I'm So Cool

I did the math and I have 8 Christmas parties to go to this year. Some of them are family get togethers, so I'm not sure if those count, but plenty of them aren't. I've got a work party, a school party, a ward party, a small gathering of our four closest friends, possibly another ward party (I gotta see Brandon as Santa), an early family gathering, the big Christmas Eve party that you have to go to or you're just not cool anymore, and then the Christmas Day feast.

It's so funny to me how rapidly things can change in life. Just a few short years ago, I was sitting in a barracks room in Guam, with only a few other lonely souls to celebrate Christmas with. There were no parties, no family, no real cheer. Unless you want to use "cheer" as a euphemism for booze, in which case there was plenty of cheer. Other than the pathetic faux snow-covered wreath hung on the front door and the endless drone of holiday movies like A Christmas Story and the Grinch, there really wasn't much to indicate that it was Christmas.

Fast forward a few years to me snapping the restraints on a child's car seat as my beautiful six months pregnant wife brings out the last of the food for this particular get together. Surrounded by houses coated in Christmas lights, with Christmas music pouring out of the radio, and me in a cheesy sweater for good measure.

I know the being thankful thing is so last month, but I can't be happier to have such a wide array of good family, true friends, and all the opportunity for happiness anybody could ever wish for. I just hope I can always remember to take advantage of that opportunity.