Happy St. Victoria Day!

An obscure saint, but a very real tradition: my mom, Grandma, and I celebrate the feast of St. Victoria on December 23rd every year. We usually take in lunch somewhere, and recently Miki has started joining us. Last night Erik prepared dinner for me, and we celebrated Christmas a little early. He took me to the airport early this morning so I could fight the hordes of travelers before Christmas. I prefer Alaska Airlines, since they do not have many flights out, thus having a shorter check-in line. After last year's blizzards and stranded travelers, this year was like a walk in the park. The lines for check-in and security moved so quickly, I had a ridiculous amount of time to hang around. It was busier in July when I flew home for my birthday! I certainly was not going to complain, though I was a bit grumbly that our flight was late leaving Denver...I didn't want to keep my mom, Grandma, and sister waiting in Portland. They would be hungry, too! My bags weren't the last, and my sister helped me carry them. I was glad to have her, since my mom got a new car in my absence, and I had no clue what to look for. Renaults, pick-ups, and anything old and rusting were the typical fare where I was in Argentina, so the SUVs and flashy new cars were a bit foreign. Lunch was delicious - vegetarian Thai food. We laughed much and caught up with each other. I feel like my stories are old news having been sending them out into the world via blog. But I know nothing of what is going on with everyone else. Quick to catch me up, my family had lots to share. We snuck in movie, The Kite Runner, as quickly as I set my bags down. Walking out to the bathroom from the theatre, I heard my name, whipped around, and found my older brother waiting for his girlfriend against the wall. What a treat to get to meet her before she headed to Eugene for Christmas! A very pleasant surprise! It's good to be in Portland with my family again!