CHRISTMAS ON THE FLY

Christmas 2009 promises to be a little out of the ordinary for my family. Actually, considerably out of the ordinary. It will be the first time that our eldest son Kyle will not be spending Christmas with us. He lives in Chicago, and work keeps him from traveling with us.  We will spend the evening of December 22 with him, sharing a meal, and opening some gifts. Still, Christmas won't be quite the same without him there.
Wednesday the 23rd, my wife, and our 2nd son Cameron, will drive to Minneapolis to spend Christmas with her family. It will be the first Christmas in the 38 years we've been married, that her father will not be with us. At least not physically.  Jim passed away on January 5th, 2009.  I'm sure plenty of tears will be shed again. It will also be the first time in those 38 years that Christmas will not be celebrated in my in-laws home.  It sits vacant, with a Realtor sign in the front yard, still unsold after nearly 9 months on the market. A victim of the poor housing market.  W\The entire Miller clan, will celebrate, instead, with sister-in-law Michelle's family, at their home... Beginning new traditions.
The morning after Christmas, my wife Marla and I will rise very early and she will drive me to the Mpls/St.Paul International Airport.  I will catch a flight down to Dallas/Fort Worth Texas, where I will spend a few post-Christmas days with my side of the family. My brother Marty is flying in from Ulsan South Korea, where he lives and teaches English to Korean children. My sister Liz will be flying in from Watertown South Dakota..... It will be the first time in many years that our entire family, (Mom, Dad, and 6 siblings) will spend holiday time together.
Hope to hell I don't get aced out by the weather on the 26th....Dear Santa, how bout some decent weather on December 26th??
Merry Christmas everyone!