Family Festivities

Upon reaching the ripe old age of twenty two, I have come to realize that you appreciate some things more as you get older. One of these things is family gatherings.

While I have always loved my very large extended family, I think there are some elements of get-togethers that kids dread. For me it was the long car rides, the fear that my parents would make me play the piano infront of others, the sitting around semi-bored because I never had cousins my own age, and Vietnamese food that my picky palete did not appreciate.

Yet things get better as you get to sit at the proverbial adult table. Today we did our first of two Christmas celebrations with my dad's side of the family. Although I'm not as close with my dad's side as much as my mom's side, I had a lot of fun.

I now enjoy conversing with my aunts and uncles about everything from law school to politics to what they're doing in their lives, my cousins are old enough for me to talk to them too- even if there is an age gap, I haven't had to touch a piano in years, and I take joy in helping to prepare the meals and eat most of it now (I'm still a little picky).

The fun continues tomorrow with Christmas part 2.