I don’t think it is possible to cover in full what I’m trying to say here; or at least what I’m about to try and say.  Let me go ahead and say that I’m sure I’ll fail miserably at getting my point across however, I’ll do my best and if you get even a tenth of what I’m trying to say then I figure we’ve accomplished something.
     Today a buddy of mine worked his last day in my department.  He and I started just about a month apart and he and I were on similar paths as far as where we would end up in the department.  Spent a lot of time in the trenches of cubeland and worked on several away-from-work projects so the guy means a lot to me.  I’m happy for the opportunity he’s earned himself, he’ll still be at the same company and all, but it’ll be different.  Going to miss working with Mr. Sinister.
     I left the office today and headed to the new place.  We’re in the process of moving and tonight I was to meet the fam at the new place and help out with a few things.  Getting there my wife and daughter attacked me with hugs.  There’s a fireplace at the new house and papaw had a fire going.  Wife and her mom were unloading boxes and papaw was doing a few different things.  I was blessed with putting together the new tv stand; I got the daughter to give me a hand.  She’s in an ultra ‘love-daddy’ mode so she was more than stoked to help.  There was Christmas music playing on the raidio so the fire, the closeness of family, the music; all added up a general sense of well being and happiness.
     We ate sandwiches around the bar in the kitchen; just had a good time sitting around.  As my wife did the dishes I told her that the new house looked good on her.  She’s really happy, as is the rest of the family, with the new place.  We wrapped up what we were doing and all loaded up in the different cars to head home.  The raidio was playing Christmas music as we snaked through town.  Maryville City has turned on their Christmas lights as have several downtown shops so the whole ride home was somewhat unique.
     You see for the longest time I have been an anti Christmas person.  I guess to some degree I may still be but as this season marches on I feel myself changing.  In the past my focus was on what traditions meant, whether I could participate in them or not, and the over commercialization of thoe whole thing.  What I’m coming to realize is that it’s got more to do with family than anything else.  The funny thing is I get home tonight and ‘Love Actually’ is on tv.  I don’t know if there’s a better movie out there.  I wish I could say, even get close to saying, how much my friends and family mean to me.  I am my daughter’s hero; my wife’s champion; I don’t think there is anything more I can ask for.