Love, Love, Love

No, I haven't fallen of the face of the internet. I had to take my computer in for repairs and give it a little vacation too. I still have a week left in MN, but my computer isn't on vacation anymore.

Love, Love, Love. That is the greatest gift I received this Christmas. My mom with the Bedard clan planned a beautiful, crazy, full Christmas celebration this year with more than 40 people coming and going through our door within a 48 hr. time period. It was wonderful to see so much family and eat endless plates of Christmas cookies. I remember a year ago I was in Cajamarca with an awful cold celebrating the holiday with my new friend Paola and her family. They were so sweet and loving with me, but nothing compares to the warmth and love of your own family. Grandma came with her traditional Christmas cookies, my aunt Jeanne brought over the wine and folding chairs and later got stuck under the tree with all the presents, my cousins came over with their cute little kids, yeah pretty much everyone was present at one point or another.

We ate, caroled, drank, ate, went to church, ate, drank, played endless board games and ate some more. Yep, that sums it up. For me it isn't so important what happens when family gets together, it is the simple act of getting together that makes us family. And after having missed all those get togethers all year, it was very special and filled with that much more love to share this Christmas with everyone at home. Who knows where I will be next Christmas? But, I will be thankful to have filled this one with love to remember all year.

My vacation has been filled with other things besides Christmas celebrations. My dear friends from River Falls planned a reunion weekend in St. Paul and my mom treated the family to theater tickets. This means I have been doing cool American things recently, things I can't do in Cajamarca. Like order from a beer list that was at least 20 pages long (yes, a little ridiculous and stressful), see theater actors, eat Mediterrian food, catch up with high school friends, you know - those types of things.
The Bedard's waiting for the show to start.
My River Falls companions reuniting in St. Paul.

So if you are reading this, I send my love out to you because my cup runneth over.