On the 21st we had an awesome Christmas dinner with my dad, followed by a few super relaxing nights on the mountain. When we returned home, we didn't even have time to unload the car before the McConnell clan started showing up from all corners of the country. It was an exciting greeting to say the least, as half of the family I hadn't seen since LAST CHRISTMAS! (WHAT?? Shameful.)
Since our friends/ neighbors knew they were going to be out of town this week, they very graciously offered their homes to us. This has allowed the McConnell family to spread out into three houses on the street and officially take over the block. It has been amazing.
For the past 4 mornings, I have woken up to coffee brewing in the kitchen and quiet voices chatting-it-up in the living room. As I wander in, grab my coffee, and sit by the fire, other family members eventually wander over from their respective homes and by 11 am, we're still all in our pjs, starting our 3rd pot of coffee.
Tonight is the first time in a week that I have been in bed before 2 am, and as I type this, I can still hear the dealing of cards in the dining room and the loud laughter of mom and siblings at the table.
By this time next week, the house will be quiet, the dogs will be depressed, and I will seriously have family withdrawals. (Why did I just say that? Now I'm getting sad prematurely. I'm going to go back to believing that nobody's leaving and there's no such thing as Colorado, Massachusetts, South Carolina, or Georgia.)
Cheers to family, cheers to friends, and cheers to the season that brings us all back together again.
love
mae
