I’ve been so busy Getting Stuff Done™ that I haven’t had an opportunity to write about my Christmas experience. To sum it up, I survived.

My dad showed up and the energy changed - as was expected. But we quickly got past that.

I planned to serenade my sister because she always, without fail, asks me “how come you don’t play the flute anymore?”

My father saw the flute laying on the counter and looked at me funny when he said, “you still play this? I remember when I got you this flute…” and I had to kindly cut him off to let him know I bought the flute he was holding while I was in college.

I started to panic when he opened the case and started showing it around, in awe of its golden keys, but all I could imagine was a head joint (or other very important piece) of my very cherished, very expensive flute meeting with the very hard floor.

When he placed it safely back on the counter, I don’t think I’ve ever felt such relief before in my life.

When I told him I still had the flute he bought for me in 7th grade, he didn’t say it, but I could tell he was happy to hear it. It was all over his face. Then he complained a bit as he recollected having to drive me a few miles to a concert in the 8th grade because I had a solo.

(It always bothered me that he could not see my accomplishments - hundreds of flautists auditioned, but I was the one selected - he just saw it as an inconvenience in his schedule. That’s probably why I stopped trying.)

I had just started playing Silent Night when Cameron called from the other room “hey, what are you guys watching in there, that sounds beautiful?” He actually thought it was a show on t.v.

The rest of the folks that were subjected to my playing started singing along and swaying to the beat. That made me happy. When people enjoyed my music was when I was most happy.

We then ate dinner, spread out in so many rooms. The children upstairs playing video games. Other people in the garage, some in the kitchen, some in the living room. A familiar scene - and a comforting one.

I made bread! And people liked it! Seriously. I’m not just saying that either.

I was so worried no one eat it or like it, but they did. It was a buttermilk white bread and at the end of the evening people were placing orders, I felt so special.

I snapped a quick pic of my absolute favorite Christmas present wrapping job of all time. You have no idea just how much I love my sister ROFL.

It was fun. I got to watch grown people act a fool, I got to laugh and forget about any problems and just bask in love (yes, I know that’s so cheesy).

At the end of the day, watching the videos, it made me smile. I am a very lucky person to have such a great family. Broken and misguided as we are, we’re still family.