I must write. It lists some of the things about the past six days that I'm so grateful for, even the hard stuff.

10 Conclusions from our NH Thanksgiving:
1) Pretty sure I have the cutest nephew around.
2) It doesn't matter how many times you eat Thanksgiving leftovers--it's still the best meal of the year!
3) I have never been so close to winning Settlers of Catan...nor shall I ever be again if I keep playing with my husband, sister, and bro-in-law.
4) The fox says, "Silence! I kill you!" (Trust me, we saw one.)
5) I actually like having my birthday close to Christmas, because it let me have the most beautiful, holly decorated birthday cake. (Thank you, family, for the sweetest pre-birthday party! Blowing out 26 candles wasn't so bad after all.)
6) My big sister is a super mom AND my BFF.
7) I'm grateful for a supportive husband who loves seeing me go all "New Hampshire native" for a few days.
8) There's nothing like a seeing the next generation at our family Thanksgiving. So cool!
9) I'll never be too old for Mom's snuggles, Dad's bear hugs, or Gramma's stories.
10) Having family who are also your friends is something I'm grateful for 365 days a year...and saying bye never gets any easier.