An Itch I can't scratch...quite yet

I am one of the world's biggest advocates of waiting until after Thanksgiving to start the Christmas season, but this year I am so anxious to get the Christmas season started. I refuse to listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, so I have been listening to a ridiculous amount of Josh Groban because he is the closest thing to Christmas music without actually being it. This evening, I got home from work and went and took a peek at my Christmas decorations (dorky, I know). After taking a peek, I got onto my computer and spent and hour or so looking at Martha Stewart's Christmas page planning things I could craft. I secretly wish I was as crafty and creative as Martha....sigh...maybe one day. I am so delightfully pathetic.

Anyway, why have I been so Christmas crazy? I have a few ideas and I am ready to present them in a list:

-Christmas, for me, means family. I don't get to go home very often, and during Christmas I get to spend almost 2 whole weeks with all of them! I will have a chance to get to know my new brother-in-law, who seems like an amazing person.

- Something in Christmas air brings feelings of happiness. Honestly, this semester has been a bit of a lonely one for me. I miss my best friends being my roommates. I miss the good friend I made over the summer and then lost. I miss school (only a little bit!). I miss late nights spent outside just playing and talking. I miss summer. I miss late sunsets. Don't get me wrong. I have a very good life, and love it, but I am really excited for the extra bounce Christmas puts in my step.

-I love going shopping and buying things for the people I love, and for the first time in my life, I have money!!!

-But mostly, I am just really excited to be with my family. I miss them.

Speaking of family, I am cooking my first Thanksgiving dinner and am really excited/a little nervous. I have never cooked a whole turkey before! I don't have a roasting pan, so I bought a dinky aluminum one, and that in and of itself makes me nervous. I would have loved to buy a sturdy roasting pan, but it just didn't seem practical. Oh well, I am going to eat dinner with my siblings (well, Jon and Erin), and that is all that matters! That takes a lot of the pressure off as well because I could care less if they eat something that isn't perfect. Mmmm, I am so excited for Thanksgiving...followed by Christmas, the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!