thankful thursday #162

I never complain about my Christmas vacation.

I have the opportunity to see various combinations of friends and family whom I don't see enough during the year. I attend the occasional bowl game as a fan, not on business. My work email is virtually inactive for ten business days. I sleep in a little.

It's usually a nice balance of rest and relationships. No complaints.

This year I'm particularly excited to be road-tripping up the Eastern seaboard between Christmas and back-to-work day.

I'm celebrating a friend's birthday in Charleston; passing through Little Man's house in North Carolina just to hug his neck one more time in 2013; visiting another friend in Virginia who I miss terribly; and saying hi to some other friends and family in Atlanta on my way back home.

As I look forward to this adventure, I'm thankful ...

... for friends and family who take me in when I crash their cities ...

... for some excellent alone time in my car along the way (it really is an introvert's dream travel scenario) ...

... to have a car that can get me safely to all these places (God willing) ...

... for some flexibility I'm afforded by driving ...

... to be spared the incivility of the human race while traveling by air ...

... and for the time to spend leisurely enjoying the people in my world whom I love.

Are you packing every bit of goodness you can into 2013? I hope so.

And if you are, don't forget to go on and be grateful!