Christmas in Minnesota

For Christmas this year we packed up Colin and headed north. I was worried about the trip, traveling for several days by car with a three year old seemed like a very bad idea. However, Colin surprised me by being amazingly good...he was interested in the different places we were and he noticed things about the passing cars and trucks that had Mike and I both laughing our heads off (example - mama, what are those pigs doing in that big trailer? My answer, they are going on a trip. His deduction? The pigs were going camping!)
We arrived at my sisters house in Duluth the night before Christmas Eve...we arrived late, so most of the welcoming committee had already left, but my Mom was there and my normally shy son walked right to everyone and greeted them with a big "hi! This is my daddy!" pointing at Mike....why, I wonder, was he so concerned that no one would know Mike? One of life's little mystery's, I'm sure. We stayed at my sister's house through the day after Christmas and then from there moved over to stay with my nephew Chris. Now, Chris is only four years younger than I am, and we really grew up more like brother and sister than aunt and nephew. All the same, I was nervous about staying with his family in their brand new house. I haven't been very good at staying in contact with them and I wasn't sure if we'd have much in common anymore. I was also worried about Colin - what if he didn't get along with Jacob and Madi? What if he broke something? All these fears were completely unfounded, as we had a wonderful time with Chris and Corie and Colin and his 4-year old cousin Madi were instantly the best of friends.
Colin spent a good deal of the time outside - either sledding with my nephew Craig and his son Tyler or snowmobiling on some miniature snowmobiles that Chris had for his kids. They had a blast. We also got to see Chris' son Jacob skate - he is an up-and-coming hockey player who - at 8 - is being courted by several of the kids regional hockey teams. We only got to watch him play for a few minutes, but WOW - the kid is GOOD. I think my nephew has a future NHL player on his hands...
Leaving was very sad - I hadn't had enough time to spend with my Mom or my best friend since high school Mary and her family. I didn't get a chance to see other friends either, but there really is never enough time to do everything you want to do.
I was greatly saddened by a conversation I had with my sister...she is a hurting soul whom I want desperately to help...but the truth was evident this visit that she has to find her own way - I can't lead her or even help her much except to love her and be there for her when she needs me....I will say however that her new distrust of me just because I am a Christian was very disheartening. I saw most of our family do the same thing to Chris when he bacame a Christian several years ago, and I didn't really expect it to be much different with me, but I didn't expect to be ostrasized either.
The most comfortable I was on this trip was when we were with Chris and Corie and their family. We had fun, we could be ourselves, and we didn't feel like we were on the defensive every time we opened our mouths. It was very sad leaving Chris and Corie's house...I shed quite a few tears.
The other really good thing that happened while I was in Minnesota was that my brother Lance and I seemed to have reconnected. We had had a falling out several years ago, and had not been in contact much...he lost his wife (my beautiful sister Barbara) to cancer a little over a year ago, and I let anger and guilt get in the way...I was very nervous about staying with him - would he yell at me? Would he be nice to Mike? Would Mike be nice to him? It was all baseless...it was a wonderful visit and Lance and Mike and Colin bonded very well. I feel bad now that I lost so much time...but that is a mistake I won't repeat.
The rest of the trip home was pretty uneventful - a pit stop in Kansas City that was a little scary... but staying in Topeka New Years Eve was sort of fun... Mike and I toasted in the New Year with a little Bailey's Irish Cream...although I was already sick at that point - Mike and Colin got sick the next day - Happy New Year.
It was nice to get home - it always is. But I take a lot away from this particular trip - I think we are definately better people and happier and definately more full of family....
I have posted a couple of pics that we took on the trip - shows just how much fun we had!

I hope you all have a Happy New Year!