I further resolve to complain no more...

I am lucky.

I am so very lucky.

I will get to see my family this weekend - the ENTIRE family - at Christmas for the very first time in years and years. I will get to play with my niece and nephew, and talk with my sisters and their families. I will get to see my remaining grandparents, and most of my aunts and uncles, and about 30 of my cousins. Okay, I am kidding about the 30 cousins, but honestly, I have so many cousins that I haven't actually counted in awhile.

Christmas Eve, we will go to mass (which is conveniently at 4:30pm, so does not fulfill our Catholic Christmas obligation as it is before 5pm, but if you don't tell, I won't tell. There is no possible way to get 10 people and two babies ready to go to church at 8:30 am, even with three bathrooms, without explosions.) After mass, we will go to my mom's parents' house for Christmas with her side of the family. There will be tons of food - way more than anyone can eat - and presents given to the children and grandparents. There will be margeritas, which I will drink and then regret once the heartburn sets in about halfway through. I will sit and answer questions from relatives, and if I am lucky, two subjects will be verboten (1. "I double-clicked this attachment and..." and, 2. "When are you going to settle down and get married?" This is the one that I usually get when I have a mouthful of food or drink.).

Christmas Day will begin with a leisurely waking by my son jumping on the bed (or whatever I am sleeping on - this year, air-mattress) at some impossibly early morning hour. That's IF he managed to get to sleep at all. Mom will have some sort of breakfast sweets ready to put in the oven, and my son and I will pile on the couch, waiting for the others to wake up while we watch the lights, and I try to slam caffeine into my system. This year, we will add my niece to the mix! Then, we hand out presents, and go around the room, youngest to oldest, opening one present at a time, so everyone can see what we received. My son, of course, opens two presents for every one the others do, or we'd be there all morning. Later, we eat breakfast, and play with my son's toys. This year, we are having a pork loin on the grill for lunch, with a bunch of other summer type food (my dad's famous baked beans, baked potatoes, snicker salad, and spagetti salad). After lunch, nap time! Then off to my aunt's house for another decadent dinner and Christmas on my Dad's side of the family. No awkward questions there - just fun!

After consuming my body weight in goodies, we will return to my mom and dad's house and all promptly fall asleep where ever we sit. I call the place to the left of the hearth, where I can prop my pillow and see the TV, and feel the warmth from the fireplace.

And I am the luckiest person alive...