Together for the Holidays

November and December are months of anticipation and preparation—for keeping of traditions and family ties. No other time of the year carries so much emotional weight. It’s a joyful thing, and a bittersweet one, too. We naturally feel the absence of those no longer with us. But young children, and the child within us, keep our focus on the joy of it all. We came together this Thanksgiving thankful for the simple things: the break from routine, the gathering under one roof, the Greenberg turkey, the smell of the Frazier fur waiting to be decorated the Friday after. Matthew, dreading the notorious Thanksgiving flights, made it home when Elizabeth and Andrew arrived with the boys, with Sharon soon following. Andrew, feeling the kid inside of him, lit a fire in the chiminea on the back porch. Jack loved it, and all the memories of Amy’s kids years ago roasting marshmallows flooded back. Elizabeth brought out her card game of conversation starters at the dinner table—Andrew groaned and excused himself—and Matthew and Sharon played on with us. As usual, there were some surprise responses. It was a leisurely Thanksgiving—no Turkey Trot again this year—and the day after I brought out the tree ornaments to issue in Christmas early. We would see Amy and Bonnie’s crew two weeks later for a Christmas get-together at Andrew’s family ranch. Jennifer brought all the fixings for decorating gingerbread houses; we all brought our presents for the kiddos. And then Christmas was upon us, with Elizabeth and Andrew attending his brother David’s wedding in Fredericksburg and Jack and Benjamin staying with us in Austin. Thankfully, Elizabeth and Matthew were together for a couple of days to enjoy more holidays relaxing with Sharon and us at home, walking the lake, playing with the kids—before she headed back to Houston. While she spent Christmas Day with Andrew’s family, we spent the day here with Matthew and Sharon. They had extra time off to drive with us to Houston the day after, to celebrate a second Christmas. Can anyone get enough of the holidays? I encouraged Bonnie to keep up all her Christmas decorations as long as possible, and so her house was a beautiful setting to ring in the new year.