I'm going to be an auntie!

But I've also received a piece of very bad news. More on that later.

For now, I'm trying to concentrate on the good news--I'm going to be an auntie! In mid-July. I'm terribly excited about that (I bought my sister her first baby things), and have adjusted my vacation plans for next year to include a trip to see her and the baby after he/she is born. Also, my brother-in-law is getting out of the Air Force, official as of January 1, so no fears he'll be shipped off to Afghanistan or Iraq again.

This holiday--bad news aside--has been pure joy. Two solid weeks of hanging out with John's family and now with my own. It's the usual raucous holiday merrymaking, of course, I've been embraced by John's family, he's been embraced by mine, and everything is very casual and happy and filled with lots of eating and talking and hugging and cutthroat games of Spoons. The good news, coupled with the bad news, coupled with seeing everyone, have thrown my feelings about family into sharp relief. I'm still sorting that out, but I suspect my plans and goals for the next few years may change dramatically.