Traveling for the Holidays

This is how we got around the airport - David also carried Trey's car seat and pulled another suitcase

Merry Christmas!

We were able to be with both sides of our family for Christmas and New Years. We had originally thought that we weren't going anywhere because I was due with Jonathan so close to Christmas. But because we had been here last Christmas without family, we knew it would hard to be away again this year. We thought that we would have to fly to either Tennessee or Pennsylvania, but when I checked roundtrip ticket prices, I was so discouraged. To either place they were around $600 per person. I knew we couldn't justify paying that much for tickets when we usually pay about half that to fly home. I was feeling so homesick - I think between being pregnant and just wanting to see family. One day after work, I was sleeping and I woke up with the thought of trying to see how much one way tickets would be. I always wake up with these ideas that I can't get out of my head (which is really annoying when you are trying to make your body sleep during the day). So I got up in the middle of the day and proceeded to check one way ticket prices. I was happy to find that by buying 3 one-way tickets from here to TN, from TN to PA, and from PA back here, we could see both sides of our family and also fly for about $450 per person. So we decided to be crazy and fly home for Christmas with a toddler and a newborn.

We flew first to TN and spent Christmas with David's family. We had fun visiting with his parents, his brothers, and their wives. Trey and Jonathan travelled really well. We were happy to have to buy a seat for Trey this time on the plane because he does so much better when he is secured in his car seat. The time difference was a little bit of an adjustment, and we were around a lot of people that Trey is around all the time. But I think overall, he did very well. He loves people, and he provided us all with lots of entertainment. Trey had fun on Christmas - we really tried to focus on Jesus and His birthday but it's hard when we weren't at home to incorporate all that we wanted to incorporate into Christmas. I felt like the day went so fast, and I wanted to take it all in but it was hard to do so. One thing we didn't do is make a birthday cake for Jesus. We did that last year, and I want to be sure we do that next year. I think that is a very tangible way for Trey to see and understand that it is Jesus' birthday. I've struggled a bit the last few Christmases and I am not totally sure why. I enjoy the gift giving at Christmas, but what I really enjoy most of all is being together with loved ones. I think giving gifts can be burdensome at times because even in our Christian families, I feel the pressure to buy the "perfect gift". I get really caught up in the shopping part instead of simply trying to express my love to the person I am giving the gift to. Every year I want to simplify yet every year it is hard to do what I intend.

The Ashworth family
I think this picture is a bit awkward because everyone was all posed for the picture except David and me because we were trying to chase Trey who was playing with his cousins - we quickly jumped into place, but I still think we look out of place here

We spent a week in Tennessee and then flew to Pennsylvania to see my side of the family. We spent a week and a half there. It was so cold there, but we enjoyed being with family. Trey had fun playing with his cousins. We were able to spend some time with my Gramma which meant a great deal to me. We felt a little housebound by the end of our time there because it was too cold some days to go outside to play. My mom had found a warm coat, snow pants, and boots for Trey to play out in the snow with. She also cooked a lot of my favorite meals - nothing like mom's cooking.

Gramma and Jonathan

Trey and his cousin Isaac

Trey walking back up the hill we had sled down

My dad and Jonathan snuggling

We are glad that we had money in savings to fly home with, and it was an even better treat that we could see both sides of our family. We are so thankful to all of our family for all the wonderful gifts they gave to us. I am so glad that Jonathan was able to meet both sides of our family so soon after he was born. He continues to be a blessing to our family.