Up until this point, my family was always able to be together during the Holidays. This year was the first year that I was not able to join my whole family. My brother is stationed in Texas, My mom and stepdad live in Georgia, and I am still in Oregon. I called my mom and asked her how she felt about it just being the three of them. She said that “It was nice to have Bryce (brother) vising but I wish that you could be here with us too, then it would be whole”. They had their own thanksgiving in Georgia and went to a wonderful tree lighting ceremony. Kinship is not located in one place all the time. A family can spread out, but still be closer than ever.