Well, I have several friends who are off doing things abroad, so they have interesting things to write about their daily life. Following my blog is definately not as interesting as following one like that. But I think what is different about my life right now is that I am a newlywed. So this Christmas was the first Christmas that Nate and I spent totally together. I think every couple probably has a very different experience in figuring out Christmas vacation, so I thought I would relate ours a little bit.
Nate and I live in Boulder, CO, and our families both live in the Seattle area. Not so complicated right? Well my family is always out of town visiting relatives over Christmas. So we decided we would spend Christmas eve and day with Nate's family and then head up to Canada for a couple of days at the Old Dutch Inn with my family. It was really neat to actually spend Christmas with Nate this year and see what his family traditions are.
Christmas Eve they have a large (and I do mean large) gathering with his mother's extended relatives. We had food and sang some carols, read the Christmas story, and then.....Santa showed up!! Presents for everybody! It was very exciting. Then they had a Christmas Eve service at church at 11 pm. I sang in the choir directed by Joel Ulrich. Then Christmas morning I was rudely awakened by nate shaking me and shouting "ITS CHRISTMAS ITS CHRISTMAS!!!!" in my ear. But we opened presents with his immediate family and then went to Aunt Mary and Doug's house and had brunch with the Westburgs. This wasn't as overwhelming for me becasue I know most of the Westburgs fairly well. More presents. In the evening the Perkins family came over for dinner.
Whew. While it was fun spending Christmas with Nate and being with all his relatives, I have to say I was tuckered out.
Then we went to the Old Dutch Inn, in Qualicum, BC Canada. While Nate's family has large loud gatherings, my family has small quiet ones. We sit and talk and walk around the town and sit in the hot tub and play games.
When we got back we didn't really have specific plans, though Nate's family wanted us to have plans and my family doesn't like to plan. So we compromised and spent every other day with each family. It sort of worked, but we picked some of the wrong days.
Overall I think we did well compromising. It was hard because you want to see your own family and friends, but now you have more family. At the end of the trip I think it was getting harder for us to be so willing to aquiese to the other's requests even if they were reasonable, but we made it through.
This is really long and you probably didn't read all of it, but thanks for listening to my monologue about my Christmas vacation.
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