Exciting plans for next year

There are lots of things on our family's horizon next year, and we are excited about all of them.  I know I keep saying that we are soaking up all we can of having Catherine and Thomas around before we are empty nesters, and it is true.  Hopefully our kids will always want to do fun things and hang out with us, but there is no guarantee.

We did similar things before Robert left.  The summer between his junior and senior year, we invited my parents, my sister, and my in-laws to join us for our summer vacation at the Outer Banks.  Only my mother joined us, and she mentioned that she would like to do something like that as each child graduated.  I'm not sure she is up to a week long vacation at the ocean anymore, but I still wanted to do something.  Since we had Andrew's parents join us on a small trip last year over spring break, we decided to ask my mom to do the same this coming year.  I tried to think of something that would be indoors (our break is in March) and not to far away, but something we would all enjoy.  When I suggested the Henry Ford Museum to her, she gasped and said she was going to suggest that to us.  It will only be a couple of days, but I know it will be a lot of fun.

We are also committed to going back to the Outer Banks.  Our plan is go early in June as we normally do, and we are planning to stay in the same community as last time.  It has the best amenities, and we are hoping to stay fairly close to the pool/ocean complex.  We haven't been to the ocean in three years, and I know we will enjoy it.

The other thing we have planned just kind of fell into our laps last evening.  My sister had asked if Catherine wanted her Christmas present to be a trip to Notre Dame for the Billy Joel concert.  She was fine with that, although Andrew immediately exclaimed that he wanted to go.  I suggested my sister want to take both kids, because while Catherine was fine going, Thomas LOVES Billy Joel.  My sister only had two tickets, but said she would see if she could get three together.  I jumped on the offer to use the two tickets she already had, and then she bought three together for herself and the kids.  Merry Christmas to all of us from Aunt K!  She got online this morning and made reservations for us at an airbnb just two blocks from campus.  The only downside is that this is just a couple of weeks after vacation, and we have to leave our sweet pup again.

I am NOT going to wish away these days, because they are too precious.  I also know that there will be many awesome things happen along the way.  It sure is exciting to have these things happening though!