OH the Holidays....

Lots of family, lots of gifts, seeing old friends, and gaining a few pounds... what's not to love?

Yes, the holidays this year were just as good as ever, but perhaps they were the last of their kind for me... My parents were dead set on having us do all the same stuff that we'd done in years past. Why? Mainly because my siblings are adding new members to their own families (currently on a yearly basis), so this year was the last of it's kind. It's sort of weird knowing that things are going to be different a year from now... I mean I may not even be living IN Washington (although I greatly doubt that), and my siblings will be starting their own traditions with their growing families.

I will say that in all the years growing up, I had loved the difference in my age and my brother and sister's age.. we were a decade a part, experiencing completely different things yet still being rather close. I learned from all of their mistakes (thanks for that!) and all of their triumphs. However, now more than ever I think I wish I could just understand a little bit more of what's going on in their lives, or be at least a little closer in distance. I think that I at least have a SENSE of what it must have felt like for my sister to be living away from family in Wisconsin (or Colorado) and being so out of the loop. I don't let things get to me too much when it's discovered that they "forgot" to tell Annie (oh yes, you know it's true), but still it makes me wonder if I'm supposed to just vanish for a few years... have my own adventures away from home and just... not feel like I'm at SUCH a different stage of life. Now this isn't a pity party, so don't even think about calling me up family. I just know that I need to really figure out what is best for me to do and not try and focus on just making sure I'm close to home to hear everything that goes on while I'm away...

SO, that's just my thought of the day... I never thought I'd be in the same boat as SO many other seniors right now and not have any idea on what I'll be doing after college, but I have the economy to thank for that... my for sure job is now just a mere hope, and all of my other job options grow smaller each day with more companies laying off or collapsing altogether... at the same time, I AM getting some creative ideas... like, another degree? working abroad? HA! Who knows...