Just wondering...

When are holidays ever your own? As a child, you go where your parents take you on holidays. It's easy, because you have no choice. But, being a semi-recent newly wed, my husband and I are trying to figure out the holiday thing. And things are never as easy as it was when I was a kid.

Take Thanksgiving, for example. We usually spend Thanksgiving with my husband's side of the family. This year, however, seems to be a big dilemma. Who's going to host it? Who's going to come... extended family? immediate family? in-laws? Well, Randy's older brother and his wife, Cheryl, decided to host it because they have two young children. But, plans are on a halt because of Cheryl's parents. They've been invited, but no one knows if they're coming. If they do come, there won't be enough room for everyone. BLAH.

So, here we are. Stuck in the middle. Between his side and mine. Trying our best to share time down the middle, but I miss my family. My parents haven't visited our house since early summer. The only other time we'll see them is Christmas. So, while everyone's still waiting on others to decide what's going on, I've made my plans. Thanksgiving at our house. My parents. Us. That's it. It'll be wonderful. Then, we'll decorate for Christmas the day after.

I guess that's how it has to be when you're married. Trying to spread yourselves so thin between families and holidays. I'm just wondering when the holidays will ever just be for Randy and myself. No demands. No promises. No 5 places to be in one day. No hearing through the grapevine that someone was upset that we couldn't be there for this holiday or couldn't stay longer for that holiday. I guess it's just time to put a foot down and make our own plans.

Ahh... just put this one under "Things they don't warn you about before marriage."