How many holidays and celebrations have we spent, as a family of 2,3,4,5 and now 6 without extended family? To many to count.
It was sad in the beginning - being in another country, eating our Thanksgiving or Christmas meal, with just Hubby and I. With no other presents under the Christmas tree but his and mine, the house super quiet except for the holiday music.
We decided to really create our own traditions. A little bit from his family, a little bit from mine, but mostly ours. And even if we had no one else to revel with us, we still stayed up to go to midnight Mass, and I still made a family style dinner and sent out invitations to anyone else that needed a family.
I suppose that this is the nomadic way, the Army way, with scattered memories of celebrations with a smattering of different people who created our environment, and who mean more to us because they spent those special events with us.
But now, as our family is getting bigger, and as the children growing by the foot, our home has gotten exponentially louder. Our table, in turn, during the holidays have evolved to one that is of my dreams.
There is no loneliness here.
I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend!
