Holiday Plans

Some of you who have been reading this blog from the beginning can probably skip through my introduction here, because it really just is going to be repetitive.

Friends, I'm a planner. I plan things- I plan my life and my career and my day. I can change my plans, certainly (HELLO, Romania) but I like to know what is going on a decent amount of time before it happens.

I've recently had someone stumble into my life who has helped me relax a bit in this way, and I'll forever be thankful for that influence- but I'm still a planner at heart.

Now is an acceptable time to post about my plans for the holiday, yeah?

First of all, I'd like to say that I just have an incredible amount of wonderful people in my life. Here we go.

December 23- Leave my apartment in Bucharest at around 6:30 in the morning, and arrive in Detroit that night around 5:30, helped in part by the 7 hour time difference, involving the rotation of the earth on it's axis and other things I don't quite understand. I'm going to be exhausted.

December 24- Bake goodies all day long, as this is primarily what I have to offer the various groups of people I will be seeing over the next 9 days. I could bring things home from Romania, but Bucharest doesn't really have special things like that- and who doesn't want some cookies baked with love? Hang out with the H~ family, something I am probably more excited about than I should be. All of them, too- M~ included!

December 25- I think this day has some sort of special meaning.

December 26- Leave for western Michigan (not to be confused with Western Michigan, though I WILL pass that on the way to my destination in western Michigan) for the start of what I'm sure will be a wonderful trip. Meeting new people is rather exciting for me.

December 27- Hang out in Holland with a group of people who help me to keep breathing sometimes- P~ and R~ and C~ and C~ and A~ and L~ all in one lovely cottage, eating goodies and sharing love.

December 28- Leave early in the morning and drive to Aunt D~ and Uncle G~ house just south of Chicago. Happy holidays, family! Meet my family there (J~ included) and then go to our hotel in the Loop. Eat loads of food (see previous blog) and have fun in the Chicago Winter Wonderland.

December 29- Eat breakfast at Lou Mitchells and then leave the city, headed for Granger Indiana and the home of G~, M~, L~, M~ and C~. Spend time with them talking and laughing and playing games (I'm sure).

December 30- Wrestling invitational at Comstock. Joy of my heart, but at least I'll get to see E~ wrestle once this year. Plus, I was really starting to miss the smell of adolescent boy sweat that has permeated those mats. Delicious.

December 31- Spend a quiet evening with my dear L~ watching movies and talking and toasting the new year.

January 1- WOW... I have no idea what I'm going to do on this day. Probably take my lovely mother out for her Christmas present (if she reads this far in the blog she'll probably have an idea of what she is getting) and then maybe go and see a movie with my brothers C~ and E~ because we all know I'm the coolest and they love me the most. If they don't share this sentiment I'll guilt them somehow- the "I live in Romania" card is predicted to appear.

January 2- Get on a plane in Detroit at 9:30 in the evening.

I'm a planner, and I've got mad plans. This is going to be the best Christmas Vacation EVER. I'm determined.

Seriously though- even if things don't work out quite as well as I have planned for, I still have an incredible week filled with people who help me to find beauty and joy and humor and love and hope when I need it most. Who could ask for more than that, and in all honestly, isn't this what Christmas is about?